ART NEWS PORTAL: Kim Ho Brings The Great Australian Play to Theatre Works This February

An article by SASSY RED for Art News Portal

Australia, 1930; as the Great Depression tightens its grip on a hungry, fledgling nation, Harold Bell Lasseter charms everyone with his story of a fabulously wealthy “reef” of gold, hidden in the vast interior.

Australia, 2020; relentless funding cuts have left the arts community weary and desperate. Looking for commercial and critical acclaim, five storytellers uncover the legend of Lasseter’s Reef and figure it’s a sure-fire win.

An ingenious new satire from Kim Ho, winner of the Patrick White Award, 'The Great Australian Play' is a psychedelic romp through the myths of our glorious nation’s past, present, and imagined future. This dazzling, kaleidoscopic work is the epic Australia’s been waiting for.

“The catalyst for 'The Great Australian Play' was stumbling across a podcast about Lasseter’s reef.”, explains writer Kim Ho.

“I went to research the story more and the first book I opened up has my great grandfather’s name on the first page. Turns out he was best friends with the leader of the expedition, Fred Blakeley. Blakeley used my great grandfather’s typewriter to type his memoir and I managed to track down that manuscript because it had become a family heirloom. As soon as that fell into my lap I had to write this play. The tone and style of the play might best be described as Heart of Darkness meets Priscilla: Queen of the Desert. It engages with contemporary discourse about media, pop culture, cultural imperialism and the ways in which our stories shape us - for better or worse.”

Joining forces with Theatre Works for this premiere season, Montague Basement is a Sydney-based independent theatre company launched in 2014. Since then they have grown to encompass new Australian work, devised adaptations of classics and films, immersive productions and much more. In 2018 the company presented its first interstate show, The Public Domain Opera as part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival. They are thrilled to return to Melbourne with The Great Australian Play.

This production is proudly supported by Theatre Works, Creative Victoria and the City of Port Phillip.

Written by Kim Ho
Directed by Saro Lusty-Cavallari
Dramaturgy by Carissa Lee
Performers include Tamara Lee Bailey, Sermsah Bin Saad, and Jessa Koncic
Produced by Imogen Gardam
Set Design by Carmody Nicol
Costume Design by Claudia Mirabello
Lighting Design by Nick Moloney