Sum Up Summer Nights | Abi Russell & Holland Brooks | SUMMER NIGHTS 2023

Abi Russell and Holland Brooks are the brilliant writers behind the strangest rom-com you’ll ever see. Bad Feminist is playing at The Blue Room Theatre as part of Summer Nights 2023. We caught up with them to see what it’s all about.

What is your show about?

Bad Feminist is a comedic and critical reflection of sexual assault culture from the perspective of the bystander, in the style of a chick flick romantic comedy!

Audrey just got some, like, kinda bummer news about her perfect boyfriend. He might have done something really bad. Might have. Now everything is true and not true all at once. Audrey’s mind spins into her own personal Groundhog Day of every decision she could possibly make as she balances a terrifying personal and moral dilemma fit for the big screen.

Favourite part of the show, no spoilers!

Rhi Bryans hysterical to-camera-moments and hilarious political breakdowns absolutely make this show a wonderfully engaging side splitter.

How important is the Summer Nights program to the Perth theatre scene?

Summer Nights is a crucial platform and welcoming environment for independent theatre artists. The community of the Blue Room Theatre team and Summer Nights artists is warm and encouraging, and is an excellent hub for people to upskill and help each other make incredible work that is reflective of the very best of contemporary theatre arts and makers. 

What inspired you to create this work?

I feel that being adjacent, or often directly, involved in situations around assault accusations and experiences is universal, whether it be through the media, or in personal life. I don’t know many people who haven’t been part of this conversation. But somehow, we don’t talk about it. We sit in our awkwardness and discomfort, and feel alone, despite the commonality of these experiences. We wanted to create a safe space where we bring levity to the topic, and be able to reflect on all of our places in this community of experience. 

Describe your show in 3 words:

Rom-com, Cinematic, Sass

You can catch all the rom-com action at The Blue Room Theatre until 4th February 2023. TICKETS

Keep up with The Fourth Wall on Facebook and @fourth_wall_media on Instagram to see what we’re up to in 2023.

The Fourth Wall acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land we engage in storytelling on – the Wadjhuk people of the Noongar nation. We pay respects to their elders past, present, and emerging.

Sum Up Summer Nights | Kuda Ndlovu | An Evening of African Poetry | SUMMER NIGHTS 2023

Kuda Ndlovu is one of the co-presenters of An Evening of African Poetry at The Blue Room this Summer Nights 2023. We caught up ahead of the show to find out what it’s all about.

What is your show about?

An Evening of African Poetry and Storytelling (EAPS) is a collection of stories carefully woven to capture the modern-day migrant experience. Sizzling rap, beautiful melodies, and spoken word performances, accompanied by a live band, take you on an endless journey that engulfs 5 oblivious homes. The destination? A sense of belonging.

Favourite part of the show, no spoilers!

We’re honestly most excited to introduce the live experience of the show. This will include a special element that wasn’t possible during the digital presentation of the first-ever iteration of EAPS. Summer Nights will be the first time we get to share the experience with our audience and we can’t wait for the audience to join in for the crowd-friendly portion of the show. Yes. A jam session. The jam session is our favourite part.

How important is the Summer Nights program to the Perth theatre scene?

Hugely important. The journey of independent creators and performers is quite a harrowing experience as it is, even worse when you have limited outlets willing to let you showcase your talents. Speaking from the independent artist experience, as well as the CaLD community experience, we are simply finding our feet in the space. It’s hard to find opportunities to develop as artists while gaining industry insight and soft skills along the way. What The Blue Room Theatre has achieved with the Summer Nights program is making that impossible burden, a reality. They’ve intentionally sought out independent and emerging artists and provided a platform for them to shine. More importantly, what the general public doesn’t see in the background is the amazing support The Blue Room Theatre provides, elevating our industry preparation in the process. We can’t thank them enough for the opportunity.

What inspired you to create this work?

