The Dazzling Grey Area

Writer & Director: Jay Gardener
Featuring: 3rd Year Bachelor of Creative Arts (Theatre) students

The Dazzling Grey Area dissects the gritty, not-so-nice terrain of suicide and the impacts of sexual assault. Based on a true story, this play is centred around a homecoming for a group of young adults, under tragic circumstances. A group of High School friends are reunited years later after a death in their friendship circle. The group of High School friends are reunited again soon after, following another death in their friendship circle. The play follows the group in a non-linear navigation of loss, asking the audience to help put the pieces together: Where did we go wrong? Secrets surface, relationships are disrupted whilst unexpected ones form in this fast-paced 80-minute black comedy. It is a story about navigating grief, the desperate things we do to protect those we love and the ways in which trauma reverberates through time. But don’t worry, we’ve tried to make it funny.

Working with the BCA Theatre group on this brand-new play, written and directed by Jay Gardener, the cast and crew have taken a deep dive into the new work process. Set in a lazy South Coast town with a prominent lighthouse, the creative team has been inspired by deep ocean blues and lethargic orange heatwaves to bring the work to life. The creative team has been working on delivering a fully COVID safe design for the actors and audience, exploring the use of live feed and checkboard-like floor plans to mirror the isolation imbedded in the text and to draw out some of the stylistic features of the classic whodunnit narrative.

Cast: Jaide George, Lizzie Giustiniani, Gabriela Gonzalez, Rory Holloway, Indigo Lambert, Daniella Leotta, Jordan Lide, Mikayla Murphy, Nathan Steel
Production Managers: Kaylee Ashton, Jeremy Ainsworth
Stage Manager: Jess Henley-Sadgrove
Assistant Stage Manager: Eleanna Moutevelidis
Sound Designer: Jess Henley-Sadgrove
Lighting Designer: Eleanna Moutevelidis (mentor Karen Norris)

Warning: This play and subsequent description contains strong references to suicide/self-harm and sexual assault.

This production has a COVID-Safe plan in place to reduce risk of potential virus transmission. Patrons are advised that they will not be permitted entry if they are showing signs of flu or cold symptoms.

For more information contact the School of the Arts, English and Media
E: hos-taem@uow.edu.au