MKA’s HYPRTXT Festival
presents

On the Grace of Officials

by Emilia Pöyhönen
translation by Heidi Soidinsalo

It’s 30 years since 1984.
So what’s Big Brother doing now?

Finnish playwright, Emilia Poyhonen’s new work ON THE GRACE OF OFFICIALS is a torture-hood dark comedy about foreigners, bureaucrats and the immigration process.

The Woman Who Has Lost Everyone has gained a lawyer. Big Brother has taken up paper work. No-one has heard of the Geneva Convention and the whole thing is narrated by the father of modern refugee rights, Noble Peace Prize Winner, the late Professor Fridtjof Nansen, as he crosses Greenland in 1888.

ON THE GRACE OF OFFICIALS is a timely text, prepared to confront the realities faced by asylum seekers internationally and criticising the structures that produce them with tongue very much in cheek. This is the Australian premiere of this poetic and mischievous work by the young Finnish playwright and is directed by Rohan Maloy, an emerging Melbourne director already making a name for his riveting works of politics and passion.

Warning:
nudity, adult themes, sex scenes

Reviews

“nothing short of engaging, funny and a bit moving as well…Affirming and thought provoking”
– StageWhispers

‘MKA ARE MAKING MORE INTERESTING POLITICAL THEATRE THAN ANYTHING I’VE SEEN IN AUSTRALIA IN A VERY LONG TIME.”
– Guerilla Semiotics
‘MKA APPEAR TO BE MAKING WORK THAT ACTUALLY MATTERS.”
– Ming-Zhu Hii

In the Media:

Helsinki Messenger

Credits

14-28 JUN 2014, HYPRTXT FESTIVAL HUB
Playwright – Emilia Pöyhönen (Finland)
Translation – Heidi Soidinsalo
Director- Rohan Maloy
Production Design- Kim Ritchie
Design Assistant- Alice Pollard
Lighting Design- Clare Springett
Sound Design- Tom Backhaus
SM- Ketura Budd

Cast
Brianagh Curran
Alistair Frearson
Shannon Quinn
Emil Freund
Jean Goodwin
Jamie Kendall
Sebastian Robinson

Acknowledgements

MKA were supported by

like a fishbone
was presented for

Venue Partner

Dates

English Language Premiere
HYPRXT FESTIVAL
PREVIEWS 14+15June 2014
SEASON 17-21, 24-28 June 2014
HYPRTXT Festival Hub, Upstairs at Tuxedo Cat,
17 Wills St Melbourne 3000

Stills