Black Swan Brings The West Australian Premiere Of POOL (NO WATER) To PICA September 11-27

Black Swan State Theatre Company presents the West Australian premiere of POOL (NO WATER) by Mark Ravenhill from 11-27 September 2009 at the Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts (PICA).

Featuring the HotBed Ensemble: Arielle Gray, Natalie Holmwood, Jacinta John, Will O'Mahony, Tom O'Sullivan, and Kazimir Sas. Directed by Black Swan's Associate Director Adam Mitchell, with set and costumes by Alicia Clements, light design by Trent Suidgeest, and sound design by Ben Collins.

An artist who has risen from obscurity to celebrity, invites her old friends to luxuriate by her new pool. They have struggled to make a living from the art world, while she has achieved international success. They are all back together once again and the party is in full swing. A horrific accident occurs to the hostess and pushes the group to make a bold decision. Could the famous artist lying in a coma become their greatest work of all? Is this their one chance for success?

Inspired by a true story, this shocking new play by British playwright Mark Ravenhill (author of Shopping and F**king) exposes professional rivalry, jealousies and the innermost thoughts nobody wants to confess.

Please note: pool (no water) contains strong language and smoking.

Tickets run from $15 to $25. For tickets, visit www.bocsticketing.com.au.

Playwright Mark Ravenhill was educated at Bristol University where he studied English and Drama, and worked for the Soho Poly in London. His first piece, a ten-minute dialogue called Fist, was staged at London's Finborough pub theatre venue. Max Stafford-Clark, director of Out of Joint Theatre Company, saw the production and invited Ravenhill to contribute a full-length play. This became Shopping and F**king, produced by Out Of Joint Theatre Company, opening at The Royal Court Theatre, London, in September 1996.

His next play, Faust Is Dead, was produced by the Actors' Touring Company and toured nationally in 1997. It was followed by Handbag in 1998, which won an Evening Standard award, and Some Explicit Polaroids, which opened at the Ambassadors Theatre, London, in November 1999. In 1998, while literary director of Paines Plough, a company started in 1974 to develop new writing, he organised 'Sleeping Around', a collaborative writing project.

Mother Clap's Molly House, set in 18th-century London, was first performed in 2001 at the National's Lyttleton Theatre with music by Matthew Scott. His radio play Feed Me was broadcast by BBC Radio 3 in 2000. Totally Over You (2004), is a play which explores the world of instant celebrity. In 2006, four further plays were published: The Cut and Product; and Citizenship and Mark Ravenhill lives in North London. His latest play to be published is Over There (2009).

Black Swan State Theatre Company is Western Australia's Flagship Theatre Company and one of Australia's foremost theatre companies.

 

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