PROJECTS
Martha’s War on War
Martha’s War on War looks at Australian conscription through the personal lens of a family fighting for recognition of the bravery of their son who was killed during World War 1. Based on the writer’s own family history, it draws from historical artefacts: letters, a war diary and official documents. The production integrates live performance with screen performances. ‘This is a truly magnificent production for students to engage with. After watching Martha’s War on War our drama students were captivated and inspired to produce personalised work based on family history and societal issues’. Amanda Waddell, Head of Faculty The Arts, John Paul College.
Scattered Lives
Scattered Lives is a contemporary Australian work that explores who and what is ‘Australian’. Episodic in form, the play charts situations that have brought people to Australia from the 1950s to the present day. Providing a dynamic resource to explore the actor-audience relationship, it juxtaposes 4th-wall naturalism with elements of Brecht and Epic Theatre. Originally written and performed as a 2-hander, the Scattered Lives published script has over 20 nominated roles including Narrators who step out of the dramatic action. Teaching resources include the playscript, online streaming and DVD of the live performance and production resource notes.
WAY
WAY is a new research-based 1-person play with videos and soundscapes about four women and their journeys into homelessness. In the process of making a documentary Lynne challenges the media representation of homeless mature-aged women and becomes homeless herself. The women in Lynne’s film include Maysie who lives in her car, Lily of no fixed address and Zahra who stays in a women’s refuge. WAY integrates documentary-style footage with live action. It gives voice to a range of women 55 years and over who are forced out of housing by virtue of their economic circumstances and a culture that discriminates against them.
REVIEWS
‘‘Scattered Lives is a fast-moving, intense, challenging and remarkably poignant play’. ’Way is a play driven by passion and shaped by theatrical skill honed by years of experience’.
‘In Scattered Lives the writing is succinct and immediate and captures the heartache, the anxiety, hope and despair of lives uprooted by political, religious and social warfare’. ‘I sincerely recommend Martha’s War on War. Captivating acting, personal and political context, and an excellent experience of how the elements of drama and production create strong dramatic meaning’.
‘Sally McKenzie grips the audience’s attention for a complex seventy-five minutes with an astonishing sustained theatre performance’.
‘If you love theatre, see this’.
PURCHASING INFO
MARTHA’S WAR ON WAR
- discounts for multiple playscripts
- express post, sign on delivery
- streamed video
- DVD
- professionally shot & edited
- video of live performance
- performance rights available
SCATTERED LIVES
- discounts for multiple playscripts
- express post, sign on delivery
- streamed video
- DVD
- professionally shot & edited
- video of live performance
- performance rights available
WAY
- discounts for multiple playscripts
- express post, sign on delivery
- comprehensive production resource notes
- post show Q & As
Sally McKenzie’s Brief Bio
• 8 February 1955 Born Lindfield Sydney • 1966 Enrolled for drama classes with Morna Jones founder of Patch Theatre • 1968 -1970 Performed in productions for Pioneer Players, Arts Theatre, Theatre 62, Bunyip Children’s Theatre • 1973 Enrolled in Flinders University Drama Centre • 1975 Transferred to NIDA • 1977 Graduated from NIDA with Mel Gibson & other notable actors • 1978 Performed with Bread and Puppet Theater directed by Peter Schumann • 1978 Understudy for QTC • 1979 Joined La Boite’s Early Childhood Drama Project • 1980 Joined TN! Theatre Co • 1983 Penguin Award for Cop Shop • 1985 Played Lady Macbeth, the first of 20 roles for QTC • 1990 Played Jane Fredericks in Top Silk, the first of several roles in David Williamson plays • 1996 Awarded Master of Fine Arts from QUT • 2008 Wrote, directed & produced actingclassof1977.com AKA Acting Class of 1977 • 2014 Won an AWGIE Award for Best Documentary Public Broadcast • 2018 Awarded Winston Churchill Memorial Trusts Fellowship Medal