In Conversation with Myf Hocking | STORKED

In this week's Backstage Blog, we get chatting with writer Myf Hocking about their upcoming show, STORKED! Keep reading to find out more about the ins and outs of Myf's beautiful writing!

Q. What should audiences expect when they come to see STORKED?

A. Storked is an exploration of autonomy in four acts. Specifically, it is interrogating the choice to have children, but it goes much deeper than that. It explores the experience of existing in a body that already has so much projected onto it, that self-government becomes impossible.

The first act interrogates the social structures that have led us to this point, the second looks at the medical, physical, tangible body, the third act seeks to nuke the nuclear family structure, and the final act offers a meditation on all the ways a person’s life could go.

It is multimodal and cross genre. We have comedy. Body horror. Tragedy. It’s going to be messy. Icky. Gooey. Sexy.  This work is particularly inspired by Alice Birch’s ‘Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again’, and Sarah Kane’s oeuvre, as well as drawing on the thinkings of many feminist, queer scholars.  

Q. What inspired you to write this show?

A. Being a genderqueer person living with endometriosis, I’ve always had an interesting relationship with my body’s capacity to grow a child. Since I was a kid, I’ve always fervently said I don’t want children, and I’ve always had my community tell me I’ll change my mind.

I’m now 27, and the mind changing hasn’t happened. If anything, I am fearful of the fact that it is assumed an AFAB person will at some point carry a child. We are sold the mythos of motherhood as the bastion of happiness. This show is not anti-natalist, but it is interrogating bodily autonomy, and the oppressive systems that make it difficult to make unswayed decisions.

My endo diagnosis took about a decade. Throughout that time, I’ve experienced some so-horrible-it’s-hilarious medical gaslighting, and have been privy to some wildly unprofessional consults. Furthermore, when AFAB people are seeking access to healthcare, it rarely feels ‘person centred’ – often you’re seen as a potential vessel to carry some future phantom child, so your decisions are marred by this unlikely future.

So – long winded way of saying: that’s what inspired me. Anger at my choices being nullified or taken away. Fury at a capitalist patriarchal society that wants to breed workers rather than focus on furthering the quality of life for those alive. You know - light topics.

Q. If you could have anyone in the audience, who would it be?

A. This is a tough question. I’ve drawn on the work of a lot of feminist, POC, and queer scholars. What inspired me to write this work was reading texts by Sophie K Rosa, Roxane Gay, Larry Mitchell, Audre Lorde, and Gretchen Felker-Martin. They’ve all inspired me in different ways, and moulded my thinkings.

As a result, I’d say any of the queer elders who have imagined boldly and frivolously, (if you haven’t read ‘The Faggots & Their Friends Between Revolutions’, make a warm cup of tea and snuggle up for an afternoon of queer deliciousness). Many of my greatest influences have passed, so maybe we can host an in-theatre séance for them.

I say all this but frankly, in the 2025 theatrical climate of Narrm, having anyone in the audience is a huge win. Please see the show. It’s going to be wild.

Q. What do you hope audiences take away after seeing STORKED?

A. I want audiences to come away with a more critical lens of the heteronormative nuclear family pipeline. I am not suggesting there is anything intrinsically wrong with this lifestyle (except for, maybe, isolation from community), however I want people to interrogate: is that what I really want, or what I’ve been told I want?

I’d also really appreciate it if they came away thinking: that was the best show I’ve ever seen, I’m going to tell all my friends about it and see it five more times, and wow that Myf is sexy AND talented, a perfect combo.

Q. What has been the most memorable moment throughout this creative process?

A. Just being in a room with phenomenal makers. Our director, dramaturg, and cast are all people I’ve been wanting to work with for years. I feel so privileged to get to make work alongside them. Every rehearsal feels like a collective of amazing artists coming together to further each other’s practice, and it’s truly wonderful.

Having Bayley Turner as our intimacy coordinator has also been very special – every time she attends a rehearsal I become reflective, because I’m reminded that her very amazing way of creating consent based practice is still not the norm in the industry, and I’m forced to reflect on the times in drama school when I was told to go into the hallway and make out with my friend because the director felt too awkward to watch us – yikes. I digress, but her way of running a room is the way forward in this industry!

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STORKED is a must see show, and you do not want to miss it! Make sure you secure your seats and click the link below to get your tickets!

Get your tickets here!