In Conversation with Irene Korsten | Are You There?

In today's backstage blog, we talk to Green Room Award winning playwright Irene Korsten about the new black comedy Are You There?, playing at Explosives Factory September 3-13.

Q: What a totally chaotic read your show description is! Where do you start in developing a project like this?

A: The seed for this play was sowed when I worked at the front desk in aged care. I was struck by the ‘double narrative’ of my busy job and home life compared to the people in front of me who were often at the end of their lives (the front desk and door had Siren’s call to many). It could be very chaotic at times.

I began by asking, 'Who or what is containing the chaos?'—in this story, it's Pia, our receptionist. Containing both the chaos in front of her and the chaos of her private life unfolding in real time thanks to the mobile phone. I’m old enough to remember a time when you didn’t hear about a disaster until you got home. Now we’re all dealing with everything all at once – especially women. The other key factor in developing this was deciding to set it in one space over one day.

Q: This play centres around voices and experiences that don't often find space on stage. Could you speak to what it's been like to speak of the experience of those in aged care and assisted living?

Highlighting the stories of those who are often unheard remains especially significant for me as it draws on my dual perspective as both an aged care worker and caregiver for my own parents during their final stages of life.

To be honest, although there have been numerous excellent depictions of ageing in the arts, I was tired of the prevalence of the clichés –the ‘cute ‘Lavendar Ladies Solve a Murder’ depiction or the ‘Everyone’s Trying to Escape because it’s so Bloody Awful’ depiction. I had a wonderful time working in this field and only the bad news stories make the headlines – this wasn’t my experience, and I wanted to give that as much of a voice as the individuals in this play. This play just begged to be written.

Q: Without giving away the setup, what's your favourite punchline in the show?

A: “Look for the nearest resident on palliative care...”

Q: What will surprise audiences about this work?

A: I think the humour and, I hope, the recognition of the characters on stage – we all have a ‘Colleen’ somewhere in our lives.

Q: What has been your most memorable part of the process so far?

A: Getting into the script development with the actors and the director – it’s been hilarious and moving and a joy to watch it come to life with so much enthusiasm. I haven’t been in the theatre ‘space’ for a quite some time and I’d forgotten what an absolute joy collaborating can be.

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Are You There? plays at Explosives Factory September 3-13.

Click here to get your tickets!