SECOND YEAR ACTING STUDENTS PRESENT...
TTHHEE AAsscceenntt Program Program
TWO TWO WORLDS. WORLDS. ONE ONE GAME. GAME. WIN WIN LOVE. LOVE. ASCEND ASCEND
WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY CLAIRE CHRISTIAN
Acknowledgement of Country THERE ARE TREES ON THIS LAND OLDER THAN OUR COLONIAL HISTORY. ROOTS EMBEDDED DEEP IN THE SOIL, LONG BEFORE THE TALL SHIPS CAME TO SHORE. WE SHARE THIS PLACE WITH THE OLDEST CONTINUING CULTURE ON EARTH. MORE THAN SIXTY THOUSAND YEARS OF STORIES AND STORYTELLERS LIVE IN, AND ON, THIS LAND. WE ACKNOWLEDGE THEM ALL. WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE YUGAMBEH AND JUGERRA PEOPLES, ON WHOSE COUNTRY WE GATHER TONIGHT. AND THE JUGGERA AND TURRBAL PEOPLES, ON WHOSE LAND THIS STORY WAS CREATED AND REHEARSED. OUR PAST IS NOT BEHIND US, IT BREATHES THROUGH US, MOVES THROUGH OUR FAMILIES, OUR STORIES, OUR SILENCES. WE ARE SHAPED BY THE HISTORIES WE INHERIT. SO WE CARRY THE WEIGHT OF WHAT CAME BEFORE, AND CARRY THE POSSIBILITY OF WHAT MAY COME. IT IS OURS TO ACKNOWLEDGE. IT IS OURS TO RECKON WITH. FOR IT IS OUR HISTORY, OUR STORY
Welcome
Jacqui Sommerville Program Director Jacqui WELCOME TO THE ASCENT IT IS A REAL PLEASURE TO WELCOME YOU TO THE ASCENT, A BRAND-NEW AUSTRALIAN PLAY BY CLAIRE CHRISTIAN, WRITTEN FOR AND WITH OUR CLASS OF 2027 ACTING STUDENTS AT QUEENSLAND CONSERVATORIUM, GRIFFITH UNIVERSITY. CREATING NEW WORK HAS BEEN AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR SECOND YEAR ACTING PROGRAM SINCE 2019. OVER THAT TIME, OUR STUDENTS HAVE HAD THE EXTRAORDINARY OPPORTUNITY TO WORK ALONGSIDE PROFESSIONAL WRITERS TO DEVELOP NEW AUSTRALIAN STORIES FROM THE GROUND UP. IT HAS BEEN WONDERFUL TO SEE SEVERAL OF THOSE PLAYS GO ON TO HAVE LIVES BEYOND QCGU, INCLUDING AWARD-WINNING PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTIONS. THERE IS SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL ABOUT STUDENTS BEING THERE AT THE BEGINNING OF A WORK, BRINGING THEIR INSTINCTS, QUESTIONS, HUMOUR, GENEROSITY AND LIVED EXPERIENCE INTO THE ROOM AND DISCOVERING A PLAY TOGETHER. THIS IS ALSO OUR THIRD VISIT TO KINGSTON BUTTER FACTORY, FOLLOWING BUTTER (2024) AND UNDERSTORY (2025), AND I THINK THE ASCENT MIGHT BE OUR MOST EXCITING ADVENTURE HERE YET. FAST, FUNNY AND UNEXPECTEDLY HEARTFELT, THE ASCENT IS LOVE ISLAND MEETS THE HUNGER GAMES: A BOLD NEW AUSTRALIAN DYSTOPIAN SATIRE ABOUT LOVE, IDENTITY AND THE STORIES WE ARE WILLING TO BELIEVE. IT HAS BEEN CREATED THROUGH A GENUINELY COLLABORATIVE PROCESS, AND I COULD NOT BE PROUDER OF THE CREATIVITY, SKILL, COURAGE AND GENEROSITY OUR SECOND YEAR ACTORS HAVE BROUGHT TO IT.
