THEATRE: TALC + TWO GATES
Two elusive little plays are opening at Tap Gallery on July 14 in a double bill that Daniela Giorgi, writer and subtlenuance theatre collective creator, describes as being united by their themes of redemption, last minute saves and snatching victory from the jaws of defeat. We were intrigued, so probed a little further …
TALC
What does the title refer to?
Talc refers to softness. It is the softest of stones. And it suggests its opposite – hardness. The play asks whether it’s actually true that we have to be, “Tough to survive”.
What prompted you to write about the evil decent people do?
Our director [Paul Gilchrist] makes the joke, “Talc is the most powerful play ever written about guilt. See it, or you’ll never forgive yourself.”
I wrote the play to explore a particular mindset, one I have personally suffered. Sometimes I catch myself thinking “Why am I so ridiculously lucky?” and then “If I’m so privileged, then surely I must have done something wrong.” It’s, “What have I done to deserve this?” sort of stuff. Crazy thinking, but I fear pretty common. And it’s debilitating. It stops us thinking about what we can do that’s positive with the good fortune we have. In the play Jo Richards plays Kate and Lucas Connolly plays Sam. They are about to get married. And then Kate is waylaid by guilt and her actions become a test of their love.
TWO GATES
What is meant by ‘two gates’?
One is the departure gate at Sydney airport. The other is … I can’t tell without spoiling the story. And, of course, gates are symbols of those points in life when we have the opportunity to enter entirely new worlds.
Can you explain a bit more what is meant by “a young Australian traveller chronicles how she escaped the “everyday”, only to confront the “never again”?
Many Australians travel overseas in order to add a little excitement to their lives. To escape the routine. But sometimes in our travels we come across things that confront us, or frighten us. Everyone who has travelled knows the crazy mad situations you can get into. In Two Gates, actor Heidi Lupprian tells a very funny, very moving tale about the crazy situations she gets into.
How easy or hard is it to write, produce and get a short play out there in Sydney today?
Some fantastic work is being done in the Sydney theatre scene, but we could do with more venues. TAP Gallery is wonderful – warm and inviting. There is great stuff going on. I urge people to get out there and see it. Our company, subtlenuance, is proud of its history of pleasing audiences. We produce the sort of stuff we’d like to see ourselves – original, thoughtful and, above all, entertaining theatre. And we have three wonderful actors on board for these two plays who love what they do. There’s a lovely joy in writing a play because you know you are not alone. Theatre is about sharing your work, with the director, with the actors, with the designer and the crew and then with the audiences. Without these links along the way it doesn’t happen and so writing a play is like preparing a meal to share with friends and it isn’t really finished until the very last audience member leaves and the set is taken down and the drinks are finished.
Jul-Aug 1, Tap Gallery, 278 Palmer St, Darlinghurst, $20-25, 0403 762 212, subtlenuancetheatre@yahoo.com.au
