A Political Heist Parody With A Fresh Queer Twist. Rogue Projects Presents A Premiere Comedy By Sydney’s Next Generation Of Theatre Makers
Rogue Projects returns to theatres in 2022 with Taz vs The Pleb, a world premiere comedy from debut Writer/Director Kasia Vickery. The production will run at Flight Path Theatre from February 9th to 19th.
Set in the fictional retirement town of Turneybull, in rural NSW, two lovable 16-year-old misfits – besties Taz and Shontelle – decide to take democratic measures into their own hands by hatching a plan to steal all the postal surveys during Australia’s 2017 same-sex marriage plebiscite.
A fast-paced heist parody for ideal for ages 14+, Taz vs The Pleb places young queer voices centre-stage in an outrageous and joyous celebration of teen friendship, community, and grassroots revolution, as our two heroes dodge a revolving door of wacky townsfolk in their race to rig the survey.
The production was inspired by the real-life childhood friends of writer/director Kasia Vickery. “They were the first openly queer people I knew. Their unapologetic disregard for the rules of heteronormative culture had a huge influence on my own queer awakening, and taught me the importance of allyship and queer friendship.”
Kasia said “I thought about them a lot during the plebiscite. That’s when I had the idea to write this story. One where a 16-year-old non-binary person is a hero and a town of retirees are the villains. A story where young queer people win in the end, that’s full of joy and laughter, not trauma.”
The production features performers from multiple disciplines, including comedian/actor Natali Caro, performance artist Sophie Strykowski, musical theatre performer Jack Mansbridge, and actor Lou McInnes. With an all-original heist score created by composer and sound designer Scott Sohrab Majidi, lighting design by Thomas Doyle, and a colourfully complex set from production designer Kate Beere, Taz vs The Pleb brings together some of the most exciting new talents in Sydney theatre to create an action-adventure that’s as silly as it is heartfelt.
Producer Robbi James from Rogue projects said, “I wanted to partner with Kasia because this play is important to me. I found the plebiscite incredibly hard, and I was angry about it for a long time. Kasia’s zany take on this period of history gave me a new way to see it, and to laugh about it.” he said, “The opportunity to work with them to create so many roles for emerging queer artists is something the Rogues are very proud of.”
Taz vs The Pleb was originally developed with the support of an Art in Isolation Residency with The Sydney Fringe. This production was made possible with the support of Flight Path Theatre, Pride Foundation Australia, and with financial assistance from the NSW Government through Create NSW, its art advisory and funding body.
What: Taz vs The Pleb
When: Wednesday 9th – Saturday 19th February, 7:30 pm nightly, Relaxed Auslan Performance 2 pm Saturday 12th
Where: Flight Path Theatre, 144 Addison Road, Marrickville
Tickets: General Admission $35, Concession $24 +bf
Bookings via www.flightpaththeatre.org
