The View From Up Here

Tackling the lived realities of a world increasingly affected by global warming and the impacts on our experiences of family, The View From Up Here reflects and raises questions about the tapestry of our Australian zeitgeist. Five years in the making, this premiere theatrical experience investigates how we might find hope in one another, in order to face tomorrow together.

Following a catastrophic fire season, Eva and Lily have returned to the farm. The family home has burnt to the ground, the fences have melted, the neighbours have fled and the animals have perished. Maggie, the matriarch, is living in a caravan on the blackened earth where the house once stood, tending her new vegetable garden and refusing to leave her land. Painful family histories are revealed that force questions and confrontations to the surface. How much can this family ask of one another amidst the ashes?

"Fiona Spitzkowsky has crafted a play that is incredibly personal, honest, raw, and moving.", explians Director Julian Dibley-Hall.

"This is one family, standing on the edge of multiple disasters, trying to find a way to survive. There are no easy answers in this play, but there's a really robust attempt to grapple with many of the challenges that are staring us all in the face in these desperately challenging times. In the aftermath of the 2019/20 bushfires and the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic this conversation feels increasingly important and valuable."

Bringing audience right into the action by playing in the round, The View From Up Here is a compelling premiere Australian production, showcasing vital new practices being put in place by Sustainable Theatres Australia, founded in 2019. The production has been crafted with sustainability at its core, a key factor informing and shaping the process of creating and presenting the work. 

Written by Fiona Spitzkowsky and directed by Julian Dibley-Hall, The View From Up Here also features much lauded actors John Marc Desengano, Brigid Gallacher, Chanella Macri and Emily Tomlins and is slated to be a true highlight inn the 2022 Victorian Arts Calendar.

The production is proudly supported by Creative Victoria and City of Port Phillip

Written and Created by Fiona Spitzkowsky
Directed by Julian Dibley-Hall
Performed by John Marc Desengano, Brigid Gallacher, Chanella Macri and Emily Tomlins
Production Design by James Lew and Claudia Mirabello
Lighting Design by Jason Crick
Sound Design and Composition by Jess Keeffe
Assistant Director: Harriet Wallace-Mead
Dramaturgy by Liv Satchell
Sustainability Consultant: Christian Taylor
Produced by Hot Mess Productions

18 - 28 May 2022
Tues - Sat 7:30pm
Opening Night: Thursday 19 May, 7:30pm
Venue: Theatre Works - 14 Acland Street, St Kilda
Tickets: $40 Full, $32 Concession, $25 Preview and Student (+ $2.50 booking fee)
Bookings: (03) 9534 3388 or www.theatreworks.org.au