Rani P. Collaborations Presents SEDIH / SUNNO at Next Wave Festival

Next Wave Festival presents the world premiere of Sedih // Sunno, an intimate and immersive performance by award-winning artist Rani Pramesti and the first work for company Rani P Collaborations from May 5 -15 at Arts House, Melbourne. In Sedih // Sunno, four artists invite audience members into private spaces to listen and reflect on the personal histories and hidden legacies of their families.

Confronting at times in theme, Sedih // Sunno ('sadness' in Bahasa Indonesia and 'to listen' in Fijian Hindi) is ultimately contemplative and uplifting. Lead artist, Rani Pramesti draws on her background as a social worker and performing artist, to create a poetically driven production on a topic that is often shrouded in shame, secrecy and silence: that of child sexual abuse.

During her recent research trip to Java, Indonesia, Pramesti learnt that her mother had been sexually abused at the young age of eight. Deeply moved by her mother's courage to speak out, Pramesti and her team of collaborators have developed an intimate performance experience that invites audiences to 'listen to sadness'.

Pramesti says, "My intent is to transform my mother's experience of pain and sadness into an opportunity for intergenerational healing; and to encourage women across all cultures, genders and generations to continue to share one's experiences no matter how difficult and challenging the subject matter."

Arriving in groups of twelve, audiences will move around spaces adorned in treasured family heirlooms of Indonesian Batik belonging to the Pramesti's mother. Ria Soemardjo, acclaimed vocalist and musician, provides Javanese-inspired vocal work as a musical undercurrent to the experience, with Shivanjani Lal and Kei Murakami creating evocative visual and lighting design.

"The team behind Sedih // Sunno are future leaders, and artists to keep a close eye on. This performance work is both powerful and contemplative in equal measure. It is visually striking, and it has been made with meticulous attention to detail, care and generosity," said Georgie Meagher, Artistic Director of Next Wave.

Sedih // Sunno is the first production for newly formed, Melbourne-based company Rani P Collaborations. Rani P Collaborations' vision is to inspire conversations, self-reflection and social change through intimate and insightful stories by and with culturally diverse women. Rani Pramesti's previous work Chinese Whispers won the 2014 Melbourne Fringe Festival Award for Best Live Art and Kultour's Innovation in Culturally Diverse Practice Award.

Sedih // Sunno was co-created by Rani Pramesti, Ria Soemardjo, Shivanjani Lal and Kei Murakami through Next Wave's Kickstart program, with the support of the Australia Council for the Arts, Creative Victoria and the Besen Family Foundation.

Show Name: Sedih // Sunno

Venue: The Warehouse Space, Arts House, North Melbourne, 521 Queensberry Street

Dates: 5-15 May, 2016

Times: Wed-Fri 6:30pm | Sat 3pm & 6:30pm | Sun 5:30pm
Duration: 60 min

Ticket Prices: $28/ $23 at nextwave.org.au
Warnings: Contains references to sexual violence. Please arrive on time; no latecomers will be admitted.
Access: Wheelchair accessible | Tactile tour Sun 14 May 2pm | Relaxed performance Thu 11 May 1pm, $15

Artist talk: Sun 8 May 6:30pm, 45 min, free

More info: nextwave.org.au, www.ranip.com.au
Social media: #nextwave16 / @next_wave / #ranipnews / #SedihSunno

Rani Pramesti is the Founder of RANI P COLLABORATIONS whose vision is to inspire conversations, self-reflection and social change through intimate and insightful stories by and with culturally diverse women. In 2014, Rani led the creation of a performance-installation, Chinese Whispers, which won the Melbourne Fringe Award for Best Live Art and Kultour's Innovation in Culturally Diverse Practice Award. Chinese Whispers received the VCAMCM & Arts Victoria Graduate Mentorship $25,000 scholarship. In 2013, Rani was an Emerging Cultural Leader at Footscray Community Arts Centre, where she commenced Chinese Whispers with theatremaker Chi Vu as her mentor. Since 2015, Rani has been working as an Associate Producer at Footscray Community Arts Centre. Rani is a proud Board Member for the socially engaged youth theatre company, Western Edge Youth Arts.