Rising

Playlab Theatre’s latest production Rising is a multi-narrative eco-thriller by five emerging Brisbane-based female playwrights written in response to the looming ecological crisis in an effort to find equality and balance.

Featuring actors Ling Cooper Tang, Chenoa Deemal and Steven Rooke, this politically and socially charged work by emerging playwrights Hannah Belanszky, Madeleine Border, Emily Burton, Lauren Sherritt and Sarah Wilson draws upon federal government’s inaction towards the global climate crisis and the vast array of issues underpinning that.

Director Kate Wild (Sound of a Finished Kiss, Splendour) said “It is very rewarding when you can have five such distinctive voices write so passionately about the things that are important to them, and yet still have the play feel like a coherent piece.”

Led by award-winning playwright Kathryn Marquet (The Dead Devils of Cockle Creek, Pale Blue Dot) as dramaturg, Rising focuses on the gulf between socio-political rhetoric and deeper, active engagement with ecological crises, the systems that perpetuate these crises and the absence of the female voice from the process.

Facing imminent environmental, economic and social collapse, through rising sea levels, and open conflict between Government and Rebel forces, a remote island country is at tipping point. When a bomb explodes killing civilians and UN peacekeepers, pressure mounts for definitive action to solve the crisis.

Out of the chaos, five stories of integrity, idealism, justice, compassion and hope emerge.

There is a lot of big ideas being explored in this play that are bold and powerful, said Playwright Hannah Belanszky

“It is trying to address the big underlying anxiety the world is going through at the moment, and people want to talk about this more”, Playwright Emily Burton adds.

Playwright Sarah Wilson explains, “We are unpacking and being very critical of particular systems and institutions, kind of good faith questions about why we trust academic institutions and why we trust scientific institutions.”

“(and) are deliberately looking at these systems through an ecofeminist lens which might not be the way people are currently engaging with these issues”, Playwright Lauren Sherritt continues.

“It is important because we are not talking about some dystopian future, we’re responding to the things we are seeing on the news now and the things we are afraid about, right now”, states Playwright Madeleine Border.

Rising is realised by an all-female creative team, led by Director Kate Wild who will be making her directorial debut for Playlab Theatre, featuring award-winning lighting designer Christine Felmingham (Crunch Time, The Dead Devils of Cockle Creek, The Secret Garden), alongside award-winning sound designer Anna Whitaker (Trottle, La Silhouette), and emerging designer Ella Lincoln.

---

Previews: Wed 3 Feb – Thu 4 Feb
Season: Wed 3 Feb – Sat 13 Feb
Duration: 90 Minutes, no interval.