AustLit

'Andi Snelling is in the fight of her life.

'Little does she know, she is about to be rescued in the most profound way.

'Happy-Go-Wrong is a multiple award-winning solo odyssey about fate, mortality and resilience, created and performed by Melbourne-based physical powerhouse Andi Snelling. Blending clowning, storytelling and physical theatre with a twist, Happy-Go-Wrong celebrates our extraordinary capacity to survive, and even thrive, in the face of major adversity.

'Based on Snelling’s own real-life ‘wrong turn’ after a fateful tick bite plunged her into ill health and changed her life forever, this rollercoaster show aligns the personal with the universal and makes visible the invisible, with unflinching honesty, life-saving comedy and roller skates.'

Source: Melbourne Fringe.

'Healing doesn’t come easy – no one ever said it did.

'Dominic is dealing with his father’s death and trying to find the courage to testify at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. Recounting his experiences, both dark and light, Dominic hopes the process leads to a sense of healing now that he’s finally being heard.

'"Tell me about it!" is a two act play about surviving loss, empowering oneself and finding a voice that leaves a lasting legacy.'

Source: Melbourne Fringe.

'Her mother is dead, the funeral is over and now Claire and her husband Rob must return to the family home to sort out the issue of the inheritance. After shocking revelations emerge, Claire desperately seeks to make amends with her troubled younger sister Beth, who, in turn, has her own dark motives for keeping Claire at the house.

'Inspired by the myths and riddles behind the modern psychopath, The Mouse is a thoroughly creepy original thriller filled with intrigue and murderous intent.'

Source: Melbourne Fringe.

'Allan McDonald - a "Fighting Gunditjmara" man from South-West Victoria - was one of the State’s first Indigenous soldiers to enlist for war. Allan fought at some of WWI’s most famous campaigns, including Gallipoli and Beersheba - only to be denied a soldier’s settlement on his ultimate return to Australia, and forced from his traditional land at the Lake Condah Mission. So what drives someone to fight for a country that doesn’t even recognise them as a citizen? How do you keep fighting in an unjust world and why?'

Source: Melbourne Fringe.

'Not every hero gets a song or the cheers of the crowd—or even acknowledgement.

'In Zordana's land, a hero fights bravely in the open field, destroying monsters and dark magic. In Amy's world, her hero is the sister who takes care of her. For Maddie, her hero is her brother, who may tease her mercilessly but loves her dearly. As tragedy threatens to consume their separate worlds, only in coming together can they battle back the dark.

'An exploration into the minds of five very different young people, Warriors asks the question, 'what are you willing to sacrifice for the sake of another?''

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Maggie, a retired career nurse, has recently lost her husband. The funeral - two months prior - is not the only thing on her mind, though. An addicted gambler, her husband has left her with mountainous debt, in addition to a mortgage and bills of everyday life. Upon discovering this, Maggie's two sons and daughter-in-law make adjustments to help alleviate the debt. However, their efforts don’t count for much when Maggie is diagnosed with Stage 3 cancer.

'With her options rapidly vanishing, she must act fast and decisively to access treatment and keep her in good health for the birth of her grandchildren. Through her own digging, she finds an answer. It's her best shot, maybe her only shot, but one with enormous consequence. The only question left is: When is her life worth more than another?'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Matriarch is a dynamic one woman show that illuminates the strength and resilience of four generations of Gumbaynggirr women from the 1940s to the present day. Indigenous actress, Sandy Greenwood, weaves a compelling story that explores cultural identity, the intergenerational effects of the stolen generation and what it means to be a fair-skinned black woman in modern Australia.'

'Law school – it’s an absolute disaster. Addicted to their liquid allies: Deb loves a skinny latte, Carolyn English breakfast tea, Ledah soy-milk chai with a shot of de-caffeinated coffee, and Athena adores mocha. On the cusp of multiple mental breakdowns, these four law students fear never receiving an entry-level legal job. It’s all fun and terror until one goes missing...

'Mocha Is Not Coffee! highlights the consequence of too many law students and the competition which follows, leading to exacerbation of mental illness and crippling self-doubt. A tragic reflection of the loss of youth, identity and dreams, this play, created as part of the playwright’s Honours thesis, shows how theatre can educate audiences about mental health and the legal profession. Without such awareness change will never be made.'

Source: Melbourne Fringe.

'Electro Girl is a fast paced, edgy, and confronting comedic tale of Lainie's relationship with her brain managing seizures and epilepsy whilst trying to hide the symptoms from society. Featuring Nora - Lainie’s cheeky puppet brain - who takes Lainie to task publicly about her questionable life choices. What a duo!!'

Source: Melbourne Fringe.

'Having just broken up with her long-time boyfriend, Daphne reluctantly returns from The Big Smoke to the tiny country town she grew up in to visit her ailing grandmother.

'Experiencing run-ins with a revolving door of people she hasn’t seen in years, Daphne eventually reconnects with former best-mate Aidan, sharing a long-held secret that finally brings her the sense of clarity she hadn’t realised she’d been missing.

'A meditation on the concept of 'home' that examines the places and people that continually call us back – whether we like it or not – Alone Outside is a moving and ultimately uplifting look at the fraught paths we walk towards self-acceptance.'

Source: Melbourne Fringe.

'Come with us 100 years in the past to the muddy and nightmarish trenches of France. The story of the Australian involvement at the decisive WW1 battle of Villers-Bretonneux, in 1918. A journey of sacrifice, mate-ship and a will to survive that guided the ANZACs through the horrors of the Western Front, while questioning the price of victory.

'"Echoes of Villers-Bretonneux" is writer-performer Shane Palmer's first foray into solo-performance, and looks to examine how these men managed to survive in the worst environment on earth for a cause that offered them very little reward.'

Source: Melbourne Fringe.

'A child goes missing in a small Victorian town. The townsfolk search the drought-parched riverbanks, uncovering prejudice buried in a shallow grave. Sift through false memories that develop like polaroids before your eyes. Put on your headphones and listen as fragments of a story are revealed. Withheld is a neo-noir psychological thriller in which you are complicit and your own biases may be exposed.'

Source: Melbourne Fringe.

'Grauxxap'elexa (or Lexa, for short) has awoken with a terrible headache. What's worse, she's also woken up on an alien planet. With no guidance, no bearings, and no grip on Earth's customs, she must find a way to blend in.

'It's no small feat, and she doesn't have it all figured out. But boy, she tries.

'As Lexa searches for a place in our tumultuous world, she will have to depend on the kindness of strangers. Will you help her find a home?'

Source: Melbourne Fringe.

'A man and a woman repeatedly cross paths in a strange and quiet place. She has a gambling habit. He likes satay chicken. While the first few meetings seem genuinely serendipitous, each meeting becomes less so as they begin to seek each other out for purposes that are never entirely clear. A mutual sense of alienation from the world around them could be mistaken for love.'

Source: Melbourne Fringe.