Cirrus@Austlit

'As if catapulted from an abyss, Alanna O'Kelly's ear-splitting wail lodges in my chest and pulsates between my breasts. A shiver spins down my neck. I imagine her body convulsing as she emits each wave of sound. Her pitch deepens as her sonic force descends through me. It staggers, withers, elongates. It is as if she is choking on her own voice.' (Publication abstract)

'When asked by Melbourne Theatre Company about the changes made in her adaptation of Craig Silvey's novel Jasper Jones (2009), Mulvany noted that although it is 'his book on stage … it's also important ultimately for it to be a Kate Mulvany play'. This is important when analysing Jasper Jones and also Mulvany's adaptation of the picturebook Masquerade (1979) by Kit Williams. Mulvany, a significant figure in contemporary Australian theatre for her work as an actor and a playwright, has been lauded for possessing a 'remark- able' quality, which is 'deliciously unpredictable and courageous', and 'totally inhabited and transforming'. Mulvany has seen global recognition for her acting, and as a writer, with her adaptation of Medea - co-written with Anne-Louise Sarks - being staged in Auckland, Dublin and London. Her other plays have remained in Australia, typically having short seasons and occasional revivals. Although I credit Mulvany as an adaptor − as she has written five successful adapted works − Mulvany sees herself simply as a playwright. She notes, 'I don't adapt. I write. I'm a playwright … And if it's an adaptation of a play or a book or a film, it's usually an adaptation of an event … taking a real-life event and adapting that.' I argue it is crucial Mulvany be seen as an adaptor, as her style of adapting material including autobiographical material is unique and enhances the story that she's adapting. In both Masquerade (2015) and Jasper Jones (2016), previously written material and previously lived experiences are utilised in adaptation.'  (Publication abstract)

'Claims that young people have been involved in processes of consultation, creative development or research are common in published scripts about young people living in regional Australia. The aim of the (usually adult) playwrights May be to amplify young voices, yet the unadulterated voices of young people themselves are rarely heard in these pages. What might they want from their involvement in these creative endeavours, and how might they view their roles as research participants?'  (Publication abstract)

'This article addresses how BFA/BA Acting programmes taught in Australian institutions could include teaching perspectives and theatre-making processes that not only create a safer, more inclusive, and hopefully joyous creative space for Indigenous students, but also privilege the history of colonisation of Australia from the perspective of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. There are two authors of this article. Nicole Reilly identifies as a queer Wiradyuri woman with extensive training and experience in physical performance-making. Nicole is on a journey of deeper connection with her culture and language. Andrea Moor identifies as a woman of European heritage, passionate about safe consenting spaces for student well-being. Andrea is an accredited Intimacy Coordinator and is an Associate Fellow HEA (Indigenous Knowledges), a programme dedicated to increasing Indigenous perspectives within curriculum design. We both teach into the BFA Acting degree at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) and have made a conscious effort to bring Indigenous perspectives into our teaching. We acknowledge that there is still more to be done.'  (Publication abstract)

'Peta Murray wrote 'Wallflowering' in 1988, a period in Australian playwriting identified by Geoff Milne as the 'Third Wave' of Australian theatre, a period he defines as 'loosely spanning the years from 1979 to about 1991'. Milne notes that Third Wave theatre challenged dominant paradigms, 'taking the theatre away from the proscenium arch, diversifying the established stage voice with those of Indigenous and multicultural Australia, women, and regional Australians. Orthodox spoken-word drama began to cede ground to other forms like physical theatre and new circus, visual theatre and puppetry, and contemporary performance.' 'Wallflowering' is very much of its time. In it, Murray explored the world of ballroom dancing, and the place of the individual within its conventions. With its embedded narratives of metamorphoses, and its aspirations to grace and beauty, the lore and culture of ballroom allowed for close examination of idealised tropes of femininity and masculinity within twentieth-century codes.'  (Publication abstract)

'It is a poorly kept secret that the queer subject, historically speaking, existed before it was legally permitted to. While queerness - particularly sexual deviancy - May not be made explicit in historical texts as a consequence of their contemporary censorship regulations, queer identifications are encountered as points of recognition. Often, recognised queerness takes the form of an accepted stereotype - the male body carrying feminine coding, or the female body carrying masculine coding, for instance. When combined with physical and dialogic signifiers, the textual body presents an image that can be interpreted as having queer resonance. While I would not suggest that characters be read strictly as 'sexually deviant' based on these signifiers alone, I do propose that analysing the deployment of queer signifiers in archival texts can lead to a deeper understanding of the cultural attitudes at play.'  (Publication abstract)