GROUND CONTROL

by  rachel  perks

next  wave  2016

"...Taut and devastating, yet often frankly funny and beautiful, look at the future of our world—and an exhilarating look at the future of our theatre..." 

- Jane Howard, RealTime

"...The script is so clever and the stage-craft and performances so compelling that every moment of the show requires focused, embodied attention. Only once it was over could I process the enormity of what I’d seen…"    

- Georgia Symmons, ArtsHub

"...GROUND CONTROL is a blistering and blisteringly funny take on the human psyche, long-distance relationships and violence against women"    

- SYN FM

"There is nothing like Ground Control in Australia right now "

- Angus Cameron

We live in a time where women speaking up, making noise and communicating aloud the truth of their experiences is still a political act. Speaking out in the face of societal oppression, and in the face of your own internalised doubts is the the greatest tool that we have in affecting change. Change is necessary. 

We made this work for many reasons: We are women. We are queer. We like science. We are angry and passionate. We are intelligent and talented. We are funny. We are not alone. We want you to hear us (you don't get to hear us enough). We want you beside us (tell us you're with us). We are worried about the future. We are impatient. We still have hope.    

When we started work on GROUND CONTROL, Rachel and I held in our hands many different references, ideas and starting points. We didn't know where it would go and what it would become but, even at that early stage, we did know that we wanted to make noise. And be heard.

Written by Rachel Perks

Directed by Bridget Balodis

Design by Amy Lever Davidson and Matthew Adey

Sound Design by Marcel Dorney

Costumes by Zoe Rouse

Featuring Rachel Perks, Kai Bradley, Catherine Davies,

Emily Tomlins and Emma Hall

Writer and performer Rachel Perks. Photo by Sarah Walker