A very real lived and shared experience. The Outsiders was formed as a result of a university assignment callout gone horribly right. Outsiders co-founder Mohammed ‘Ayo Busari’ put a callout for a university assignment titled ‘Afro Lookbook’, meeting fellow Outsiders co-founders Lisa Watson and ‘Kuda Mic’ Ndlovu, as well as TAB Family lead vocalist Ayuba SOQS whom he had briefly met on a few different occasions while at university in the UK. Since that day, the group has never looked back. In getting to know each other during the process of developing and curating numerous shows, exhibitions and events, there was a growing understanding of our shared experience. We all originated from different parts of Africa, yet adopted temporary homes, before finally landing here, in Boorloo (Perth, Western Australia) where we undoubtedly met each other for a purpose. We are unique because of our experiences, yet we share an inexplicable connection through them. Having experienced the joy of building up a community of BIPOC creatives through our various projects, we felt it was only right to present a theme that we believe is fundamental to the strengthening of bonds in the African diaspora community. It starts with an introspective look into what ‘home’ means and an acceptance of the individual’s role in building their new village.

Describe your show in 3 words:

Captivating. Stirring. Togetherness.

You can catch the energetic evening of African poetry at The Blue Room Theatre until 4th February 2023. TICKETS

Keep up with The Fourth Wall on Facebook and @fourth_wall_media on Instagram to see what we’re up to in 2023.

The Fourth Wall acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land we engage in storytelling on – the Wadjhuk people of the Noongar nation. We pay respects to their elders past, present, and emerging.

Sum Up Summer Nights | 600 Seconds crew | SUMMER NIGHTS 2023

600 Seconds is a hot new program playing at The Blue Room Theatre as part of Summer Nights 2023. We caught up with the creative folks running the program to find out what it’s all about.

What is 600 SECONDS?

600 SECONDS are short works programs that run throughout The Blue Room Theatre’s Summer Nights. These programs are a training ground for performance that puts makers through their paces to create and present a 10-minute short work.

There’ll be five shorts in each 600 SECONDS program, and there’s three programs to choose from: storytelling and theatre in HIIT (High Intensity Interval Theatre), dance with MOVEMOVEMOVE, and experimental late-night spots in AFTER HOURS. Each week of Summer Nights will have a new program.

Favourite part of the show, no spoilers!

The variety! A 600 SECONDS program is like seeing five shows in one. Plus, each program is going to be so unique as they span different artforms and practices. I’m also excited to see what our program curators and mentors bring to the experience – poet & theatre maker Andrew Sutherland (HIIT), dancer Janine Oxenham (MOVEMOVEMOVE), and performance artist legend Ash Baroque (AFTER HOURS). They not only curated the line-ups but have been working closely with our 600 SECONDS artists to turn their ideas into a 10-minute performance piece.

How important is the Summer Nights program to the Perth theatre scene?

Perth comes alive during the summer festival season and it’s a good time for a little spontaneity. For audiences, Summer Nights and particularly 600 SECONDS is a welcoming and warm way to experience live performance and get to know The Blue Room Theatre. For artists, being in a festival line-up means they can develop new audiences, reveal something new to their existing following, and connect with other artists. 

What inspired this program?

We wanted to offer a low-stakes platform for veterans of our stages to try a whacky new idea and for fresh faces who want a chance to shine. Our program artists have the opportunity to test out the nugget of an idea, work with a brilliant mentor, turn their idea into a 10-minute performance piece, be part of a five-show line-up, and from there … who knows! We produce and tech 600 SECONDS in-house, which means the artists can focus on being creative – not admin. 600 SECONDS also exists for audiences who can’t decide what to see during the busy summer festival season. This sort of tasting plate of performance is appealing and adds a lot of energy to Summer Nights.

Describe your show in 3 words:

Fresh, Energetic, Assortment

You can catch all of the 600 SECONDS shows throughout Summer Nights finishing on 11th February 2023. TICKETS

Keep up with The Fourth Wall on Facebook and @fourth_wall_media on Instagram to see what we’re up to in 2023.

The Fourth Wall acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land we engage in storytelling on – the Wadjhuk people of the Noongar nation. We pay respects to their elders past, present, and emerging.

