UTS Students Produce Quack

Student theatre society Backstage UTS (NSW) is staging Ian Wilding’s Australian play Quack from November 15 to 23, 2013. The Griffin Theatre Company recently commissioned Quack after Ian Wilding won the Patrick White Playwrights’ Award in 2009. Only the play’s second Australian production, is being produced by Backstage in association with the student union of the University of Technology Sydney.

Set in a small mining community of rural NSW plagued by a strange disease, Quack tells the story of young aspiring writer, Fanny, who wants to escape the restrictions of the town and her position in it.

When Dr. Waterman comes to town with his “zenith water”, ruffling the feathers of the local Dr. Littlewood, the two doctors compete with oppositional “medical” procedures to cure the increasingly sick populace, who have started to eat each other.

Escaping the town’s society becomes a matter of life and death for Fanny.

Director Camilla Turnbull fell in love with the script after seeing the Griffin production.“When I saw the original season of Quack at the Griffin Theatre, I fell in love. It combines our culture's cult- zombie-obsession, with commentary on Australia's current political climate.”

Quack features understated allegory of the 2010 Australian federal election.

“It seems that no matter who the public invests their heart in, the leaders we choose are impotent when it comes to following through on promises,” Turnbull says.

“This vision of Quack comes from a generation who is saturated in pop culture, and coincidentally has only just earned the right to choose their leaders.

“For me, staging this play is not only a technical challenge - I believe this piece holds the ability to engage a wide audience, especially a young audience, who are up in arms about the future of their country.

“Lets face it: If there was a zombie apocalypse, would you trust Tony Abbott with the fate of Australia?

“I think not.”

The Griffin Theatre Company describes the play as “Blisteringly funny and provocative in equal measure, Quack is a mash up of A Country Practice, Deadwood andShaun of the Dead - a romantic historical western drama noir exploitation comedy. With zombies.”

Quack will be performed at the Glasshouse Bar, Level 3, Building 1, 15 Broadway, in Ultimo NSW, 2007, at the University of Technology Sydney on Friday the15^th & Saturday the 16^th of November and Thursday the 21st, Friday the 22nd and Saturday the 23rd at 7pm each night.

The show will feature a live bush band and a healthy serving of blood and gore. It will contain graphic depictions of horror and strong language, and those who sit in the front row risk the peril of getting wet.

Ticket prices:

Concession/Students $12

Adult $15

Groups of 10 or more $10 per person

Ticket Link:

http://www.stickytickets.com.au/13716/

Photographer: Pollyanna Kasia Nowicki

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