Part concert, part story, part ceremony.
When two skeletons are discovered in the dried-up creek bed of a remote Queensland farm, the fates of three women – thousands of kilometres apart – become deeply intertwined. From a densely packed Singapore housing block to the vast Tagalaka country of outback Australia, 宿 (stay) delicately unearths buried trauma and fragile connections that lie at the heart of contemporary life. A hauntingly beautiful blend of music, dance, film, design and dialogue, 宿 (stay) is built on the real-life experiences of the artists.
宿 (stay) premiered at Sydney Festival in January 2022
Presented by Sydney Festival and OzAsia Festival
Content Warnings: strong adult themes, including suicide, depression and rape, racism, colonialism, references to murder.
“Playwright and director S Shakhidharan’s 宿 (Stay), a hybrid mash-up of dance, theatre, music and history, is an extremely well-heeled production with a lot of sophistication at its disposal… a narrative that is both blazingly relevant and deserving of an audience’s attention”
“Three strands of narrative, each extending over 100 years, slowly come together in 宿(stay) to create a rich, complex and, for the creators, personal story. It is told through dance, music, film, storytelling and drama and the overall effect is very powerful.”
“Inspired by the stories and cultural ceremonies of some ensemble members, this narrative concert is thematically ambitious and emotionally affecting”
Cast
Sydney: Aimée Falzon (Thwayya, Selene; Vocalist, Piano); Jasmin Sheppard (Violet, Daisy; Dancer/Clapsticks); Charles Wu (An Hoo; Vocalist/Guitar/Bass)
Singapore: Andy Chia (An Hoo, Uncle; Flutes, Vocals), Natalie Alexandra Tse (Tsuet-Cheng; Guzheng), Govin Tan (Desmond; Drums, Percussion, Tabla), Vick Low (Victor; Cello)
Creative Team
Director/Writer S. Shakthidharan
Music Composers SAtheCollective & Kurinji
Set & Costume Design Dale Ferguson
Lighting Design Karen Norris
AV Design/Operator Elias Nohra
Movement Director Jasmin Sheppard
Production Manager Barry Searle
Stage Manager Jen Jackson
Producer Fenn Gordon for Tandem
Producer/Music Director Andy Chia
Associate Writers Aimée Falzon, Jasmin Sheppard, Natalie Alexandra Tse
Photography Alex Vaughan and Jacquie Manning
For a full list, click here