“Is going out and partying a coping mechanism?” I ask. “Definitely” she replies. “It goes with the saying ‘if you don’t laugh, you’ll cry’. What else can we really do?”.
Sian Murphy is the writer and director of Love Letters to the Revolution, opening at the Blue Room Theatre this week, a show presented as “an urgent response to the political and social climate we find ourselves in together.”
Featuring a strong cast of five local talents, Sian says the show has undergone a collaborative evolution from its origins as monologue she wrote for the Australian Theatre for Young People’s national studio in 2020.
“The theme [of the studio] was ‘unleashed’ and I was having one of those times where I was like “hmm the world is on fire”, and I wanted to write something hopeful. But what is hope? It’s not really tangible, especially these days it can get thrown around a bit.
“I came up with this character who goes on a journey and has this moment of revolution. This piece has developed from that. It definitely sparked all of these ideas around all the different kinds of revolutions people can have and undergo. Whether that be a very personal revolution or a much bigger one.”
Love Letters to the Revolution. Image by Duncan Wright.
People’s ability to party through major events has inspired Sian to set Love Letters to the Revolution, fittingly, within a suburban house party.
“I think a fascination I’ve had for quite a while is that despite the state of the world, people still go out and party and somehow live. This is about a bunch of people at a party and we watch them as they create, witness or undergo change.
“Is going out and partying a coping mechanism?” I ask. “Definitely” she replies. “It goes with the saying ‘if you don’t laugh, you’ll cry’. What else can we really do?”.
Love Letters to the Revolution. Image by Nicole Fox.
A collaborative approach to the writing process has shaped the show’s current form. Sian says the show’s structure is “not dissimilar to Love and Information by Caryl Churchill”, featuring scenes and vignettes based on numerous conversations and interviews she’s held.
“There are some real people’s stories. There are some stories that are personal to the actors. There are some stories or scenes in there where I’ve had a conversation with someone and then gone away and written something and brought it back to them and they’ve let me know if they wanted to change anything.
“It’s been a very collaborative writing process which I feel really lucky about and I’ve had support from some very generous people. While it’s a serious topic, there are scenes in there that are really fun and funny. Sometimes someone freaking out about climate change can be funny.”
If people watching at parties is one of your favourite pastimes or witnessing change right in front of your eyes sounds appealing, you can catch Love Letters to the Revolution at The Blue Room Theatre from October 5 to 23.