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Artwork for A Wake – A Woke Mob
Artwork for A Wake – A Woke Mob
Artwork for A Wake – A Woke Mob
Artwork for A Wake – A Woke Mob
A Wake – A Woke Mob

27 November — 7 December 2024

Southbank Theatre, The Lawler

A story about our relationship to Death, Dreaming, Grieving and Family, this Blak Comedy will have you laughing even after you're dead.

Approx. 1 hour with no interval

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This is rated 0 out of 5 stars

‘A Wake – A Woke Mob takes up the baton of deadly First Nations comedy with mischievous glee.’

The Age
This is rated 0 out of 5 stars

‘A magical tapestry that celebrates life and culture with both playfulness and poignancy.’

ArtsHub

He’s Black!!! 

In a small community hall in the town of Brewarrina the death of a beloved community radio presenter and patriarch - Deadly Dave - has his family in the depths of grief. His son can’t face the loss of his hero, his daught’ is desperate to keep everything together and his wife doesn’t know how she’ll go on…

But is Deadly Dave really gone?

A story about our relationship to Death, Dreaming, Grieving and Family, this Blak Comedy will have you laughing even after you're dead.

Accessibility

  • Wheelchair Accessible

Artwork for Maurial Spearim

Maurial Spearim

Writer / Performer

Maurial Spearim is an Indigenous Australian Gamilaraay and Muruwari woman who draws strength from her connection to Country and People. An actor, singer and writer, Maurial is interested in creating work that brings First Nations voices and stories front and centre, allowing them to be embraced and celebrated on main stages, in film television and music arenas. Her work is bold, thought-provoking and unapologetic. 

Artwork for Kamarra Bell-Wykes

Kamarra Bell-Wykes

Director

Kamarra Bell-Wykes (Yagera/Butchulla) returns to Melbourne Theatre Company following 37. Kamarra served as ILBIJERRI Theatre’s Education Manager and Creative Director from 2014-2019 and Malthouse Resident Artist 2020-2022. Writing and directing credits include ECLIPSE (Rising); Romeo and Julie (Red Stitch); Because the Night (Malthouse Theatre); The Score, Scar Trees, Viral, North West of Nowhere, Body Armour, Chopped Liver, Shrunken Iris (ILBIJERRI); Crying Shame (Next Wave) and Mother’s Tongue (Yirra Yaakin). Kamarra has also developed numerous acclaimed drama education resources and publications. In 2020 Kamarra and Carly Sheppard became co-artistic directors of A Daylight Connection, a motley crew of independent theatre-makers dedicated to smashing performance binaries. Their credits include Chase (Malthouse Theatre/Hot House) and A Nightime Travesty (Yirramboi). In 2023 Kamarra directed A Daylight Connection double-bill featuring her Patrick White award winning work Whose Gonna Love Em? I am that I AM and Chase at Malthouse Theatre. A Nightime Travesty returns to AsiaTOPA at Malthouse in 2024.

Artwork for Lisa Maza

Lisa Maza

Performer

Lisa Maza (Meriam/Yindinji/Dutch) has been a professional actor and singer for thirty years. She first became involved with ILBIJERRI Theatre Company as an actor in Stolen and served on the ILBIJERRI Board for more than a decade. Lisa tour managed Chopped Liver, co-wrote and performed co-productions Sisters of Gelam (Malthouse) & Glorious Baastards (MICF), played a nurse in VIRAL and most recently played Aunty Flo in Goodbye Aunty Flo. Her acting highlights outside of ILBIJERRI include playing Aunty Prue in Windcatcher (Stan) and Emilia 3 in EMILIA (Essential) at Arts Centre Melbourne 2022. When not acting, Lisa works in the arts in a range of roles – as a director, producer and editor on six short documentaries, associate producer for YIRRAMBOI Festival (2017 and 2019), Curator/Producer of Brimbank’s Be Bold Blakout Festival in 2021, 2022 and 2023 and Curator & MC of Mabo Day 2018 (KHT), 2023 and 2024.

Greg Fryer

Greg Fryer

Performer

After graduating in theatre study, Greg performed in Asia and Europe and in stand-up comedy at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.  His theatre credits include The Birthday Party (Melbourne Theatre Company); Belonging (Malthouse Theatre); White Hat Hackers (La Mama); How Black Are You? (Next Wave Festival). His TV and film credits include The Disappearance of Willy Bingham, The Circuit, and The Sapphires in 2012, which premiered at Cannes, The Gods of Wheat Street, Lawless, The Real Bushranges, Mad as Hell, Dr Blake, Wake in Fright, True Story with Hamish and Andy, House Husbands, Seven Types of Ambiguity, Red Billabong. Recently he played the role of Rush McGabe in the feature film The Fall Guy. In 2013, he joined the Corenderrk project, which had a season at the Sydney Opera House, and was narrator for The Coniston Massacre documentary. He has been a member of the Lloyd Jones ensemble for 26 years at La Mama Theatre which he considers his second home.  

