G’day. Welcome to the Yabba. Just passing through? It’s the best little town in the world. Things a bit grim? Chin up.
John Grant is well-read, but an outback misadventure strands him – cashless and jobless – in a harsh and remote Aussie outpost, Bundanyabba. So, he makes new ‘mates’: they’re quick with a drink, but with every scull a dark violence lurches forward. Are these blokes fair dinkum, or is there something more sinister at the heart of this little Aussie town?
On the Beckett Theatre stage, the entire world of Wake in Fright is conjured in a one-person show by the always-evocative Zahra Newman (The Book of Mormon) accompanied by a sonic assault from art-electronica band, friendships. Under the direction of Declan Greene, Kenneth Cook’s iconic work of Australian Gothic horror is felt in the flesh.
Bring sunscreen, buy a beer and wear your ear plugs. Once we pierce the Yabba’s ocker veneer, you better be ready for the explosive brutality pent up inside.
Director: Declan Greene Featuring: Zahra Newman Music & Composition: Friendships Sound Design: James Paul Lighting & Projection Design: Verity Hampson Stage Manager: Cecily Rabey
Wake in Fright
Beckett Theatre – The Coopers Malthouse, Sturst Street, Southbank
Season: 27 June – 14 July 2019 (previews: 21 – 25 June)
Information and Bookings: www.malthousetheatre.com.au
Image: Zahra Newman – photo by Zan Wimberley