You Are Here

Milk Crate Theatre are an important part of Sydney's theatre scene. Their goal is to work with people who have experienced homelessness and social marginalisation to “create theatre that creates change”. Their recent production, You Are Here, dealt with situations in which bad things occur, on a street for example, but normal people, passers-by, do nothing about it. The production was inspired by open writing workshops and the cast was filled out by the company's ensemble – actors who have a history of homelessness or marginalisation. All the performances had an energy that engaged the audience, and the script gave plenty of food for thought. Many of the characters simply did what most people would by nature when confronted by a homeless stranger – they'd get distracted by a phone call or assume it wasn't their business. After the performance, the host called on the audience to contribute ideas for how characters could have acted differently. The audience was responsive and the ideas generated a considered and critical discussion about the options for a normal person to take action. The honesty of some audience members scratched past common assumptions and, at times, provided emotional resonance for the audience. Unfortunately the event had to finish and the discussion felt cut short. Such a performance and discussion surely deserve longer running time.

Newton Neighbourhood Centre to Tuesday 7 May