Artwork for Zach Blampied

Zach Blampied

Performer

Zach is a proud Yorta/Yorta and Wiradjuri, Naarm/Melbourne-based performer. He graduated from the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) in 2023. Zach will next be seen in the Stan series Inivisible Boys (dir. Nicholas Verso). Prior to this, he was part of Logie nominated SBS series NewGold Mountain (dir. Corrie Chen), and the ABC series Mustangs, produced by Matchbox Pictures. Zach started out appearing on stage in such stage productions as Conversation with the Dead (dir. Shareena Clanton) for Ilbijerri, Lion Tattoo (dir. Stephen Nicolazzo) with Red Stitch, and Melbourne Theatre Company's 2021 Cybec Electric play readings (dir. Stephen Nicolazzo and Katy Maudlin). At VCA, Zach was awarded the Irene Mitchell award for excellence in Acting. He was a part of Palace of Illusions (dir. Sonya Suarez), Sweat (dir. Tasnim Hossain) playing the role of Chris, and while still in second year Zach was cast in the third year production of 37 (dir. Isaac Drandic) playing Sonny.  

Artwork for Jordan Barr

Jordan Barr

Performer

Jordan Barr is a stand-up comedian, actor, musical theatre performer, writer, and host of Weekend Breakfast on triple j. Jordan’s comedy is personal, relatable, and unapologetically queer. She has a unique ability to connect to generations of audiences with her encyclopedic knowledge of the cultural zeitgeist. I mean, who else can explain the nuances of TLCs Sister Wives, while explaining which planets in the solar system represent the children from The Sound of Music. After graduating with a Musical Theatre degree at the Victoria College of Arts, Jordan started slinking her way through the Melbourne stand-up scene and has performed on various theatre, musical, sketch and comedy shows. She has performed numerous solo shows at comedy festivals around Australia, appeared on the prestigious Melbourne Comedy Festival Upfront gala, and supported the likes of Hannah Gadsby and Catherine Cohen. Jordan is also an in-demand TV and development writer, working on shows such as Spicks and Specks and Question Everything. 

Katie Sfetkidis

Katie Sfetkidis

Lighting Designer

Katie Sfetkidis is a lighting designer and contemporary artist based in Naarm/Melbourne. She has worked extensively in theatre, dance and experimental performance for over 15 years both in Australia and internationally. Working broadly across the sector, Katie has collaborated with a range of companies and artists. For Melbourne Theatre Company this includes Touching the Void,  Come Rain or Come Shine and Abigail’s Party.  Other credits include Homo Pentecostus (Malthouse Theatre/Joel Bray Dance); Loaded (Malthouse Theatre); Looking for Alibrandi (Malthouse Theatre); Garabari (Joel Bray Dance with Chunky Move); Considerable Sexual License (Joel Bray Dance); Daddy (Joel Bray Dance); Chase (A Daylight Connection/Malthouse Theatre).  She has received two Green Room Awards and is the current co-chair of the Theatre Companies Panel. 

Artwork for Dann Barber

Dann Barber

Set Designer

Dann Barber is an award-winning set and costume designer whose work is influenced by his study of drawing and fine art at RMIT. He is also a graduate of theatre design from NIDA. Recent work includes A Very Jewish Christmas Carol (Melbourne Theatre Company); Melbourne, Cheryomushki (Victorian Opera); The Crocodile (Spinning Plates); Wittenoom, The Amateurs (Red Stitch Actors’ Theatre); Rent (LPD Productions); Barnum the Musical and Chess (Storeyboard Entertainment). He has been the associate costume designer for Gabriela Tylesova for the Australian Ballet’s Sleeping Beauty and again for Melbourne Theatre Company’s Shakespeare in Love. Dann has received and been nominated for numerous awards including Green Room Awards for Best Design in Cabaret for The Ghetto Cabaret (Kadimah Yiddish Theatre), Best Independent Set and Costume Design for The Mermaid (La Mama Theatre) and Best Set Design for Yentl (Kadimah Yiddish Theatre). Dann is a guest lecturer and tutor at VCA and Melbourne University.

Artwork for Emma Salmon

Emma Salmon

Set & Costume Design Secondment

Artwork for Stone Turner

Stone Turner

Set & Costume Design Secondment

Artwork for James Henry

James Henry

Sound Designer / Composer

James has worked as a composer and sound designer on various productions, including 37, Admissions, Jacky (Melbourne Theatre Company); An Octaroon (Queensland Theatre). He received a Green Room Award in 2023 for Sound Design of Heart is a Wasteland (ILBIJERRI Theatre), in collaboration with Gary Watling and Lidia Fairhall. His versatile skill set extends to composing for renowned ensembles, such as the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, and others. As a cultural advocate, he plays a vital role in revitalising indigenous languages through music. His recent fellowship deepened his understanding of traditional Aboriginal music, enabling seamless integration into contemporary contexts. James earned recognition, receiving a nomination for Best Documentary Score at the 2022 AACTA Awards. James Henry's contributions extend beyond the stage, making him a significant figure in the cultural tapestry, bridging traditions and contemporary expressions. 

Artwork for Todd J. Bennett

Todd J. Bennett

Sound Design Secondment

Artwork for Emma Holgate

Emma Holgate

Design Associate

Artwork for Jules Orcullo

Jules Orcullo

Dramaturg

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The Lawler

140 Southbank Boulevard

Southbank, Victoria 3006