The Ajoona Guest House

In December 2021, Stephen House’s The Ajoona Guest House took off at The Bakehouse Theatre in Adelaide. Stage Whispers reviewed it, and we praised the production. “A compelling hour in the theatre… see this master storyteller in his element.” We asked Stephen about where the show goes now, as we hear it is about to travel.

Stage Whispers: The response to The Ajoona Guest House has been incredibly positive. What do you think this is due to?

Stephen: One can never really know. But it was apparent that people were fascinated by the world I took them into. They told me that after the show each night. It leaps into a dangerous, yet often beautiful hidden corner of New Delhi. A world most people don’t know. It was authentic, as I wrote it in India on an Asialink Literature Residency, so people maybe felt the honesty of it. I guess we all love risk and adventure and when theatre creates that, it offers a unique journey that audiences appreciate. Director Rosalba Clemente and I worked thoroughly and meticulously on this piece. We kept working on it, loving our process and the discoveries we continually made together. We felt like we had something special from the beginning, though we didn’t expect the reaction to be as amazing as it was. Our nine shows sold out immediately in Adelaide. We were a bit shocked by that and the awesome reviews!

SW: That’s fantastic! So where to from here, and when?

Stephen: I’m about to head to Darwin, having been given a spot in the curated hub Fringe program at beautiful Brown’s Mart Studio Theatre (two shows on the 12^th and 13^th July  - see the 2022 Darwin Fringe Program). And a 2-week season from the 10^th of August opens at La Mama Theatre, Melbourne. I’m delighted to be included in La Mama’s Winter Program. It remains one of my favorite theatre companies in the world. Its importance to the theatre landscape in Australia is huge. After La Mama I’m doing two return shows in Adelaide at Goodwood Theatre and Studios on the 25^th and 26^th of August, included in Comeback Festival. A few possibilities are in the pipeline from there.

SW: Anything else we should know about The Ajoona?

Stephen: I’ve just been notified by In Case of Emergency Press in Melbourne that they will be publishing the script. I’ve proofed the book and the publication looks beautiful. We’ve decided to put accessibility before profit, as so many people said after seeing the show, how much they’d love to read it. So, it is extra cheap in cost – but not in quality. ICOE Press will also publish my second collection of poetry later in the year. I have a terrific relationship with them. They also published my first poetry collection, real and unreal in 2018.

I suppose to conclude I’ll say, if you’re interested in any of the above coming shows, Google, as it is all there online. And a big thankyou to the support that has and is still coming this productions way. It really is fabulous to share a work that people go so fully with.