The Culture

Violence against women needs more exposure in the arts!

Laura Jackson, writer of The Culture, states that whilst penning a new play back in 2014 she was inspired to make a difference and raise awareness, roused by the domestic violence victim Rosie Battie - the then Australian of the Year, who lost her son and her abusive husband in a dire situation that could have been avoided and at a time when one woman was killed every week. It was an era in our culture when domestic violence was swept under the carpet and hidden from public view.

Two funky millennial single friends living together in Sydney, both working in high-end white-collar jobs, run a weekly lifestyle podcast show from their apartment. Katie Monroe (Laura Jackson) is a horny live-wire who has an eating disorder and Will Archer (Mina Asfour) is a trendy fast talking gay guy who thinks he’s got it together. Their friendship takes a turn when Katie starts dating a guy from work. Will can’t own up to his dating problems and feels lonely and dejected.

This production offers impeccable direction. Jackson and Asfour give hilarious comical performances encompassing wonderful gestural physical expression, making it a satisfying experience for the audience. Yet when the friendship takes a bad turn, followed by Will discovering Katie has been brutally beaten by her boyfriend, the acting drops down a notch and the portrayal of dealing with female violation isn’t as convincing. But once the boyfriend is dumped, their effervescent raucous friendship resumes - just like the good old times.

This play is primarily about a friendship and the unfortunate circumstances of female violation. It is a well-crafted and thought-provoking show. Congratulations on the efforts of the writer and her production team in pushing forward a solid theatrical attempt to represent violence against women.

Flora Georgiou