'An absolute hoot'
'Tight, intelligent and thought-provoking'
'Provocative and intelligent and oh so relevant'
'The performances are electric'
'Brilliantly realised'
ABOUT THE SHOW
A somewhat accurate, sort of factual, non-fiction story, this comic Broadway hit makes its Australian premiere in a production directed by Petra Kalive (Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes). Nadine Garner (Photograph 51) stars alongside Steve Mouzakis (Death and the Maiden) and Ngāti Toa actor Karl Richmond (Punk Rock) – making his MTC debut – in a play about an epic ideological battle over the nature of truth and the value of storytelling.
While interning at an eminent literary magazine, recent graduate Jim Fingal is thrilled when his editor offers him a career-making opportunity: fact check venerated essayist John D’Agata’s exploration of a disturbing Las Vegas reality, which is going to press in five days. It sounds simple enough, but when Fingal is still unravelling the inconsistencies and literary liberties of the first sentence three days later, he realises he has a problem. So he does what any thorough young up-and-comer with something to prove would do: he goes straight to the source. It could be the biggest mistake, or the best decision, of his life.
Are facts negotiable? Is art more accurate at showing the heart of the matter? Can there ever be a justifiable reason to distort reality for the greater good, and who gets to decide? Based on the critically acclaimed book of the same name, The Lifespan of a Fact is a tightrope walk of playful debate on the virtues and vices of creative non-fiction. As it cleverly dissects the slippery slope from authenticity to fakery in today's world, whose side will you be on?
Accessibility
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Wheelchair Accessible
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Hearing Assistance
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Audio Described
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Open Captioning
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Auslan Interpreted
Performance Type | Performance Date(s) |
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Audio Described
by Vision Australia |
Saturday 5 June at 2pm Tuesday 8 June at 6.30pm |
Open Captioning
via screen |
Saturday 12 June at 2pm |
Auslan Interpreted
Auslan Stage Left |
Saturday 19 June, 2pm |
Cast & Creatives
Learn more about the show
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News
MTC wins three 2021 Green Room Awards
Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes, The Lifespan of a Fact and Berlin win at the 39th annual Green Room Awards.
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News
Five MTC Productions nominated for Green Room Awards
We’re delighted to receive 15 nominations for five of our Season 2021 productions for the 39th annual Green Room Awards.
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Video
Fact or Fiction
Watch Nadine Garner, Steve Mouzakis and Karl Richmond – stars of The Lifespan of Fact – play a game of Fact or Fiction.
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Interview
Generation Fact
Ahead of his debut with MTC, as Jim Fingal in The Lifespan of a Fact, Karl Richmond talks about metajournalism, metaphysics, modern myths and the importance of bridging the generation gap.
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Feature
On the nature of truth, and the history of fact checking
The Lifespan of a Fact offers audiences a playful, theatrical debate about the value of verifiable facts vs the power of poetic license. It's an age-old debate ... or is it? The history of fact checking may surprise you.
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Programme
The Lifespan of a Fact Programme
The Lifespan of a Fact is a somewhat accurate, sort of fictional, mostly true story about the slippery nature of facts. Learn more about this hit Broadway comedy in our production programme, only available online.
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Interview
The lifespan of The Lifespan
The story of The Lifespan of a Fact began almost 20 years ago. The play is a fictionalised version of non-fiction people and events. The real Jim Fingal spoke with MTC to reflect on the lifespan of The Lifespan of a Fact.