The Compassion Plays is a major theatre event. Its theme is the condition of exile and the experience of refugees. Its structure is based on the medieval 'passion play', which invites its audience to travel through different story ‘stations’ and interact with the performance.

Each show begins outdoors at dusk, with food, gifting, songs and dance. The journey continues into a theater space where an exquisite, immersive video installation  combines with interactive performance pieces. Local musicians, performers, local school children, and visual and sound artists combine with members of our communities to create a place of welcome, shared feasting, and cultural exchange.

The Compassion Plays is Part I of the Anthems and Angels trilogy, which will roll out from 2016-2018, nationally and internationally. Watch this space!

Angel photos by Andrew Sikorski

Become a part of this event by attending the performance nights,  November 2-4, and contribute to this fundraiser. Every donation helps pay actors, designers, technicians and artists to earn a basic wage as well as assist the participation of members of local refugee communities. Donations over $750 will have a percentage put aside to help establish and sustain projects (community gardens, choirs and cultural events) with local refugee groups.

Our budget: Performance fees: $6000

Technical stuff [set, props, costume, lights, projectors, other equipment:  up to $3000

Technical production: $4000

Contingencies [including food, transport, insurance]: $1000

Subtotal: $14000

I have now been working 2 months solid in pre-production [unpaid], and we have a 4 week rehearsal period ahead.

Any amount we raise OVER $7000 raised will give me a producer and director's  allowance  and pay for documentation and a film clip by some of Sydney and Canberra's best film-makers, paving the way to share our work with a wider audience and promote the ongoing life of the Trilogy. 

Please donate TODAY and help us reach both our short-term and long-term goals.

We currently have half the funds we need to pay professional wages to cast and crew. There is a substantial voluntary input from various members of the community--however, the more hours and skills we can commit to the short and long-term goals of the Anthems and Angels trilogy, the better the event will be. 

The challenge is to make the Trilogy sustainable. Please help us help others, by launching this project and sharing its aims to share a project generated by compassion for the joys and sorrows of human experience. 

This interactive work has garnered special interest from producers overseas [London, THe CounterpointsArts networks, and LIFT Festival] but needs to be realised first in Australia.  Please help us achieve our goals of sharing and co-creating this work with as many communities as possible.

Anthems and Angels: The Compassion Plays is presented as part of Ainslie and Gorman Arts Centres’ Ralph Indie program of independently produced performance works presented in the Ralph Wilson Theatre at Gorman Arts Centre.

Other Supporters

Ainslie and Gorman Arts Centres--Ralph Indie Residency Initiative

Companion House, Canberra [for refugee survivors of torture and trauma]

Monash University, Faculty of Arts