Dirt, the show which drew critical acclaim at this year’s Adelaide Fringe will be coming to Perth’s Fringe World in 2022.
This original queer political thriller won four awards at Adelaide Fringe and picked up a dozen five-star reviews. Commissioned, produced and performed by real-life couple, Wil King (ABC/Netflix’s Why Are You Like This) and Patrick Livesey (Tom Ballard’s #KWANDA) in response to LGBTQIA+ persecution in Russia, Dirt follows a Russian and an Australian over the course of a single night in Moscow but things take a dark turn when neither turn out to be who they say they are.
The production is the first time Livesey and King have shared the stage, having first met after an audition in 2017. That particular role went King’s way but love blossomed and three years later the pair found themselves living with King’s parents during last year’s lockdown.
“We’d been talking about this idea we had; to try and bring some attention to the situation in Russia, and it felt like the perfect timing” King said.
Livesey says the complexity of the situation there and their desire to help informed the plot heavily, “From the get go the question was how exactly can you help in a situation so far removed from your own reality? Where’s the line between solidarity and saviour-ism?”
Whilst Livesey and King came up with the rough outline of the story, they knew they needed a more experienced writer to bring it to life. The first name that came to mind was writer Angus Cameron.
“He’s just such a phenomenal writer,” King said. “His dialogue is razor sharp and his ability to balance heavy subject matter with compelling character development is exactly what this play needed.”
Director Bronwen Coleman was another no-brainer for the two rising stars. Coleman honed her craft in New York City where she acted alongside Phillip Seymour-Hoffman in the film Capote and with his LAByrinth Theatre Company. A lifetime member of the Actors Studio, Coleman brought into the Dirt rehearsal room techniques she learnt at the legendary institution.
“Working on a brand new script of this quality offered us a really exciting opportunity as creatives,” Coleman said. “This is an important play, and it’s wonderful for me to have the opportunity to work with actors of the calibre of Pat and Wil – who have the capability to really “go there” – and bring it to life.”
Winner of The Adelaide Critics Circle Award and The Frank Ford Award as well as the BankSA Best Theatre and The Adelaide Critics Circle Weekly Awards, the team aren’t resting on their laurels and are determined to raise the stakes for their Perth audiences.
“Live theatre and ‘thriller’ isn’t necessarily the easiest combo,” Livesey said. “We’re working hard to make sure that everything that worked the first time around is still fresh and alive come September and that we’re bringing our audience the most exciting experience we can.”
This show has new dates, it will play from 26th January to 5th February. Tickets are on sale now.
Source: Media Release
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