'On the day that Donald Trump was elected president of the United States in 2016, four hood-rats clash in a string of violence, substance abuse and sexual encounters. This is a vivid and compelling portrait of life growing up in Western Sydney.
'Experienced as a multi-screen installation Sex, Drugs & Pork Rolls is an oral storytelling experience from the heartland of multicultural Australia. The four-part monologue weaves together a portrait of young people of colour (POC) growing up in the Western suburbs of Sydney. Presented across four screens, live audiences will experience the work from the comfort of a socially-distanced chair while enjoying a complimentary Bánh mì.
'Sex, Drugs & Pork Rolls has been created by a team of extraordinary artists and technicians, all of whom are from a Culturally and Linguistically Diverse background, infusing the work with depth and authenticity. The work resonates with an astute sense of place, connection and shared experiences of those traversing the tensions and challenges of mixed cultural mores and behaviours with empathy, humour and uncompromising clarity of truth.
'Written by Winnie Dunn, Stephen Pham, Shirley Le and Omar Sakr, with script editing and dramaturgical support from acclaimed author Michael Mohammed Ahmad, Sex, Drugs & Pork Rolls has been crafted for the screen by Helpmann Award winner S.Shakthidharan and performers Hazem Shammas, Emily Havea, Aileen Huynh and Henry Vo.' (Production summary)
Performed as part of the 2021 Sydney Festival at Riverside Theatres Parramatta, New South Wales: 20-23 January.
Writers Winnie Dunn, Stephen Pham, Shirley Le and Omar Sakr
Director S.Shakthidharan
Script Editor Michael Mohammed Ahmad
Cinematographer & Film Editor Akil Ahamat
Lead Performers Emily Havea, Aileen Huynh, Hazem Shammas and Henry Vo
Performers Mert Altunsoy, Alissar Chidiac, Taofia Pelesasa and Susan Young
Creative Producer Frank Mainoo
Production Manager Takashi Hara
Costume/ Make-up Artist Nancy Trieu
Composer Aimée Falzon
Sound Mixer Mayu Ganeshan
Sound recordist Paul Pham
Lighting Assistant Adrian Castro
Photo credit Nancy Trieu
'A white actor pissing into a bottle and calling it art? No thanks, Michael Mohammed Ahmad isn't interested. Nor does he need tickets "to watch some white guy literally improvising some nonsense and sweating on us".' (Introduction)
'A white actor pissing into a bottle and calling it art? No thanks, Michael Mohammed Ahmad isn't interested. Nor does he need tickets "to watch some white guy literally improvising some nonsense and sweating on us".' (Introduction)