During Covid I have loved going to Paris on Mondays!
It's actually an online live-drawing zoom initiative created by talented and generous Chloe Briggs, at a time when faces are part of what we missed.
Event by Geelong Regional Libraries
https://facebook.com/events/s/in-person-janet-brown-playwrig/420645482987521/
Absolutely delighted to announce that 'A Hole in the Ground,' co-written with my friend, Joanne Ryan, is now published by Australian Plays. This is the sixth play I have had published, and it was actually my very first play. Jo and I wrote it collaboratively. The script was developed with dramaturg Peter Matheson and the MTC, directed by David Myles and staged in 2004 at La Mama Carlton Courthouse and Wyndham Cultural Centre.
The project had an interesting genesis - it grew out of our experiences working with our community on the Werribee No Toxic Dump campaign in the late 1990s. Campaigning actually changes people, changes community and society, and that is what our play explores. I kept on writing plays and books, and Jo moved into politics - she is the Federal Member for Lalor. It was such a wonderful experience collaborating on this project. We are so pleased to see it now published.
'Dancing Into Freedom' - on the shelves at Readings, St Kilda
When Heidi Giersch asked me to write her memoir with her, I jumped at the opportunity. We are so pleased to announce 'Dancing Into Freedom' has just been published by award winning Ginninderra Press, and is now available.
Heidi’s unique story of growing up in East Berlin,
behind the Iron Curtain and in the shadow of the Berlin Wall, begins the moment she was chosen to go to
ballet school at ten years of age. Eventually
she performed with major East German dance companies. She shared with me her heartfelt recollections of family, life and her career in
East Germany. Facing the challenges of the Cold War in that communist society, every person was under the surveillance of the Stasi regime which infiltrated all aspects of social and private life.
Heidi's life changed forever in 1980 when she ran away after the final Sydney performance of the prestigious Komische Oper Berlin Ballet Company's Australian tour. Following her defection, she made her home in Melbourne where she still lives today.
Wonderful director Socratis Otto has released today the digital film version of my verbatim theatre project 'The Hope Song'. I am proud that so many people value and appreciate the shared experiences of the people who generously shared their insights with me. Socs has worked with such a talented cast of well known Australian actors, and you can watch this film version whenever it suits you. I hope you enjoy it.
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Good news today from Australian Plays. They are going to publish 'A Hole in the Ground,' a play I co-wrote with my friend, Joanne Ryan, who is now the Federal Member for Lalor. ‘A Hole In The Ground’ was our first play, and we were lucky - we sent an early draft as an unsolicited script to the MTC in 2000 where it was picked up by dramaturg Peter Matheson who mentored us until it was staged in 2004 at La Mama Courthouse and Wyndham Cultural Centre, directed by David Myles. The project had an interesting genesis - it grew out of our experiences working with our community on the Werribee No Toxic Dump campaign in the late 1990s. The community fought the Kennett State Government and CSR – a real David and two Goliaths battle. Against all the odds, the community won. It was such a significant community activism campaign that it is still taught at universities today. We are now in a time of great protest movements - #MeToo, Black Lives Matter, Lock The Gate. Campaigning actually changes people, changes community and society, and that is what our play explores, illuminates and argues.
That was such a thoroughly interesting conversation! Meet my inspiring and very experienced guest panel who I enjoyed talking with about all sorts of things to do with theatre in and beyond the Victorian Surfcoast region.
PORTAL presents: Theatre Matters Within and Beyond the Surf Coast
Award winning playwright Janet Brown in conversation with Janine McKenzie, Nikki Watson, Maryanne Doolan and Michael Baker.
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=331923461511317&extid=zuHaaem3uE5OehgB
https://www.facebook.com/SurfCoastArtsTrail/videos/331923461511317/?t=61