The first play I went to was “Year 9 are Animals’ when I was…in Year 9. Clearly, this was some time ago. The early 1980’s. Some people say because I go to plays I am cultured. I say yes, just like yoghurt.
I love story telling in every form – books, movies, television, around the water cooler. Live theatre has a particular intensity especially in a small venue where you can see the sweat on the performer’s brow. I also love how live theatre involves my imagination. There are no special effects – the stage is there in real time and the minimal set and space and the actors’ skill have to work together to make me believe and engage with the story.
Has anyone else seen Year 9 are Animals? I googled it to find it was written by Richard Tullock who also wrote Bananas in Pyjamas and adapted Hating Alison Ashley for the screen.
My headmistress took us to see Year 9 are Animals because she believed we were animals. That is, she understood what an odd age we were at. Being taken from Warwick to La Boite in Brisbane to see a play was a big deal. A two-hour bus trip with a bunch of rowdy 14-year-old girls. Mrs Peggy Given must have been determined to de-animal and culture us. She understood the power live theatre could have over a young mind. I have been going back to La Boite ever since.
We spent last night at La Boite with Lady Beatle. This is a live performance of Beatles music to tell a story – about the Beatles, about love for the Beatles and about loneliness and wanting to belong. Ok, yes it made me cry. That means it is good story telling! It’s on until 3 June.