Jane Clifton Stars in Irene Korsten’s ARE YOU THERE? at Theatre Works This September

Wild Boar Theatre and Theatre Works will present the world premiere of Are You There? by Green Room Award winner Irene Korsten, running from 3–13 September 2025 at the Explosives Factory in St Kilda.

Set in the foyer of a busy aged-care home, Are You There? centers on Pia, the fast-talking, overworked “Director of First Impressions” at Autumn Dale Village. Juggling spreadsheets, phone calls, and the occasional resident crisis, Pia’s work life is chaotic enough — but it’s nothing compared to her personal life. Her front-desk companions? Ninety-year-old Lauren, now limited to one recurring question, and Colleen, ruled by the voice of her long-dead mother. For Pia, surviving the week is a feat in itself — thank God it’s Friday.

Directed by Rachel Baring, the cast features Prisoner star Jane Clifton as the cantankerous Colleen, alongside Melanie Madrigali and Rosemary Johns. The 80-minute comedy draws on Korsten’s real-life experience as a carer, blending gallows humor with poignant insight into the realities of dementia and elder care.

“I’ve studied dementia through both professional and personal experience,” says Korsten. “The emotional world that persists despite cognitive decline is often underappreciated — and yet, within institutions like these, the joy found in small rituals, like Fish and Chips Friday or a resident terrorizing others with her walker, is something I’ve wanted to share.”

Korsten’s previous work Ordinary Misery (La Mama) received Green Room Awards for writing, directing, and female lead, and was highly commended at the Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards.