World Premiere Interactive Rom-Com Romps Into QPAC Starring Johnny Balbuziente

Married at First Sighta??(MAFS)a??2021 alumnia??Johnny Balbuziente will star ina??Fourthcoming, aa??brand-new interactivea??rom-coma??by shake & stir theatre coa??ata??Queensland Performing Arts Centre's (QPAC) Cremorne Theatre from 23 October.a??a??a??

In this adults-only reality-theatre production, Gwena??-a??played bya??Cecea??Petersa??(True Story with Hamish & Andy,a??The Wrong Girl)a??- isa??in a rut. A lovea??rut.a??Keen to break the cycle once and for all, she embarks on a series of four first dates with one explosive goal in mind.a??

Balbuziente will take on the role of all four love interests,a??with the audience invited to weigh-in on whether Gwen shoulda??'swipe left or swipe right'.a??

This is an exciting new direction for shake & stir theatre co - revered for its stage spectacles, which most recently include A Christmas Carol, Animal Farm, Fantastic Mr Fox and Jane Eyre.

shake & stir co-Artistic Director Nelle Lee - who will write and co-direct Fourthcominga??-a??said it was exciting to be working on a comedy dealing with sexual expression, which puts the female in the driver's seat.a??

"We want to create something that is unique, sexy and fun, but also heartbreakingly honest. So often,a??'the female gaze'a??is depicted as emotional,a??intimate,a??soft and feminine; but can't it also be loud, stimulating and maybe... just a little bita??dirty?," Lee said.a??

"Our female protagonist Gwen is your average person, there is seriously nothing particularly special about her from the outside. As our audience is given a glimpse into the inner workings of her mind,a??they become her best friend, her sounding board, her confidant - which allows us to journey with her as she explores some of her wildest fantasies, but not before she deals with deep-seated insecurities.a??
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"We want to shine the light on the fact that for a lot of women, fraught relationships with food, sex and self-worth are not only common - but perfectly normal. Whatever normal is."a??

Balbuziente said he was chuffed to return to the stagea??to play four very different charactersa??with a script that was fresh, naughty and totally now.a??

"Wait till you witness what some of these guys get up to in their quest to impress Gwena??-a??Fourthcominga??willa??makea??aa??MAFSa??dinner party look like a high-tea luncheon," Balbuziente said.a??

"I grew up obsessed witha??'choose your own adventure'a??books. I'm so excited to have the opportunity to act out in one, on stage every night. This is going to be a completely unique event for the audience. Just like the experts ona??MAFS,a??our audience will play the matchmakers each nighta??- will every combination have a happy ending? You'll just have to wait and see."a??

Tickets to Fourthcoming are now on salea??via qpac.com.au or 136 246.

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