What’s On: X-STACY (Mira Ball Productions & Trent Sellars as Salad Bowl Collective)

X-STACY

11 – 13 October

Ron Hurley Theatre, Seven Hills Hub

Tickets: $35; group booking fees available. Parents and teachers are encouraged to contact the producers for special ticketing options and educational resources.

Recommended for audiences 15+

X-STACY envelops audiences in the depths of the Australian rave scene and problematic drug use. Exploring themes of family, grief, and self-discovery, the contemporary Australian theatre work by local author Margery Forde will be presented by a Brisbane-based creative team and cast for a limited run this October.

Set in the 90s, but with timeless themes and life lessons, X-STACY is a story of loss, adventure, and awakening, and past audiences continue to comment on the need for adolescents to see and participate in this theatrical experience.

This play could not be more timely, with recent reports suggesting that in 2018 drug deaths in Australia hit a record high of 142 fatalities per month. Regardless of the politics, or the audience’s opinion on drugs and the law, X-STACY sparks a powerful conversation about protecting friends and seeking support.

Co-producer and actor, Trent Sellars, is excited to embark on the project again, having witnessed the show’s effects on audience members and his own experiences working with young people in a classroom capacity. “Many plays about the lives of adolescents sugar coat the bigger issues, but what makes X-STACY so raw is its unwillingness to compromise on realness,” said Sellars. “The language is coarse and the themes are gut-wrenching, but the take-home message is so important. It really could change the lives of young people caught in similar unplanned scenarios. It could save a life.”

Director and co-producer Elodie Boal spoke of her first experiences finding the script as a drama student. Although it is an option to study as part of Queensland Curriculum, Boal really encourages schools to take up this opportunity, especially due to current statistics.  “X-STACY transcends politics. It truly does. The idea of looking out for a mate, and getting help when it is needed, is so important to all Australians,” said Boal. “Beyond the issue of drug harm awareness, the story emphasises the importance of the family structure, of friendship and the need for adventure. These are all themes that make X-STACY more relevant to today than ever before.”

Boal also spoke of the tight bond the cast has formed, especially gaining powerful insights into the true stories behind the work through workshops with Margery and Michael Forde. “Margery and Michael Forde are inspirations and their verbatim writing is so powerful,” Boal said. “Every audience member was moved at our past showing, and expect nothing less at the next.”

For ticketing and further information, visit the website.