Post
POST is a theatre company lead by Natalie Rose, Zoe Coombs Marr and Mish Grigor. Considered some of Australias top theatre makers, they take being silly very seriously, making work that “pokes at the dead remains of dramatic performance with a very big stick that is itself hugely entertaining” (John Bailey, REALTIME). Borrowing from experimental theatre, comedy, and whatever else they can find; they could be described as formally innovative but prefer genre-queer. They have been working in Sydney since 2003, rising through the ranks of experimental venues and exploding onto the mainstream without anyone really knowing how.
POST have a deep irreverence for the institution of theatre, yet carry a sincere reverence for the magic moment of live performance it houses. This has amused, bemused and probably annoyed audiences around the country. With a growing international presence, POST are known for their fascination with Australian vernacular, interrogating our political sensibilities, and presenting a high camp kitsch aesthetic.
POST devise plays by examining a wealth of material, including old film of themselves, other peoples plays, drag, impressions, bad acting, boy genii, The Biggest Loser/Real Housewives/etc, art theory, birth, death, auditions, shamans, epitaphs, avatars, and those nightmares where you have to give a speech but havent got any pants on.
Continually invigorated by collaboration, POST believe in process and practice outside of hierarchical forms of theatre production. Originally a core group (Nat, Mish, and Zoe), since 2008 they have expanded to include a pool of collaborators. Their associates include James Brown, Anne Louise Sarks, Eden Falk, Emma Saunders, and Shelly Lauman, amongst an expanding list.
Since 2015, post has collaborated with independent producing company Intimate Spectacle and its principal, Harley Stumm, who produce and tour post’s work.In 2017 year they premiered Ich Nibber Dibber in Sydney Festival, commissioned and produced by Campbelltown Arts Centre. In 2018 Ich Nibber Dibber will be performed at Sydney Opera House and Malthouse Theatre Melbourne.
Oedipus Schmoedipus was commissioned by Belvoir for Sydney Festival 2014, and has since toured to Melbourne (2015), Santiago Chile (2017) and an eight city national regional tour (2018). The work features a new cast of 25 volunteer performers each performance. Centro Gabriela Mistral in Santiago Chile presented a bilingual version with Mish and Zoe performing in surtitled English and local volunteers in Spanish. In 2018 post will collaborate with Hong Kong Repertory Theatre, West Kowloon Cultural Precinct Authority, and writer Pat-To Wan on a Cantonese language adaptation, to premiere in Hong Kong Reps International Black Box Theatre Festival, co-commissioned by Arts Centre Melbourne – Asia TOPA.
Their other works include Who’s The Best?, commissioned by Sydney Theatre Company, and toured nationally (2011), Everything I Know About The Global Financial Crisis In One Hour, commissioned by Belvoir, and toured to United Kingdom, We Are The World, commissioned by Country Arts South Australia in Mount Gambier (2017), Come On Ladies, Shamelessly Glitzy Work, Swimming Home In Heels, Gifted and Talented, Untitled Endurance Performance, Unicorn Dreaming (Do I Look Like A Slut?), Under 12s Competitor #286 and Idle Hands Wake Up With Fleas. Most of them aren’t touring any more but they were all really good.