MY ENORMOUS THANKS GO TO THE QCGU TECHNICAL TEAM FOR THEIR PATIENCE, EXPERTISE AND HARD WORK IN HELPING US BRING THIS AMBITIOUS WORLD TO LIFE. AND FINALLY, TO CLAIRE. THIS PRODUCTION MARKS THE FINAL CHAPTER OF CLAIRE’S TIME WITH US AS ACTING LECTURER. DURING HER YEARS AT QCGU, SHE HAS CREATED FIVE NEW AUSTRALIAN WORKS WITH OUR ACTING STUDENTS, BRINGING EXTRAORDINARY CARE, RIGOUR, HUMOUR AND IMAGINATION TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF EACH ONE. THE ASCENT FEELS LIKE A WONDERFUL WAY TO CELEBRATE THAT CONTRIBUTION. CLAIRE, THANK YOU FOR THE CARE AND DILIGENCE YOU HAVE GIVEN THIS WORK, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, TO THE YOUNG ARTISTS WHO HAVE MADE IT WITH YOU. WHILE WE WISH YOU EVERY SUCCESS IN YOUR NEXT CHAPTER IN MELBOURNE, I VERY MUCH HOPE THIS ISN’T GOODBYE. WE LOOK FORWARD TO WELCOMING YOU BACK AS A CREATIVE ARTIST, CONTINUING TO CHALLENGE AND INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION OF THEATRE-MAKERS. TO OUR STUDENTS: THANK YOU FOR THROWING YOURSELVES INTO THIS PROCESS SO WHOLEHEARTEDLY. THIS IS YOUR WORK, YOUR MOMENT AND YOUR PLAY. ENJOY IT. AND TO OUR AUDIENCE, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AND FOR SUPPORTING NEW AUSTRALIAN WRITING AND THE ARTISTS WHO WILL SHAPE ITS FUTURE. SIT BACK, HOLD ON, AND ENJOY THE EXPERIENCE OF THE ASCENT.
from the Director and playwright Claire Christian Claire I THINK ALL GREAT ART BEGINS WITH A QUESTION. A WHAT IF? A WHY? A HOW DID WE GET HERE? OR PERHAPS, MOST IMPORTANTLY, A WHAT HAPPENS NEXT WHEN THIS GLORIOUS GROUP OF CREATIVES BEGAN DREAMING UP THE ASCENT, THEY HAD PLENTY OF QUESTIONS. ABOUT THE FUTURE. ABOUT POWER AND POLITICS. ABOUT THE ROLE OF ART AND LOVE IN A WORLD INCREASINGLY OBSESSED WITH EFFICIENCY, PERFECTION AND CONTROL. ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE LOSE OUR CAPACITY TO CONNECT, TO DISAGREE, TO FEEL DEEPLY, TO BE MESSY AND COMPLICATED AND GLORIOUSLY HUMAN. AND SOMEWHERE IN ALL THAT CURIOSITY, ONE QUESTION BECAME THE BEATING HEART OF THIS BIG, RIDICULOUS, BEAUTIFUL BEAST OF A SHOW: WHAT IF THE OPPOSITE OF CONTROL ISN'T CHAOS, BUT INTIMACY? WHAT FOLLOWED IS AN AMBITIOUS, SILLY, HEARTFELT, CAMP, POLITICAL, SATIRICAL EXPLORATION OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BE HUMAN, AND WHY LOVE, IN ALL ITS FORMS, MIGHT JUST BE THE MOST RADICAL THING WE'VE GOT. AND GOODNESS ME, WHAT A JOY IT HAS BEEN TO MAKE. THIS SHOW IS A TRUE REFLECTION OF THE EXTRAORDINARY ENSEMBLE WHO CREATED IT. THESE YOUNG ARTISTS HAVE THROWN THEMSELVES WHOLEHEARTEDLY INTO EVERY PART OF THE PROCESS. THEY'VE DEVISED, QUESTIONED, CHALLENGED, COLLABORATED, TAKEN ON PRODUCTION ROLES, SOLVED PROBLEMS, BACKED EACH OTHER, MADE BRAVE CHOICES, MADE TERRIBLE (AND BRILLIANT) JOKES, AND KEPT SHOWING UP WITH CURIOSITY AND GENEROSITY. THEY'VE MADE SOMETHING THAT COULD ONLY EXIST BECAUSE OF WHO THEY ARE, TOGETHER.
