“A compelling look at the trauma and guilt caused by the actions of our parents, it's simultaneously chilling and hilarious with some of the best performances I've ever seen on stage - and that's not hyperbole.”

- Gabriel Bergmoser, Australian author & playwright

“You Are The Blood is a daring, funny, and dark piece that is well worth the watch. The pairing of talented actors, a killer (pun intended) script and a well put together production makes it a great piece of independent Australian theatre to enjoy.”

- Theatre Travels

“It's great to see risk-taking independently produced work like this right now in Australia…The magic of this production is the adaptation of the play into middle Australia, with a stellar cast, design and production team.”

- Weekend Notes

“Performances are assured, with special mention to Andrew Blackman’s psychopathy and the admirability of Jem Nicholas’ pitiful Sylvia… at once vulnerable and guarded, beautifully human… Peter Blackburn’s direction luxuriates in tension, twisting the dramaturgical arm behind our backs til we ask for relief…I recommend You Are The Blood for its audacity. It leans on consequence where most others walk through action.”

- Pop Culture Y

“Stanley paints a captivating Shelby, one who draws the audience through the story with laughter, fear and tears. Cerche and Stanley play well off each other, their lighter moments contrasting beautifully with their conflicts. Their scenes with their mother, [Vivienne Powell] are at times so real it feels you really are sitting in their dining room…”

- Theatre Travels

“As we’ve come to expect, director Peter Blackburn elicits natural performances from his cast”

- Stage Whispers

SYNOPSIS.

“What do you think is wrong with people like that? Like her? Writing to men in prison, heaping Ivan Milat or David Birnie or Ted Bundy with fan letters. Fan letters!” 

Shelby Boden (Stanley) is a cynical stand-up comedian trying to survive in the shadow of her father (Blackman), a man who's done bad, bad things. When she discovers that her father is marrying Sylvia (Nicholas), an eccentric young performance artist that writes to criminals, morbid curiosity leads these two women to develop a strange, charged friendship. With the looming and dangerous presence of the bloodshed in their bloodline, the entire Boden family (Cerche, Powell) is left contending with damages that could be irreparable.

From the brilliant mind of Ashley Rose Wellman comes the Australian Premiere of her work, You Are the Blood, a finalist for the 2017 O’Neill National Playwrights Conference and the 2018 Blue Ink Playwriting Award. Directed by Peter Blackburn (Best Director at LA Scene Awards for Ruben Guthrie, The Trial of Dorian Gray, Stupid F*cking Bird) and starring Andrew Blackman (Barracuda, House Husbands, Mortified, A Country Practice), Broadway World nominee Vivienne Powell (Shameless, Love, Australian Theatre Company’s Ruben Guthrie), Green Room Award nominee Jem Nicholas (Doctor Blake Mysteries, Red Stitch’s Love, Love, Love and Rules for Living), James Cerche (Bloom, Judy & Punch), and Jessica Stanley (The Doctor Blake Mysteries, Theatre Works’ Ross & Rachel).

This morbid comedy lures you in with familiar, likeable characters, then shocks you with every dark turn it takes. A timely and twisted family drama that explores pop culture’s fascination with serial killers, family inheritance of sin, and the journey to forgiveness.

JULY 13 - 26, 2019 | MEAT MARKET

Preview performance July 12th.

Please note Sunday shows will be commencing at 5pm. All other shows will be commencing at 7:30pm.

Performance duration is approximately two hours and 20 minutes, including an interval.

CREATIVES.

Directed by Peter Blackburn

Assistant Directed by Faran Martin

Produced by Justin Anderson

Performed by Andrew Blackman, James Cerche, Jem Nicholas, Vivienne Powell and Jessica Stanley

Set & Costume design by Abbie-Lea Hough

Sound design by Justin Gardam

Lighting design by Lachlan McLean

Stage Managed by Beth Gallagher

Assistant Stage Managed by Jordan Chodziesner

Photography by Jack Dixon-Gunn

Graphic design by Ashley Tardy

CONTENT WARNING.

This performance contains moderate coarse language and adult themes, including descriptions, but not depictions, of violent and gruesome acts, sometimes of a sexual nature. It is not suitable for persons under the age of 15.

GALLERY.

Images by Jack Dixon-Gunn.