Book is published, The Show "That's What She Said" has closed...a big week celebrating art
Playlab is an arts organisation in Brisbane that services our industry, publishing plays, supporting playwrights from conception of an idea to the final publication. That is what they did for me: This is a book of provocations and ideas. Yes, the trilogy plays are here, but also several chapters about how I created the work and what I learned, all applicable to your own practice. Thank you Playlab and in particular Danielle Carter for being such a huge support in order to get this done.
Its been a fabulous week and a bit: we opened and closed "That's What She Said", a farewell to Metro Arts Building as she packs up and moves across the river to brand new premises. The pain and joy combined, created a miracle of relationships, art and sharing.
Here we are at the end of the play, farewelling our love. That's me in the pink tutu. When Daniel Evans, our amazingly versatile director rang me, I thought he was joking about the tutu, but no, I wore the biggest tutu you ever did see! Below I have added the monologue that we wrote (I often work in collaboration so it was Leah Mercer, Daniel Evans and I who crafted this piece:
Once upon a time, a long, long time ago, and only yesterday
We are the women who tells stories.
Stories about artists, dreamers, families
Stories about you.
So many stories have been birthed between these walls.
(gestures to theatre space)
We become them, and they become us.
Tonight, I want to tell you a story about Two Old Broads
who have inspired and transformed me:
My two mothers: the mother to whom I was born, and this one,
The Old Broad, who has birthed so many of my plays and
helped grow my practice as artist and therapist.
Everyones mother changes their life,
Either because they give too much or too little.
Both of mine gave far too much.
One of them would never have called herself
an artist or a dreamer
She was too Methodist for that
But she wasnt too Methodist to turn a blind eye to my
early artistic choices:
naked onstage, masturbating with a crucifix.
In my defence: it was the 70s!
In her defence: was her theatre program,
held tightly over her face in the back row.
But neither of my mothers ever turned away.
They both gave me a house of belonging to grow
stories, friendships and art.
This Old Broad gave me 7 different studios across
20 years-in-residence.
We are the women who tell stories. gram, nd eye to stained floors,
loud rehearsals and gallons of wine.
Both my mothers understood love.
Both my mothers understood light.
They showed me how to transform terror
into action
They taught me that nobody can take your sunshine away.
That nobody has that right.
And we now all understand- because of These Old Broads-
that there is no light in hate.
There is no joy in jealousy.
There is no love in judgement.
If my birth mother were here today Id call her a social artist
She composed her life using everything in her reach:
The love of her husband, her children, her grandchildren,
the casuarina trees that lined our driveway.
Devonshire tea and late-night chats.
This Old Broad, the midwife of our Brisbane artists soul,
composed her life from our stories.
Show after show she birthed.
No judgement.
Just opportunity.
Pain? Yes. But always with open arms.
Margi, its time to tell a new story they whisper in my ear,
the story of now, the story of imminent change.
Change is the only thing we can depend upon.
It can be too much, it can be too little.
Its what we do with the mess that counts. Its how we let go with grace.
Change doesnt need to announce itself, the Old Broads remind us.
It can arrive quietly or with a CRASH:
To rupture.
To break things apart.
Or to initiate.
But each of us are sleeper cells, ready to wake up to the potential
for Change If we are up for it.
May your bodies be weapons of kindness.
May your hands perform small acts of terrifying gratitude
May your words imagine new worlds where you love fiercely and
tell tales with vicious positivity made of all the things that surround you
And with that advice, The Two Old Broads leave us
holding memories of love, kindness, and inspiration.
Ready for our new adventure.
Come. A new story is emerging. Its time.
But dont forget Our Old Broads.
They are our wisdom and our light, and because of them,
And because of Sue and Liz and now Jo
we can build our future, again and again and again.
We will not give up.
We will step out.
Lets all join together and move forward, slowly at first,
Into this new, vibrant, heartbreaking, heart making light.
THANK YOU "THE GOOD ROOM"! THANK YOU METRO ARTS! THANK YOU
FELLOW ARTISTS!
Here we are with our Arts Minister Leeanne Enoch MP as we farewell The Old Broad.