Finding courage in the face of adversity is one of the central themes of Janie Gibson’s new play Voices Of Joan.
After two years of postponement the talented storyteller is ready to share her work with the audiences of Newcastle and launch a new theatre company Whale Chorus.
“In the face of uncertainty now more than ever we need to find ways to reconnect as a community and share our stories together,” Ms Gibson says.
“Voices Of Joan and Whale Chorus’ 2022 season is an invitation to do just that.”
Born and raised in Newcastle, Janie Gibson has been developing her theatre practice both nationally and internationally for more than 15 years.
After travelling from Sydney to Poland to the U.S.A and Scotland, she has returned to her hometown to start a new theatre company and give back to her community.
Voices Of Joan is the premiere performance in Whale Chorus’ inaugural season of works.
Supported by the City Of Newcastle, Voices Of Joan will also launch an exciting new performance venue, Lab 11, in the Clyde St Studios creative precinct.
“I’ve been trying to stage this show for two years,” Ms Gibson says.
“Covid has put such a spanner in the works for live performance, but it has also highlighted that coming together as a community to experience live storytelling is such a precious and enduring art form, one that cannot be replaced by zoom or netflix.
“There is a magic that happens when we come together to laugh, cry and share stories.
“It is one of the oldest human rituals and right now we need it more than ever.”
Voices Of Joan is an enduring story about courage and failure, and finding inner strength in the face of adversity.
In this intimate solo performance Janie searches for Joan’s story in fragments of words throughout history; words spoken at her trial, translated in textbooks, imagined in poetry and illuminated in drama.
Through monologue, anecdote, costume changes, sword fighting, music and mayhem, she discovers a Joan with a myriad of voices and an ancient story about gender, truth and power with startling reverberations today.
Voices of Joan will preview 3 March with performances scheduled for 4 to 6, and 9 to 12 March at Lab 11, 11C/50 Clyde Street Hamilton North.
Tickets available at www.civictheatrenewcastle.com.au/what-s-on/all-shows/voices-of-joan
For more stories like this:
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- Civic Theatre to reignite city audiences
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