We have teamed up with Yirra Yaakin Theatre Company to present a special edition of our Afterwork Drinks Series, featuring a meet & greet and an exclusive Q&A with the cast and director of their latest production for Perth Festival, The Sum of Us.
Held on Wednesday, February 24, The Sum of Us Meet & Greet brings together world-class theatre, Aboriginal culture and community bonding to celebrate Yirra Yaakin’s season launch the following evening. From 5pm, come down to Subiaco Arts Centre, grab a drink at the bar and experience exclusive insight into Yirra Yaakin’s production of The Sum of Us featuring a Q&A with director Eva Mullaley & cast members. The bar will be open throughout the event, and there’ll be plenty of opportunity to meet other Subiaco locals, including business owners, residents, and the teams from Streets of Subi and Yirra Yaakin.
Guests will have the opportunity to meet and mingle with the cast of The Sum of Us at the bar before being welcomed to the main auditorium at 6pm by director Eva Mullaley and the cast for an artist talk and Q&A with Eva. After the Q&A, guests can head back out to the bar, grab some nibbles and hang out with the cast. Spots are strictly capped at 65, so those who get in will be part of an exclusive crew carrying little-known insight into what goes into creating a full-scale Perth Festival production.
The cast of The Sum of Us
The Sum of Us tells the story of the very close relationship between widowed father Harry and his son Jeff (who identifies as a gay man) on their journey to each find lasting love, whilst also employing the rare troupe of breaking the fourth wall. Written by David Stevens in Melbourne in the late 1980s, the play explores themes of strong family bonds, ageing, love, and in a Yirra Yaakin first, homosexuality. Tickets will be available for purchase on the night.
In 1994, the play was made into a film starring Russell Crowe and Jack Thompson. Globally, the production and film were well-received and played a significant role in breaking down barriers around same-sex relationships at a time where the AIDS crisis garnered mass stigma.
If you aren’t familiar, Yirra Yaakin (Yir-raarh Yaarh-kin) which means “Stand Tall” in Noongar language, is Australia’s largest Aboriginal performing arts organisations producing award-winning, world-class theatre that is exciting, entertaining, educational, authentic and culturally appropriate. We are incredibly lucky that they call Subiaco home.
Although The Sum of Us will be performed in English, Yirra Yaakin has produced plays in Noongar before, including several Shakespeare sonnets at Shakespeare’s Globe in London back in 2012, and a world-first translation of Macbeth in 2020.
If you missed the first edition of our Afterwork Drinks Series at Bistro Felix Wine Bar, it’s essentially an opportunity to wander down to a local bar after work and have a few drinks with fellow Subiaco locals.
The Sum of Us Meet & Greet will be held on February 24 from 5pm at Subiaco Arts Centre. Places are extremely limited, so please RSVP to secure your spot here. If you are unable to make it, please let us know ASAP via [email protected] so we can give your ticket to someone else.
