Instant Celebrity at USQ
If you've ever dreamt of dating Brad Pitt; bending it like Beckham; or being as bootilicious as Beyonce, you're sure to get a giggle out of the University of Southern Queensland's (USQ) next theatre season.
Commissioned in 2003 by the Royal National Theatre of Great Britain, Totally Over You is a play about teenagers, for teenagers.
Playwright Mark Ravenhill is one of the most talented and controversial British writers to emerge in the modern era and it is his works for youth theatre which are perhaps some of his best.
Director, Bernadette Pryde is excited at the chance to work with a Ravenhill play and such a recent publication.
"I saw a production of Ravenhill's Pool No Water in Melbourne last year," said Ms Pryde.\
"It made me realise what a great tool his work is for teaching actors about ‘believability'."
"When I introduced his work to the student cast, they were really excited by him and could see the amazing potential his work had for exploring Stanislavski's acting methods."
Inspired by Molière's Les Précieuses Ridicules, the play is light in tone, but speaks strongly to some of the most challenging issues facing young people today.
"I like what the play has to say about the celebrity obsessed culture that exists today and Ravenhill's ability to make a serious point in a really entertaining way.
"It pokes fun at reality television, celebrity gossip, pretty boy bands, fabulous-nobodies, and the ab-master.
"I think audiences of all ages will relate to it, whether you're a teenager now or reliving your teenage days – like me!
"As a teenager, I tried hard to fight celebrity obsession – my problem was the bands I liked.
"All the trendy girls were into pretty boy bands like Duran Duran so they thought I was weird for liking the ugly guys in Devo.
"I ended up going to a Duran Duran concert just to fit in!
Totally Over You will be performed at 7.30pm in the USQ Arts Theatre on 8, 9, 15 and 16 May, with a matinee performance at 1:00pm on Wednesday 13 May.
Tickets are $10.00 and are available through the USQ Artsworx Box Office on 61 7 46311111.