I COULDN'T BE PROUDER OF THEM, OR MORE DELIGHTED THAT THIS WILD, AUDACIOUS PIECE OF THEATRE IS HOW THEY'RE FINISHING THEIR SECOND YEAR OF TRAINING. GETTING TO WITNESS THEIR VULNERABILITY, RISK TAKING AND ENORMOUS GROWTH HAS BEEN A REAL PRIVELEGE. MAYA ANGELOU ONCE SPOKE ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF ART IN DIFFICULT TIMES, REMINDING US THAT ARTISTS HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO HELP US MAKE SENSE OF THE WORLD AND IMAGINE WHAT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE BEYOND IT. THAT IDEA FEELS PARTICULARLY URGENT RIGHT NOW. BECAUSE MORE THAN EVER, I THINK WE NEED ART. WE NEED PLACES TO GATHER IN DARK ROOMS WITH STRANGERS, TO LAUGH TOGETHER, TO BE UNCOMFORTABLE TOGETHER, TO FEEL SOMETHING UNEXPECTED, TO RECOGNISE OURSELVES IN SOMEONE ELSE'S STORY. WE NEED STORIES THAT ASK DIFFICULT QUESTIONS, CHALLENGE WHAT WE'VE BEEN TOLD, AND REMIND US THAT WE BELONG TO ONE ANOTHER AND WE NEED YOUNG ARTISTS...MAKING ART. I KEEP SUPPORTING, CHAMPIONING AND MAKING WORK WITH EMERGING ARTISTS BECAUSE THEY GIVE ME ENORMOUS HOPE. THE CLASS OF 2027 REMINDS ME THAT THE FUTURE IS IN THE HANDS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE CURIOUS, COURAGEOUS, COMPASSIONATE, FUNNY, FIERCELY IMAGINATIVE, AND WILLING TO MAKE A BIT OF NOISE. AND THAT MAKES ME THINK WE MIGHT JUST BE OKAY. I'M SO EXCITED TO DISCOVER WHAT THE ASCENT BRINGS UP FOR YOU. WHAT QUESTIONS YOU'LL LEAVE WITH. WHAT CONVERSATIONS YOU'LL HAVE ON THE WAY HOME. WHAT YOU MIGHT PONDER ABOUT LOVE, CONNECTION, BELONGING, AND THE KIND OF FUTURE WE'RE ALL HELPING TO CREATE. A HEARTFELT THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS SUPPORTED THIS ENORMOUS UNDERTAKING. TO JACQUI AND ELISE IN THE ACTING DEPARTMENT, FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO TO CHAMPION THESE YOUNG ARTISTS. TO ELOISE AND RILEY, FOR THE CARE, GENEROSITY AND ARTISTRY YOU BROUGHT TO OUR STUDENTS' LEARNING. AND TO ALL THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE HELPED BRING THIS GLORIOUSLY BONKERS VISION TO LIFE, THANK YOU. TO THE CLASS OF 2027: THANK YOU FOR YOUR TRUST, YOUR COURAGE, YOUR HUMOUR AND YOUR ENORMOUS HEARTS. KEEP ASKING QUESTIONS. KEEP MAKING BRAVE CHOICES. KEEP MAKING GREAT EFFING ART. WHAT A PRIVILEGE IT IS TO TELL STORIES. AND WHAT A BEAUTIFUL THING IT IS TO TELL THEM TOGETHER. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. LOVE. CLAIRE.
THE CAST
IN order of appearance JEAN - TOMAS BURGESS TINA - MOLLY MITCHELL RICHARD - LIAM WILSON JULIA - ANTONIA DJORDJEVIC IGGY - THOMAS O’NEILL THEO - MAC LENTEN GEORGE - NATE SOLOGINKIN MARROW - KENNEDY FOLEY CELESTE - MEGAN BEARMAN KANE - CAMERON RYAN FRASER - THOMAS MOULDS TULLY - CIARA O’CARROLL CHARLIE - JETT SANSOM STELLA - MILLY KIRKWOOD MABELLE - SENUKI THOTAHEWAGE BRADLEY - FINN GEORGE-NEWMAN CECIL - JAMES RAWLINGS
THe Creatives DIRECTOR & PLAYWRIGHT - CLAIRE CHRISTIAN STAGE MANAGER - ELOISE COLLINS LIGHTING DESIGN - RILEY SILK ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER - MILLY KIRKWOOD SOUND DESIGN AND COMPOSITION - SAM CARUANA AND FINN GEORGE-NEWMAN SOUND SUPPORT - THOMAS MOULDS VOICE SUPPORT - DR ELISE GREIG WITH MOLLY MITCHELL, CIARA O’CARROLL FIGHT CHOREOGRAPHY - JASON MCNELL WITH JETT SANSOM, MOLLY MITCHELL COSTUMES/ HMU - KENNEDY FOLEY, MEGAN BEARMAN, ANTONIA DJORDJEVIC, LIAM WILSON, NATE SOLOGINKIN, TOMAS BURGESS SET - MAC LENTEN, JAMES RAWLINGS PROPS - THOMAS O’NEILL, JAMES RAWLINGS MOVEMENT/CHOREOGRAPHY - KENNEDY FOLEY, THOMAS MOULDS INTIMACY COORDINATORS - CLAIRE CHRISTIAN WITH JETT SANSOM, CIARA O’CARROLL, TOM O'NEILL, FINN GEORGE-NEWMAN, KENNEDY FOLEY MARKETING - MEGAN BEARMAN, CIARA O’CARROLL, MILLY KIRKWOOD
The Rehersal
Thank you! KINGSTON BUTTER FACTORY
HERMIONE DEVLIN PHOTOGRAPHY
DR ELISE GREIG JASON MCKELL SAM CARUANA MEGAN GEOGHEGAN & ANDREW FOLEY MARK DEAN & DENIS AITKEN THE O’CARROLLS KATHY VAN GOOL HAUS OF JOOLS HEARTS OF HERESY SCARLETT TERRY
Content Warning PLEASE BE ADVISED THIS SHOW CONTAINS ADULT THEMES AND COARSE LANGUAGE. IT IS RECOMMENDED FOR MATURE AUDIENCES AGED 15+ THE TOTAL RUN TIME OF THIS PERFORMANCE WILL BE APPROXIMATELY 130 MINUTES INCLUDING AN INTERMISSION
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