Perve: Centenary Theatre Group Stage Australian Premiere

Centenary Theatre Group at Chelmer in Brisbane’s Western Suburbs will produce the Australian Premiere of Perve by Stacey Gregg, opening on May 5.

Perve premiered at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin in May 2011, and Centenary is the first theatre company outside of the Abbey to perform the play.

Perve is an irreverent and unsettling play that interrogates paranoia, ambiguity and innocence in our highly sexualized world. 

It’s a play that contains ALL the good words (including paleontology) so it comes with a warning about strong coarse language, adult themes and it being rated M for mature audiences only. 

“When rumours and truth collide” 

Gethin - “That’s like, fiction. Real life’s much weirder”

Perve is the cautionary tale of Gethin, who has just finished his film course and reckons he’s the next Scorsese. His mum is on him to do her friend’s wedding video – before the couple get divorced.

But Gethin is interested in a much more daring project – one that will get him into dangerously deep water, question his idealism and turn his life and that of his family upside down.

Annoyed at the way everybody gets so hysterical about paedophilia and how quickly society is to judge those who are accused of it, Gethin places himself in the firing line, starting a rumour that quickly turns around to bite him in the bum, but not before secrets come out and consequences arise that he never thought would, helping him learn about responsibility and raising questions about the validity of our paranoia.

John Boyce, current artistic director of the Brisbane Arts Theatre, directs the production, which features Tom Yaxley as Nick, Jason Nash as Gethin, James Fitzgerald as The Authority, Kerry Thomas at Lorraine (Gethin & Sarah’s mother), Helene Holland  as Taylor’s Mum, Lauren Alice as Sarah (Gethin’s little sister) and Kaitlyn Woods as Layla.

It premiered at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin in May 2011.

The CTG’s production will be its world amateur premiere.  

This play is suitable for mature audiences only - adult themes – coarse language.

May 5 – 25.

Bookings: 0435 591 720 / www.centenarytheatre.com.au

Rehearsal images: Gethin (played by Jason Nash) being interrogated by The Authority (James Fitzgerald); The Authority (James Fiztgerald) with Gethin (Jason Nash) and his best friend Nick (Thomas Yaxley) in the background arguing, and The Cast of Perve listening to notes – (from L – R) Helene Holland, Kerry Thomas, Jason Nash, Lauren-Alice, James Fitzgerald, Thomas Yaxley & Kaitlyn Woods.