A startling and provocative new work that explores humanity’s desire to dictate how we’re perceived by others, New Theatre presents the Sydney premiere of Keziah Warner’s Control this July.
A disparate quartet thrown together in a Reality TV experiment hurtle through space. As climate change reaches crisis point and revolution threatens to erupt on Earth, the world is looking on. Or is it?
In the society of the future, A.I. and people work side-by-side, ‘personal memories’ are held in a database vulnerable to hackers, and past misadventures can be erased. And on the planet known as New Earth (a now-colonised Mars), a touching relationship develops between a techie and the android she’s tasked with reprogramming.
This provocative, clever and subversively funny play explores the ethical and moral ambiguities inherent in our relationship with technology. It questions both humanity’s desire to manipulate how we’re perceived by others, and our need to control our environment despite our inability to control ourselves.
New Theatre is thrilled to be presenting the Sydney premiere of this exciting new Australian play, to be directed by Patrick Howard (Once in Royal David’s City).
“I never imagined myself directing a work of science fiction, but Control is an irresistibly hilarious, poignant, strange and heartbreaking new Australian work that I couldn’t say no to,” says Patrick.
“I hope that in coming to see Control, audiences will see themselves and walk away discomforted by our world’s wilful ignorance. As funny as the play is, it’s also quite sad… but maybe our future doesn’t have to be.”
“What I love most about science fiction is that it gives us the opportunity to imagine ‘what if?’, and to see the interventions we can take to prevent the worst of what we’re capable of.”
“Even by seeing something that is bleak or sad or painfully ironic, we can see how we can be better people, and that there’s hope to be found,” said Patrick.
Told as a trilogy, traversing several decades and mixing genres, this is a shrewd and sharp vision of the future from a bold new Australian voice.
Director/Sound Designer: Patrick Howard | Featuring: Romney Hamilton, Giani Leon, Riley McNamara, Emily Suine, Kaitlyn Thor, Luke Vinsentin, Caitlin Williams, Olivia Xegas | Set Designer: David Marshall-Martin | Lighting Designer: Capri Harris | Costume Designer: Rhiarn Zarzhavsky | Assistant Director: Emma Van Veen | Stage Manager: Danielle Rayner
Control
New Theatre, 542 King Street, Newtown
Season continues to 30 July 2022
Information and Bookings: www.newtheatre.org.au
Image: Control – photo by Bob Seary