“MASSACRE” is the intimidating title of an ‘explosive’ theatre work about the politics and violence of East Timor, due to hit the stage at The Street this weekend.
Image from ‘Massacre’, photo Susan Paiva
A part of The Street + ANU Centre for European Studies collaboration, “Segue 2015”, a mini-festival coinciding with Europe Day celebrations and giving the nod to “the cultural interplay between the continents of Australia and Europe”.
In this provocative show, billed as “humorous, corrosive, contemporary theatre” Timor (John Romao) and East (Paulo Castro) work with weapons of grotesque, sarcasm and a trash metal soundtrack to create what they’re calling ‘a scenic, hypnotic and dangerous game’ as the massacre is almost, but not quite, over.
Those who know that Timor actually means “East” in Indonesian will just have to see the show, which will be performed in English. In this in-your-face confrontation to the East Timor crisis, Australia, Indonesia and Portugal are all under the spotlight as money is depicted as a way of buying human dignity and making us forget the massacres.
Since forming Stone/Castro in 2003 in Europe, Jo Stone and Paulo Castro have created contemporary theatre pieces for many Australian and European Companies.
For “Massacre”, they have partnered with John Romao, artistic director of Portugal’s Colectivo 84, which is supported by the Government of Portugal – Secretaria de Estado da Cultura/Direcao Geral das Artes. It’s the perfect collaboration for a festival dedicated to the abovementioned cultural interplay between continents.“Massacre”, Saturday, May 9, 3pm & 8pm.
But that’s not all in “Segue 2015”. Look at the full program below:
- Fri May 8, 9pm and Sat May 9 at 6.30pm, “Encoded,” Stalker Theatre’s aerial ‘dance-meditation’ on the fragility of space and our place in it;
- Sat May 9, 4.30pm, “Delve Deeper: Working Between Cultures”, a conversation between theatre-makers Lech Mackiewocz (Poland/Australia), Paulo Castro, John Romão (Portugal/Australia), and Ninna Tersman (Sweden/Australasia); (FREE but bookings essential to 6247 1223)
- Sun May 10, 12.30pm, “Aves Nocturnas”, soprano Jelena Mamic and pianist Anne Ewing (Croatia/Australia), vocal treasures and personal tales;
- Sun May 10, 4pm, Baby et Lulu (France/Australia) seductive French-language duo with their take on the French Songbook.
The Street + ANU Centre for European Studies presents “Segue 2015” at The Street Theatre, May 8 – 10, bookings to 6247 1223 or www.thestreet.org.au
The post Confronting theatre in festival of ‘cultural interplay’ appeared first on Canberra CityNews.