Zeal Queensland
– Performance, Saturday 14th November 2009
Joyride is the powerful and thought-provoking theatrical production of Gina, a 15 year old homeless girl tormented by an abusive childhood. The story follows Gina as her life spins out of control after the stolen car she is driving crashes and her best friend is killed. Packed with zany characters, drama, comedy and live music, the story is retold using a variety of dramatic, theatrical and musical devices which cast theatre conventions aside at a frenetic pace.
Zeal Theatre’s production, Joyride has been resurrected for the first time in 12 years with a new professional ensemble performing a fresh, reworked version. Underage alcohol and drug abuse, theft, drink driving, driving without a license, domestic abuse, parental neglect, police support services, homelessness and legal issues are all explored in an intense, confronting, yet entertaining manner. It is theatre at its highest of highs.
The artists bringing Joyride to 2High Festival are the latest extension of the ever-entertaining, confronting and award-winning theatre company, Zeal Theatre. Kate Baker, Jon Haselam and Brad McDonald are graduates of the Gold Coast Griffith University‘s Theatre program, and join Zeal as emerging performance artists. With Zeal Theatre based in NSW, Zeal Queensland emerged as an answer for schools above the Tweed begging for their plays. With Zeal Queensland touring for well over 5 years with three shows in repertoire, Joyride brings to the fore a fresh and highly topical show with a highly driven and talented new cast. Guided by their director, former Griffith University Theatre convenor Dr Michael Foster, the crew have re-worked the Zeal show originally toured in 1996 throughout Queensland. Jumping at the chance to get their first taste of the performance industry, the new Zeal crew have been able to not only blend their natural theatrical talents, but were also required to rekindle their musical abilities and even learn new ones. The young trio are aiming to follow in the footsteps of their Zeal brothers and sisters from NSW and QLD in becoming one of the most sought after performance groups for touring schools, and beyond.
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Backbone Youth Arts receives financial assistance from the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland, and the Australian Government through the Australia Council for the Arts, its funding and advisory body. |
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