Following seasons at the Edinburgh International Festival and London’s Southbank Centre, acclaimed actor, writer, daughter and person with Down syndrome Julia Hales (ABC TV’s The Upside) brings the joyous play, You Know We Belong Together, to the Drama Theatre – Sydney Opera House this September.
“I want people to see us for who we are and what we do as part of the world. I watched every single episode of Australian soap opera Home and Away since it first aired in 1988, but I’ve never seen another person with Down syndrome in the cast,” said creator, co-writer and lead artist, Julia Hales.
“I used to dream of landing a role in it and finding love. So I created You Know We Belong Together. This is a story for us, by us.”
The moving performance of monologues, video, scenes, dance and song stars Hales and a cast of six Western Australian actors who put their own lives on stage, showcasing their deeply personal experiences and day-to-day reality of Down syndrome.
Together, they create a beautiful and heartfelt portrait of friendship on a replica set of Home and Away’s famous diner at Summer Bay – so Hales can finally be in the show.
“Part play and part live documentary, You Know We Belong Together exposes how we ‘other’ people with disabilities,” said Sydney Opera House Head of Contemporary Performance, Ebony Bott. “Julia’s writing hits you in the heart, and her story is raw, honest and above all, one that needs to be heard.”
You Know We Belong Together was co-written by Hales, award-winning playwright Finn O’Branagáin, and Clare Watson, former Artistic Director and Co-CEO of Perth’s Black Swan State Theatre Company who also directs the show.
It was commissioned and produced by Perth Festival, Black Swan and DADAA, it premiered at Perth Festival 2018 to rave reviews and audience acclaim, and then had a return sold-out season in 2019 as part of Black Swan State Theatre Company’s season.
All performances of You Know We Belong Together have integrated Auslan interpretation and captioning is provided during film segments. Please email bookings@sydneyoperahouse.com or call 02 9250 7777 to book a seat in view of the interpreter. There will be a quiet space in the Drama Theatre foyer. The performance on Saturday 10 September will include a post-show Q&A with the cast.
You Know We Belong Together
Drama Theatre – Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point, Sydney
Season: 6 – 10 September 2022
Information and Bookings: www.sydneyoperahouse.com
Image: Julia Hales in You Know We Belong Together – photo by Toni Wilkinson