theatre works and wild boar theatre
by irene korsten
Are You There?
3 - 13 SEPTEMBER | EXPLOSIVES FACTORY
by irene korsten
Are You There? is a dark comedy that takes place in the foyer of Autumn Dale Village over one long Friday.
Autumndale is an aged care home and Pia is the energetic, loud, accidentally foul-mouthed director of first impressions. The foyer is her domain but the foyer also draws everybody to it, the fearful, the needy, the dying so directing first impressions is like herding cats.
Pia, a captive audience chained to her spreadsheets and relentless work calls, keeps the residents amused and safe, while behind the scenes her personal life is descending into chaos.
Her constant front-of-house companions for the last ten years have been 90-year-old Lauren and 75-year-old Colleen.
Lauren spent her entire life with a deep sense of duty to God but now has been reduced to one questioning phrase. Is this a real question? Or simply a remnant of a thought, a last pulse from her slowly vanishing mind.
Colleen, seemingly too young for aged care, became Autumn Dale’s problem after her mother, a resident, died and Colleen refused to leave.
Pia's personal life is falling apart.
Colleen's world is ruled by her dead mother.
Lauren lived a life of faith, and now asks 'are you there?'
But who cares because, thank God it’s Friday...
VENUE
Explosives Factory, Rear Laneway 67 Inkerman Street, St Kilda
DURATION
80 minutes
WARNINGS
Strong language, themes of ageing and death. 15 years +
ACCESSIBILITY
Explosives Factory is accessed via a flight of stairs and is not wheelchair accessible.
“This is what theatre should be, a very strong work indeed” - Ordinary Misery, Radio National.
“The writing is first class” - Ordinary Misery, The Age.
“Korsten’s dialogue is brisk and well observed.” - Ordinary Misery, The Herald Sun.
DATES + TIMES
Wednesday 3 September 7:30pm (Preview)
Thursday 4 September 7:30pm (Opening)
Friday 5 September 7:30pm
Saturday 6 September 7:30pm
Tuesday 9 September 7:30pm
Wednesday 10 September 7:30pm
Thursday 11 September 7.30pm
Friday 12 September 7.30pm
Saturday 13 September 7.30pm
Theatre Works has a lockout policy for latecomers. Please arrive at least 15 minutes early to ensure you don't miss out.
Refunds will not be issued to latecomers.
TICKETS
FULL PRICE
$48.00
CONCESSION*
$38.00
PREVIEW
$30.00
RUSH TIX**
N/A
MOB TIX
$25.00
*Seniors, Student, MEAA, Health Care and Low Income card holders
**Limited to 20 tickets per performance
Shows in the WITH THEATRE WORKS stream align strongly our values and missions - these works we co-produce and co-present with independent artists and/or companies. Projects within this stream receive significant producing, marketing, PR and production support in addition to free use of the venue and a generous box office split.
CREDITS
DIRECTOR
David Wicks
WRITER
Irene Korsten
DRAMATURG
Bethany Simons
MEET THE ARTIST -
Irene Korsten
Winner of a Green Room award for writing and Highly Commended at the Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards. Irene has written plays, one-person shows and stand-up comedy. Irene and the director David Wicks formed a life-long creative collaboration after both attending The Victorian College of the Arts, Drama. They formed Wild Boar Theatre Company in 2022.
Irene is also a graduate of RMIT’s Professional Writing and Editing Diploma and has worked with The Australian Screenwriters Guild, Adelaide Fringe, The Melbourne Comedy Festival, Castlemaine Arts Festival and La Mama Theatre.