Cirrus@Austlit

'Karim and his best friend, Layla, watch trains coming and going from the local station and dream of a life with a better future.

'On the rural outskirts of South West Sydney, Karim and his Dad, Joe, work as cucumber farmers. At night, they search trash for treasures to make ends meet.

'When Karim and Joe are evicted, their neighbour Abdul provides refuge. At his house, Karim discovers an oud, a traditional Middle Eastern instrument. Inspired by the beauty of its sound, Karim secretly begins playing the instrument, realising it might be the key to a new destiny.

'Karim explores families, duty and generational divides.'

Source: Production blurb.

'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)