The Past is a Foreign Country – Tantrum Set to Impress Festival-Goers

This long weekend will bring an abundance of theatre, music and art flooding through the streets of Newcastle as the yearly This is Not Art festival (TiNA) takes place. Known as one of Australia’s biggest artistic parties, TiNA also presents the Crack Theatre Festival; a weekend of experimental and cross-artform theatre from all over Australia. A highlight on the Crack Theatre program is Newcastle’s very own Tantrum Theatre, with their performance The Past is a Foreign Country, a verbatim work created from real interviews with real people.

The performance will focus on the idea of memories and self-examination, exploring the ways in which people try to both remember and forget their own past. This original work of theatre will also welcome the audience as a central member, something which many traditional theatre-goers may not have experienced previously. This work has been created by Tamara Gazzard, Sarah Coffee, Emily Daly, Scott Gelzinnis and Lucy Shepherd; who are all current senior members of Tantrum Theatre.

This year has seen Tantrum Theatre produce high quality productions that are innovative and take risks. They continue to be a strong force in their support of young local performers, creating original works and presenting them in fascinating spaces and venues. There will be two performances of The Past is a Foreign Country this weekend, and both are free and open to the general public. If you’ve never seen a Tantrum production, this is a great opportunity to go along and support a unique youth theatre organisation in Newcastle – the city that some are describing as Australia’s new art capital!

Dates: 28 September, 6.30pm; 29 September, 4pm.

Venue: Blackall House, 22 Newcomen St, Newcastle.

Performances are free; no bookings required.

Visit cracktheatrefestival.com  or tantrumtheatre.org.au for more details.