Concept and Direction: Sam Chester
Devised and Performed by: Graduating Acting Students 2019 WAAPA
Production and Stage Manager: Emily Stokoe
Lighting Designer: Rhiannon Petersen

DOWNLOAD ATLAS PERFORMANCE & PROCESS PDF

Atlas is a devised movement theatre work inspired by Jeanette Winterson’s book Weight. The Greek myth — in which Altas is condemned to hold up the sky for eternity — is inventively reimagined for our contemporary times through physically-driven performance that explores what we carry from family, culture, in love, across borders and boundaries.

Music by Mary Ocher: maryocher.com
Image Credit: Bryn Parish-Chapman

“The students bring these experiences into the rehearsal room and we start to build choreographies, writing and theatrical frames to explore their responses,” she says. “To hear and be shown what is important to these incredible young people and what stories they want to tell as artists — in words, in action and as a provocation for change — has been incredibly moving.”

“I wanted to ask the question in this day and age how are young people to bear the weight and responsibility of this contemporary life, as they are faced with an increasing conservative stance on so many issues such as the rights of refugees, climate change and cost of living.”

WAAPA’s production of Atlas is proudly supported by the Mindaroo Foundation.

Bachelor of Arts, Acting, Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts