New play about local tragedy showcases graduate talent

In April last year, two weeks before his 19th birthday, Toowoomba teenager Kristjan Terauds died from complications involving illicit drug use.

The thought-provoking account of Kristjan’s death was chronicled by Kristjan’s father in his personal journal titled April’s Fool, and has been adapted for the stage by award-winning playwright and USQ alumnus, David Burton.

The April’s Fool production, which incorporates the words of Kristjan’s friends and family, is a powerful mix of sadness, loss and ultimately love, laced with humour.

Written and produced with an audience of young people, parents and carers in mind, the show is performed using verbatim theatre, which simply conveys what was experienced using the same words and thoughts used by those people intimately involved in this true story.

The production is directed by Lewis Jones, from the Empire Theatre in Toowoomba.

The cast features renowned Queensland actor and USQ sessional lecturer Barbara Lowing, as well as multi-talented actors and USQ graduates Allen Laverty, Sam Clarke and Kathryn Marquet, and audio-visual specialist, Craig Wilkinson. Current third-year Acting student, Jessica Harm, also joins the cast.

USQ Head of School of Creative Arts, Associate Professor Janet McDonald, said the sector was currently buzzing with anticipation for this new work.

'Not only because stories local to the regions are important, but because the talent delivering this production are emerging and mid-career artists who are intimately connected to the training and work ethic undertaken in the School of Creative Arts at USQ. If you want a career in the stage arts, USQ can deliver using innovatory practice that is demonstrated in April’s Fool,' Associate Professor McDonald said. 

April’s Fool is showing at the Oakey Cultural Centre on August 12 and 13, the Chinchilla Cultural Centre on August 17, Dalby High School on August 18, the Ipswich Civic Centre on August 19 and the Judith Wright Centre on August 24, 25 and 26.

Post -show workshops will be held within two weeks following the production, where audience members can discuss what they saw in the show. A facilitator will encourage discussion and a general practitioner will be available to answer any medical questions. Pre-show workshops, involving exercises on verbatim theatre, are also available.

This production was funded by Regional Stages, a joint initiative of Arts Queensland and the Australia Council for the Arts, and the Arts Queensland’s Development and Presentation Grants Program.

For more information and for bookings, contact The Empire Theatre on 1300 655 299 or visit: www.empiretheatre.com.au