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© Jeff Busby 2017
Interview

MTC Ambassadors | Melbourne Talam

Our 2017 MTC Ambassadors share their thoughts on Rashma N. Kalsie’s vibrant new production.

Now that Melbourne Talam is on the road touring around Regional Victoria and Tasmania, our 2017 MTC Ambassadors share their thoughts on Rashma N. Kalsie’s vibrant new production.

‘A must see for all Melbournians to better understand the more subtle transitions that international migrants are forced to accept.’ – Abigail

‘While watching the play you really were taken on a ride with the actors experiencing a rollercoaster of emotions … I got goose bumps all over my body.’ – Angie

‘With a small cast of three, each actor non-naturalistically transformed from character to character with rapidity and care; these caricatured minor characters providing comedic relief throughout the performance and demonstrating skill in the quick jumps in accent and characterisation.’ – Olivia

‘Perhaps the most striking element to the play is how relatable the characters are to the audience and the poignancy of the issues they face … The sound design is extremely impressive, forming a very real soundscape teleporting the audience from Flagstaff Station, to the busy streets of Delhi, to easy going Hyderabad, to majestic Gurdaspur. The motif of Carnatic music is appropriately placed throughout the play, signifying how the characters, particularly Poorna, are beginning to find their rhythm in their chaotic lives in Melbourne.’ – Harry

‘It is amazing how well we connect with the characters and themes in the play. Even if members of the audience don’t understand Indian culture very well, the way the stories are portrayed allows us to soon learn about the plights of many migrants and recognise how our ignorance may affect them. Not only this, but we are splashed in the face with the reality of this city, exposed to stories of loneliness, depression, racism and competition in the corporate environment among others.’ – Mia

‘Metaphors run deep within this piece of theatre, using the busy, crowed and socially normalising atmosphere of the Melbourne transport system to remind us of what it might feel like to have to adjust to new surroundings. Because let’s face it, we’ve all felt overwhelmed on the train at one time or another. This is part of what makes Melbourne Talam so important, especially for those of us who have been lucky enough to have lived here in Melbourne our entire lives. The fact that it’s so easy for us to forget what lies outside of our little bubble, and how hard it is to adjust to certain ways of life, means that we need performances like Melbourne Talam to remind us how lucky we are, and to learn to empathise with others in order not to make what is already a difficult experience, even harder.’ – Hex

‘From the second the lights went down and the music began it was a non-stop exploration of visceral and simple effects that really transformed and moved the world around the audience. The entire duration of the show I was completely invested with the courageous story and its interesting and relatable characters.’ – Cooper

‘Melbourne Talam is an engaging piece of theatre, detailing the tenuous journeys of three Indian nationals searching for a sense of belonging within Melbourne’s bustling city streets. It captivates audiences with its innovative use of stagecraft, seamlessly transforming the characters’ world, which is portrayed through comedic and emotive sequences.’ – James

‘Playwright Rashma N. Kalsie does an admirable job of illustrating the truthfulness of these characters, all burdened with issues natural to the human condition: finding a sense of identity and belonging in a world that seems too alien to fit into.’ – Harrison

‘Through its infectious energy and imaginative storytelling through clever stagecraft decisions, Melbourne Talam is guaranteed to surprise, shock and force one to reflect; it provokes conversation and the harsh realisation of the difficulty of settling into a society where so many of us take belonging for granted.’ – Demi

‘This rhythmic performance about timeless existence within the world we live in becomes a reflection, for some of the audience, of the lives we live, while for others, it creates an insight into different perspectives of migrants living in Australia.’ – Jasmine

‘In a beautiful representation of what it is like to be an Indian Australian, Melbourne Talam explores not only the language and racial problems, but also the great psychological conflict in a spectacular, non-naturalistic show.’ – Nick

Melbourne Talam will tour to Mildura, Warrnambool, Bendigo, Shepparton, Wodonga, Geelong, and Launceston throughout May and June. To book through your local performing arts centre, click here

Published on 24 May 2017

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