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How To Be A Good Person: About Us
This production took place from the 21st - 22nd of February, 2020. It ran for approximately one hour (no interval).
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How To Be A Good Person was staged at The MC Showroom which is located in Naarm (Melbourne). Throughout the devising, rehearsing and performance stages of this show, Shakespearean Jeans worked on the unceded lands of the Wurundjeri and Boon Wurrung peoples of the Kulin Nation. This always was and always will be Aboriginal land.
How To Be A Good Person: Text
HOW TO BE A GOOD PERSON
How To Be A Good Person: Text
Life is a circus and so is our show! But not to worry, your two trusted & esteemed, highly-qualified & oh so competent ethics professionals will guide you through the minefield that is living morally. This is a comedic two-person theatre piece, combining dialogue with acrobalance, tumbling, dance and maybe even a song or two, to explore the ways young people attempt to navigate political, social and existential ethics to ultimately lead morally-conscious lives.
Let’s face it, being a good person is hard, but that’s why these two are here to help. Lucy and Nicola have done a lot of research and definitely know what they’re doing... (they promise). How To Be A Good Person ​is for anyone looking for a fast-paced, energetic, side-splitting night out. Circus lovers will find this a unique and witty take on the form. Theatre lovers will be sure to enjoy something a little different when viewing this highly physical show that sits just between ‘strangely clever’ and ‘completely nonsensical’.
How To Be A Good Person: About
After focusing solely on theatre throughout the first few years of the company being in operation, its fifth show, How To Be A Good Person, sees Shakespearean Jeans try something completely new. Creators Nicola Dobinson and Lucy Seale wanted to devise something which would involve the two of them figuring out their ethical priorities as young people in the twenty-first century, in the most entertaining way they could conceive. Given that the pair have been training at Women’s Circus for the last three years, a combination of circus and comedy seemed an ideal genre through which to do this.
While tackling some of their own existential anxieties, Nicola and Lucy sought to produce something uplifting and enjoyable for an audience to be a part of, but which also (hopefully) makes them think. Though admittedly neither of them in fact study ethics, nor do they hold any sort of positions within the field, they have devised an exciting (and not at all silly) 11-step plan to resolve any questions you may have regarding how to be a good person. Some may say tackling the entirety of ethics in just 60 minutes is overly ambitious, but if ever there was a pair of circus performers to do it, it'd be these two.
So why not come along and see what has been described as "an existential crisis disguised as a circus show... but funny"?
How To Be A Good Person: Text
How To Be A Good Person: Text
Production Team
Devised by: Nicola Dobinson and Lucy Seale
Producers: Nicola Dobinson and Lucy Seale
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Production Managers: Nicola Dobinson and Lucy Seale
Marketing and Publicity Managers: Nicola Dobinson and Lucy Seale
Graphic Designer: Nicola Dobinson
Music: Nicola Dobinson and Lucy Seale
Sound Editor: Lucy Seale
Sound Designer and Operator: AJ McFadden
Lighting Designer and Operator: AJ McFadden
Front of House and Ushering: Genevieve Brott and Pamela Freire
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Cast
Nicola Dobinson
Lucy Seale
Special thanks to
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Sal Frances for their mentorship in circus performance, specifically with regards to the acrobalance components of the show. Sal took half-formed circus ideas and turned them into a reality.
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Circus Trick Tease for awarding Shakespearean Jeans a generous loan as part of their Hand2Hand Incentive to go towards venue hire.
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UMSU (University of Melbourne Student Union) Creative Arts Department for awarding Shakespearean Jeans a grant to go towards production costs.
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Women’s Circus for loaning equipment to Shakespearean Jeans and for providing training space.
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Union House Theatre for providing rehearsal space.
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Miao at The MC Showroom for her support throughout the production process.
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The entire Mudfest 2019 team, specifically Performing Arts Creative Producer Lachie Bagnara, for supporting How To Be A Good Person as it was being developed for the festival. Unfortunately Nicola and Lucy both ended up injuring themselves on the same day (in different countries - with Nicola spraining an ankle falling down the stairs of a monastery in Europe, and Lucy crushing her foot at circus training here). Even though ultimately the show could not go forward for Mudfest, this development period was an important part of the process.
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Zoe Seale for her photography for promotional material.
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Claire Lawson (BalletRADICAL) for dance-wear recommendations.
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Matt McDonald for assistance filming a portion of the show.
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Audience members who were in a position to purchase a solidarity ticket. Shakespearean Jeans is almost entirely self-funded so the support is greatly appreciated. Extra funds generously contributed through these ticket purchases went towards covering costs of this and future shows. The company’s largest cost is venue hire. Aside from that, Shakespearean Jeans tries its very best to source all costumes, props and materials from within the team, second-hand or from environmentally and ethically sound companies.
How To Be A Good Person: Text
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How To Be A Good Person: Text
How To Be A Good Person: Pro Gallery
ADDITIONAL NOTES FROM THE SHOW
How To Be A Good Person: Text
How To Be A Good Person: Text
Content warning
This production contains coarse language, references to discrimination, staged violence.
How To Be A Good Person: Text
Accessibility
Unfortunately The MC Showroom has a couple of flights of stairs, please do feel free to contact us if this is a barrier to you attending our performance: shakespeareanjeans@gmail.com. We will be holding an open dress rehearsal in a physically accessible venue with minimal tech which you may be interested in attending.
There are bathrooms within the venue.
This show may contain bright lights and sudden noises.
This production involves some minor audience interaction.
How To Be A Good Person: About Us
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