This July, acclaimed director Nadia Tass brings her much-lauded production of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by playwright Heather McDonald to the Theatre Works stage in an Australian premiere season.
Inspired by the 2001 UNESCO proclamation, Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity follows three women – a hardened soldier, a nurse, and an art restorer – trapped inside a war ravaged museum.
Together, they are forced to weigh the cost of survival against the desire to preserve the last remnants of beauty and human history. A tense, poetic, and unflinching examination of what endures when everything else is lost, it asks a powerfully relevant question: “When history is erased, who will remember what made us human?”
A compelling examination of war, cultural destruction and memory told through the perspectives of women – whose stories are often overlooked by history – Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity brings together some of Australia’s most respected female theatre artists to collaborate on the production inclusing Kate Cole, Laila Thaker and Jane Montgomery Griffiths.
“Nadia brought this play to Theatre Works because she has such a deep personal connection to the work, and a genuine belief in its importance,” said Dianne Toulson, Theatre Works Executive Director. “When she approached us about the project, it was immediately clear why she was so committed to it.”
“The play explores the value of art, culture, memory and heritage and asks important questions about what we choose to preserve and protect as a society. Audiences can expect a production that feels expansive in its scope while remaining intensely personal.”
Created in 2001, the UNESCO Proclamation of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity was made to raise awareness of intangible cultural heritage – such traditions, rituals, dance, and knowledge – and urge the protection of the communities that create them. Now in its 25th year, and with a world currently experiencing devastating turmoil, it has never been more relevant.
Director: Nadia Tass | Featuring: Kate Cole, Jane Montgomery-Griffiths, Laila Thaker | Lighting Designer: David Parker | Sound Designer: Daniel Nixon | Set & Costume Designer: Ishan Vivekanantham
Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity
Theatre Works, 14 Acland Street, St Kilda
Season: 23 July – 1 August 2026 (21 & 22 July)
Information and Bookings: www.theatreworks.org.au
Image: Kate Cole, Laila Thaker and Jane Montgomery Griffiths – photo by Steve Mitchell Wright