A poignant theatrical journey from our most formative years through the power of music, HITS is set to debut at the Adelaide Festival Centre from 3 July for five shows only.
Remember the first-time music truly touched your soul, when music was more than just a background noise – it was a lifeline, a source of inspiration, and a universal form of escape.
Presented by Laughter through the Tears Productions, in association with the Adelaide Festival Centre, and support from Brink Productions, HITS is an all-South Australian production set to resonate with anyone who’s ever found solace, identity, or rebellion in a song, concert or festival.
It’s 1992, as the world watched Charles and Di’s separation and teens devoured Dolly magazine for guidance, 15-year-old Rhiannon navigates the trials of adolescence in suburban Adelaide. Pre-internet, and raised on a diet of Dad rock, yacht rock and soft dag crooner rock, not to mention the voice of authority, DJ Barry, this is a world of one-voice, and one world-view.
That is until she meets Suzie, a knowledgeable music aficionado from the local record store, who catapults her into an exhilarating punk-inspired awakening. HITS invites you into a total celebration of the gig and music festival community, where the tactile joy of vinyl melds with the collective spirit of music enthusiasts.
“I have been a popular music nerd my entire life and grew up in a musical family. So this show really is close to my heart. As are all the extraordinary artists who are part of the team,” said writer & director, Rebecca Meston.
“Transforming the Space into the Big Day Out 1993, and bringing a 13-member mosh pit chorus to life, audiences can expect to be dropped into a grunge-soaked, music festival underworld, backed by a soundtrack you’ll wish you had on mix tape.”
HITS is not just a theatrical production or a nostalgic piece about bygone musical tastes, it’s a homage to that unforgettable piece of music, artist, or person who ignited our souls during our most awkward, vulnerable years.
Rebecca Meston is a theatre maker from Kaurna Land and has written and directed The Reunion (alongside Daniel Evans), Fantasy Project Gary, Click Tease, Tracksuit Girl and If you can learn to fake authenticity you’ve got it made.
In 2019, her play Drive was presented at Theatre Works (Melbourne), and in 2015 she was awarded first prize in HotHouse Theatre’s Solo Monologue Competition for Last of the Corsetières.
Writer, Director & Co-producer: Rebecca Meston | Featuring: Ren Williams, Emma Beech, Annabel Matheson, Eddie Morrison, First Year Flinders Drama Centre Students | Set & Costume Designer: Ali Jones | Sound Designer: Jason Sweeney | Lighting Designer: Mark Oakley | Choreographer: Erin Fowler | Production Manager: Emma O’Neill | Dramaturg: Saffron Benner | Director Mentor: Sasha Zahra | Producer: Jennifer Greer Holmes
HITS
Space Theatre – Adelaide Festival Centre, King William Road, Adelaide
Season: 3 – 6 July 2024
Information and Bookings: www.adelaidefestivalcentre.com.au
Image: HITS – photo by Morgan Sette