NEON Festival of Independent Theatre 2014

Overview

While Melbourne is generally the best place to be if you're a hip thespian, it's about to get a whole lot better. MTC's annual NEON Festival of Independent Theatre is back for another year, and it's bringing with it five exciting new works from up-and-coming companies (and a heap of free events to boot).

Did someone say free? Yes! You’re darn right they did! A drawing card for NEON is its many free events. Broke creatives are the target audience, so these events are sure to be bustling with exciting, vibrant and upcoming kids of the theatre scene. Included in these freebies are late night play readings for NEON UP LATE run by Melbourne theatre darlings MKA. Whilst NEON EXTRA will see to it that workshops, masterclasses and public lectures provide you with the networking and arts industry knowledge you’re after. It’s free, so really you’d be losing money by not going.

First company up is Little Ones Theatre. From May 29, this queer theatre collective will be re-imagining Dangerous Liaisons in a seductive, extravagant, and opulently playful start to the festival. Then from June 12 things will be getting a little more serious with Angus Cerini and doubletap. Delving into the nature of existence, Resplendence will beusing the international trade in weapons, drugs and people to springboard into an expressionistic response to everyday life.

Midway through NEON audiences will be treated to the work of Antechamber Productions and Daniel Keene. From June 26, the MTC will be home to Photographs of A. This poetic production starring Helen Morse examines the life and work of Louise Augustine Gleizes, an extraordinarily influential figure in modern psychology. From the mind to the body, NEON will then present The Myth Project: Twin from July 10. Featuring a large ensemble cast from Arthur, this will be the first instalment of a highly physical work about myth and murder.

Then, to finish off an amazing month of theatre Sans Hotel and Nicola Gunn will present Green Screen. Part careers expo, part social experiment, this will be a work that looks at identity and who we are we can no longer be defined by what we do.

We know it's a lot to take in. It's definitely a jam-packed month for lovers of the theatre, but don't worry it'll all drift over you in a beautiful haze. Head to the NEON website to find out more, make sure to fill your quota of freebies and Q&As and, as always, check out something new. It wouldn't be a festival of independent theatre, if you didn't take a chance on a newbie.