Emerging Writer's Festival X MTC First Stage

After a few months of reflection as the whole world came to a stand still, it’s nice to be reading and working again, albeit virtually and with all the technical difficulties that offers. I’m so happy to tell you about the 4 excerpts I’ll get to perform for you by 4 amazing emerging writers, Nazaree Dickerson, Anisa Nandaula, and of course my good friends Artemis Munoz and Grace Feng Fang Juan (Writer and creator of Girl Interpreted webseries). Please join us on Zoom Sunday 21 June, 7pm AEST for an evening of new works in development.

https://emergingwritersfestival.org.au/event/first-stage/

Poona Postponed

It is with heavy heart that I’ll have to make this post. We have decided, with full support of Next Wave Festival and Chinese Museum Melbourne, to postpone Poona until the world goes back to normal. We are one of the lucky productions where it looks like having a production later down the line is a very real probability. At a time where art and expression is more important than ever, I’m thankful for my creative team and my cast for their energy and generosity. Rest assured, Poona will come and save us. It’s just going to take us a little longer than we hoped.

Two weeks ago, while in Sydney and things were shifting all around us, I got to see the dress rehearsal of girl friend written by my good mate Natesha Somasundaram Belvoir Downstairs. It was to be the only run of this gem of a play (for now), on a day when every other show was getting cancelled all around us. Because of this, there was quite a crowd there. It was the first time the actors were running through the entire show with costumes, they were missing the projection, the script was only locked the week before, by all normal rules, this show should not have been in front of such a large audience, but we all felt like we needed to be there. We joked about the fact that this was the last theatre we were going to see for a long time, we just didn’t know how true or for how long that was going to be. It was a hilarious and brilliant piece, I truly hope you’ll all get to see it some day.

Directer Claudia Barrie and playwright Natesha Somasundaram being the cutest at curtain call of girl friend

Directer Claudia Barrie and playwright Natesha Somasundaram being the cutest at curtain call of girl friend

CAAP x NIDA Directing Workshop

What a strange time in the world right now, but among all the madness, we have to hold onto our small pockets of miraculous gatherings. Yesterday I got to witness one of the most beautiful weddings I’ve ever been to, that of my dear friend Mark Pritchard and Arie Glorie. And today, despite all the odds, I hopped on a flight to Sydney to part take in a 2 day workshop with internationally renowned director Ong Keng Sen.

It felt like a very strange time to be travelling, but since Keng Sen is travelling to us from Taipei to make this happen, the least I could do was go the small way from Melbourne. And at least I got to go with my partner in crime Ra Chapman in tow!

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Big Announcement! POONA IS COMING

2020 will be my feature length directing debut, and I couldn’t be more excited about this one. I get to work with my professional crushes Keziah Warner and Roshelle Fong! (some of you might know that I’ve worked with Keziah previously on a creative development called MEAT with Lara Kerestes where Keziah was a dramaturg).

POONA

Presented in association with the Chinese Museum as part of Next Wave Festival

Welcome to the Republic of Australia, 2050. The country is witnessing one of the tightest presidential runs in history, with one-time underdog, independent party candidate Poona Li Hung, now an unlikely frontrunner.

In 1997, the controversial book, Pauline Hanson: The Truth imagined Australia in the year 2050, run by Poona, a “lesbian… of Indian and Chinese background” and… a cyborg. Multidisciplinary artist Roshelle Fong and playwright Keziah Warner bring Poona to life in this necessary and timely immersive theatre work.

As a Poona campaign staffer on election night, it’s time to help your candidate prepare for the result, whichever way it goes. Fasten your ‘Vote Poona’ badge, collect that last-minute polling data, and brace yourself – will Australia’s new President be the hero we’ve all been waiting for?

Content Warnings

This production contains theatrical haze effects, dynamic sound and lighting. It also contains mature themes and some coarse language.   

Mature themes: themes relating to abuse of power and privilege, themes of racism and references to racism and references to oppression.  

During the performance, audience members will be offered canapes. Audience members do not need to consume the food on offer, and actors will endeavour to facilitate communication with audiences around dietary requirement during the course of the performance.  

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Folding Beijing Reading

What an absolutely pleasure of a room to be in! Thanks to team Malthouse for inviting me in. Yesterday we even had a skype call with author Hao Jingfang! The sci-fi geek inside me is reeling. The piece is poetic and expansive and I loved reuniting with my Golden Shield friend Jin Yi, this time as colleagues. Thank you to Playking for commissioning this piece