QUIRKY - RAD THEATRE (3)

A comic tragedy that tells beautiful and emotionally challenging stories of human connection. Quirky came to life as an expression of the experiences of the Real and Diverse (RAD) Theatre ensemble during the first years of the COVID pandemic – a time when the usual ways of “being” and “doing” changed enormously. The ensemble explored notions of community, connection, contact, social and physical distancing, vulnerability, personal and communal responsibility, and the importance of interaction. RAD never set out to make “a show about COVID”, but rather a piece that expressed how the ensemble members had experienced (and responded to) the new world in which they found themselves. Nicole Murphy’s original music is the key thread of this piece, weaving together the various components into a singular whole, and providing both a response to RAD’s original thoughts and a springboard for new ideas. Quirky aptly describes the production, but it also describes the individuality and diversity of the ensemble members, and their experiences during the past few years. Quirky is the inaugural creation by inclusive ensemble Real and Diverse Theatre supported by Centacare. The artists of RAD have been part of Queensland’s artistic community since 2009, creating partnerships with the Judith Wright Centre for Contemporary Arts, Queensland Opera, and now with Queensland Performing Arts Centre and Queensland Symphony Orchestra.