SUM UP SUMMER NIGHTS | Michelle Endersby | Leo/Taurus/Taurus

Michelle Endersbee is the Director and Designer of Leo/Taurus/Taurus a newly devised theatre piece currently on at The Blue Room Theatre as part of their SUMMER NIGHTS 2022 programme. We caught up ahead of the show to see what we can expect.

What is your show about?

Leo/Taurus/Taurus is about identity, and the languages we use to work out what that is.
There is a long history of human beings trying to figure out who they are and their place in the world; astrology has been around a lot longer than most religions; this doesn’t make it necessarily any more true, but I think its staying power speaks to our collective desire to be understood.

Through songs, poetry, music, and storytelling, we’re going to explore the languages we use in our search for who we are – from Myers-Briggs to Hogwarts Houses.

Favourite part of the show, no spoilers!

There is so much goodness it’s hard to say! There is a pretty amazing song written by one of the cast that I’ve had stuck in my head for weeks that I can’t wait to share with audiences (and for it to get stuck in their heads too).

How important is the Summer Nights program to the Perth Theatre scene? 

SO Important! The support and guidance we’re receiving from The Blue Room Theatre is so valuable and inspiring. The program is chock full of incredible WA talent, and the opportunity to make shows alongside other emerging artists, and some more seasoned pros, is such a privilege.

Apart from your show, what other Summer Nights shows would you recommend?

All of them look so good! But She’s Terribly Greedy has our very own Lily Murrell performing in it, so that’s a must see. I think that’s all I’ll say, otherwise I’ll probably just list the entire program.

Describe your show in 3 words:

Sparkly identity crisis.

You can catch Leo/Taurus/Taurus at The Blue Room Theatre until 12th February 2022. TICKETS

Keep up with The Fourth Wall on Facebook and @fourth_wall_media on Instagram to see what we’re up to this SUMMER NIGHTS 2022

The Fourth Wall acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land we engage in storytelling on – the Wadjhuk people of the Noongar nation. We pay respects to their elders past, present, and emerging.

SUM UP SUMMER NIGHTS | Laura Liu & Medina Dizdarevic | The Complete Show of Water Skiing

The Complete Show of Water Skiing is a newly devised work playing at The Blue Room Theatre for their Summer Nights Programme. We caught up with Director Laura Liu and Writer Medina Dizdarevic to find out more about the show.

What is your show about?

The Complete Show of Water Skiing is about a young woman who finds a 1950s book about water skiing in her late-grandfather’s final possessions. Enticed, she rallies her best friends to learn the sport during their summer break. This show is ultimately about friendship, grief and growing up, surrounded by Aussie Summer vibes and water skiing!

Favourite part of the show, no spoilers!

One of the great things about devised theatre is that there are always heaps of offers popping up and being passed around. We’re really looking forward to sharing some of the smaller phrases and visual moments which have popped up in the rehearsal room with a fresh audience.

How important is the Summer Nights program to the Perth Theatre scene?

Summer Nights is important to give emerging artists the time and space to play with new ideas, test them before an audience and explore and expand their craft. It offers the opportunity to explore key skills valuable in the industry such as collaboration and teamwork. It’s also a great opportunity for new audiences to come in and get a peek at what’s cooking in Perth!

Apart from your show, what other Summer Nights shows would you recommend?

It’s hard to only mention a few – would recommend checking out as many as you can! We have loved She’s Terribly Greedy, 107, and Salome δ. We’re looking forward to Mother of Compost and Takatāpui!

Describe your show in 3 words:

Vibrant, funny and wholesome. 

You can dive into The Complete Show of Water Skiing at The Blue Room Theatre until 12th February 2022. TICKETS

Keep up with The Fourth Wall on Facebook and @fourth_wall_media on Instagram to see what we’re up to this SUMMER NIGHTS 2022.

The Fourth Wall acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land we engage in storytelling on – the Wadjhuk people of the Noongar nation. We pay respects to their elders past, present, and emerging.