Additional Show Information

Things I Know To Be True
By Andrew Bovell
Directed by Kate Champion

This production contains mature themes and coarse language.

Recommended Age: 15+

Amnesia, references to memory loss (possible)

• Married couple at an age where conversations around lapsing mental capacity happen.

Anger issues (possible)

• A parent loses their composure and attacks their young child. 'It was a moment. A moment of anger.' A husband sees his wife as angry 'Why are you also so angry?' 'I'm not angry... I'm tired.'

Car accident, vehicle accident (mild)

• Death of a parent and spouse in a car accident. 'She veered off the inside lane and hit the concrete divider before flipping the car. She was crushed on impact. She was dead on arrival at the hospital where she worked.'

Child abuse, child neglect (possible)

• Description of a daughter being asked to watch her younger baby sister, who climbs a ladder and falls hurting her head. Then mother physically punishes the older daughter. 'You tore the hair from my head... and then you slapped my face.'

Cigarettes, smoking (mild)

• Character describes 'smoking these long coloured cocktail cigarettes'. Some characters smoke cigarettes in production.

Coarse language (mild)

• 'Mild use. 'bitch' 'shit' 'fuck' 'cunt.'

Depression (mild)

• Character references seeing their mother crying 'Once I saw her, mum, bawling her eyes out and banging her head against the trunk of that tree'. A son describes living in unhappiness for a long time living a false life 'I'm unhappy now... I have been unhappy for a long time.' A father who has entered retirement is caught in a routine of gardening and malaise 'Sometimes I find myself standing in the shed wondering what to do next because everything has already been done.'

Divorce (mild)

• Characters discuss elements of divorce and potential divorce in the storyline 'FRAN: Is this about Steve? PIP: I'm leaving him'. Reference to adultery also made. References to past parents' relationship troubles 'I saw it happen to my mother. Stuck in a miserable marriage with a man she didn't love because she couldn't afford to leave.'

Drugs, depiction of someone on drugs (mild)

• Son appears on drugs/distressed. Symptoms include erratic actions, aggressive talk, and enlarged pupils. 'It's easier to ask me what drugs I haven't taken.'

Homophobia (possible)

• Parents dealing with a potential conversation of son being 'gay' and 'being fine with it'. 'I mean a part of me thinks Not My Son. Please God not my son.'

Loss of a loved one, death of a parent and spouse (mild)

• Death of a parent/spouse in a car accident.

Self-harm, self-harm presented on stage (mild)

• A son starts hitting himself in the face.

Sex, descriptions of sex (mild)

• Mild descriptions of characters having sexual encounters.

Sexism, misogyny (possible)

• Observations made about how men and women get treated differently. 'If it was a man making this decision... If it was Mark or Ben you would support it.'

Suicide, mention of suicide (possible)

• Light comment about spending more time with a long-term husband 'Because I'd bash him to death with the back of a shovel if I had to spend all day with him and then I'd kill myself from boredom.'

Transphobia, misunderstanding realities of transitioning, non-acceptance of someone's transition (strong)

• A father misinterprets a moment of a child informing them of transitioning 'Unless you told us you had decided to become a woman. Then I would be shocked.' and having to comprehend the reality and nuance of this news. A mother not accepting a child's intention to transition 'Well, Fuck you! Go. Be a woman. But not in my house. I don't want to see it.' 'When you come back a woman, I will look for my son in her face and mourn his loss.'

Violence, physical assault (mild)

• Light comment about spending more time with a long-term husband 'Because I'd bash him to death with the back of a shovel if I had to spend all day with him and then I'd kill myself from boredom.' A small altercation between father and son, threatening to get into a fight.

Jurrungu Ngan-ga [Straight Talk]
Created by Marrugeku

Mature themes, coarse language, partial nudity, depictions of violence, racial abuse and police/border security brutality, references to self-harm and use of low-level strobe light and haze effects. This performance contains the names of people who have passed away.

Recommended Age: 15+

Abuse, (strong) emotional, verbal and physical abuse

• Actors present onstage move in a way to invoke imagery of torture and abuse. A man is pushed down onto the floor and stripped naked, his bare behind showing, and placed in a spotlight. Bodies are aggressively picked up and placed into position. Some movements invoke imagery of restraint and constriction.

Cigarettes, (mild) cigars, herbal cigarettes, smoking

• Mild references in movement to making smoking paraphernalia.
  

Coarse language, (mild)

• Words used include - 'Fuck' 'Asshole' 'Bitch'
  

Contains names/voices/images of people who have passed away, (strong)

• The work asks the audience to hold the names of people who have passed at the hands of police brutality, social injustice, transphobic trauma, mental and physical torture to asylum seekers. These names are of real life people, some of which are First Nation and Aboriginal identities, viewers are advised these names are spoken.
  

Contains words and descriptions that may be culturally sensitive, (strong)

• First Nations people are advised names of First Nation individuals who have passed are spoken. Descriptions of traumatic events which have happened to First Nation identities, Trans bodies, and Refugee bodies are spoken about, and alluded to in movement.

Death in custody, (strong)

• Historical deaths in custody are directly referenced, both of First Nations Peoples and Asylum Seeking peoples. Imagery of people being restrained by police reoccurs through the piece. Performers join their wrists together as though being handcuffed and simulating being taken by police on multiple occasions through the piece. A young Aboriginal man lies on the floor simulating being arrested saying the words "I can't breathe".

Flashing lights, (mild) bright lights

• The work contains mild bright lights.

Guns, (strong) gun violence

• Simulated execution by handgun to head takes place. An actor kneels on the floor, another actor approaches quickly with a microphone and holds the microphone to the back of the kneeling actors head. A gun shot is heard, the actor kneeling falls over, the actor holding the microphone begins to sing.

Intergenerational trauma, (strong) violent colonialism

Kidnapping, (mild)

Loud noise, (mild) loud music

Nudity, (mild)

• See above under Abuse.

Racism, (strong)

• Systemic racism, racial profiling, police brutality, Islamophobia, genocide, white supremacy, antisemitism, hate crimes, lynching, Black trauma, white nationalism

Self harm, (mild)

• Self harm imagery.

Simulated violence, (mild)

• Knife fight, physical fight.

Suicide, (mild)

• Suicidal ideation, suicidal thoughts

Torture, (strong)

Transphobia, (mild)

• Misgendering

Trauma, (strong)

• PTSD, victim blaming

War, (strong)

• Bombing, refugee crisis