The Ice Box
Going away for a weekend in your 20s is like playing back alley poker with the mob. You could win big or lose it all.
Sure, you’ve spent some time with them before but… three days straight? With no breaks?
What if they eat all the food, never cook, and are conveniently asleep any time you’re supposed to be doing chores?
Who knows who these people really are?
They may be friends, acquaintances, or old friends who are now little more than strangers.
You change every year: new interests, new philosophies, new wardrobes—desperately searching for a costume that fits.
You say yes constantly and discover personal boundaries through moments of realisation and discomfort. Sometimes you find joy and brand new love through moments of adventure and euphoria. Other times, bleh.
You look forward to a chance to get away, have some fun. You aren’t yet wise enough to know that it may destroy something inside of you irreparably, and you’ll never even notice it’s gone.
For the past two years we’ve been locked in our houses, forced to interact with our families in ways we hadn’t before. We’ve all had that one night we still regret. A few too many glasses of wine and you said something insensitive or thoughtless—but maybe it’s how you really feel.
Stay Woke takes that feeling and drills down on the arguments that arose between us as the world publicly burnt. Deep lines were drawn in the sand between friends and loved ones. How much of what you believe is who you are?
Like lockdown or a weekend away we constantly find ourselves stuck in place by social contracts, forced to do things we would never do on our own voluntarily. It’ll be fun, your friends tell you. Three days away in the snow! These people are great! You deserve a break!
Ah fuck it, let’s just go. What’s the worst that could happen?
Malthouse Theatre presents Stay Woke. This script was commissioned by Malthouse Theatre through the support of the Malcolm Robertson Foundation.
Stay Woke Cast & Creative
ARAN THANGARATNAM Writer
BROOKE LEE Cast
RACHEL LEE Lighting Designer
ADDITIONAL CREATIVES
BRIDGET BALODIS Director MARK PRITCHARD Dramaturg
PHILIPS Cast
BEAU ESPOSITO Composer & Sound Designer
SUVARNA Cast
JESS KEEPENCE Stage Manager
Cast
WOODROOFE Set & Costume Designer
Besen Placement (Directing) / HANNAH FALLOWFIELD
Besen Placement (Lighting Design) / NOFAR SZUMER-MENASHE
Intimacy Choreographer / CESSALEE STOVALL
Vocal Coach / SUZANNE HEYWOOD
© Malthouse Theatre, the artists, designers, photographers, collaborators and contributors. All rights reserved, 2022.
Campaign Photography / Shortcut Creative. Illustration / Hours After.
MATILDA
DUSHAN
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To
House of Orange is a production supporter of Stay Woke. Featured on stage and above: the Retro Sofa two-seater, velvet corduroy.