Rebel

Telling the story of senior activists from around Australia who are fighting for a future they may never see, Rebel by multi award-winning playwright, Fleur Kilpatrick, will take to the stage at the Ian Potter Centre for Performing Arts on Wednesday 3 August 2022.

Presented by one of Australia’s most trusted and exciting independent theatre companies, Lab Kelpie, Rebel stars Ayesha Tansey as Fleur and features a digital ensemble of actors and voices, who invite audiences to join Fleur for a story, a tour of her pot plants and a tasty curry to eat as they leave.

This innovative digital/theatre hybrid is brought to life by one of the best young contemporary performance creative teams in Australia; Cassandra Fumi and Justin Gardam. Audiences can expect verbatim theatre, made with the greatest love, respect and gratitude to those who are fighting for our future.

Rebel brings to life stories from environmentalists from Springbrook who got the government to protect cow paddocks as a “Rainforest in Recovery” – the head of The Grandparents of the Extinction Rebellion in WA and members of Knitting Nannas Against Gas and Greed from New South Wales.

“Rebel was a joyful piece to create, especially during the bleakness of Covid,” said Writer Fleur Kilpatrick. It celebrates ordinarily remarkable people and the wisdom, efforts and care of others.”

“These activists make the incredible work they do as approachable and human as they are. There is warmth, love and humour in their voices. It was a beautiful work to sit inside of and create,” said Kilpatrick

Fleur’s plays have won many awards, including the 2019 Helen Noonan Award (Whale) and the 2018 Max Afford Playwrights Award (Whale). In 2019, she directed her adaptation of Slaughterhouse Five to critical acclaim. Fleur is the co-founder and dramaturge of Lonely Company – working to support emerging playwrights create sustainable careers.

Cassandra Fumi is a theatre-maker and artist who creates interdisciplinary performance works. Her practice is socially engaged and holds at its heart a championing of theatre’s unique ability to allow for the creation of community, expression, and a deep seeing and sharing.

Inspired by fairytales, new writing, memes, and experiences she creates a multi-sensory context that encompasses both the spectator and performers as creators and storytellers. Cassandra also works as an artistic associate, community liaison, and stage manager with regular collaborators Samara Hersch, Lara Thoms, THE RABBLE, APHIDS and Susie Dee.

Justin Gardam is a sound designer, AV designer, theatre maker and dramaturg. He is a graduate of Monash University and the VCA. Recent design credits include sound design on MUST’s Slaughterhouse Five, adapted and directed by Fleur Kilpatrick at Theatre Works, Wakey Wakey, and LAMB (Red Stitch) and The Trial of Dorian Gray (Bitten By Productions).

Join Lab Kelpie for a night of rainforests and knitting nanas, climate action and arrests, hot pots full of curry and warm hearts full of hope. Rebel is proudly presented by Lab Kelpie and MLIVE.

Rebel
David Li Sound Gallery – The Ian Potter Centre for Performing Arts, 48 Exhibition Walk, Clayton
Performance: Wednesday 3 August 2022
Information and Bookings: www.monash.edu

Image: Rebel (supplied)