This performance is presented as part of the VCA Master of Theatre (Writing) Festival 2025.

Here If You Need

Written by Jamila Main

Here If You Need is about the intergenerational exchange of disabled wisdom and internalised ableism between a mother and daughter, set amongst the divorce of the family’s lesbian matriarchs in the short shadow of gay marriage legalisation.

Content Note

This performance contains infrequent coarse language, references to ableism and homophobia.

Runtime

This performance will run for approximately 95 minutes.

Performance schedule

Friday 14 November, 12PM
Saturday 15 November, 8PM

Credits

Director: Tessie E Yu
Dramaturg: Francesca Gordon

About the writer

Jamila Main is an actor and award-winning playwright making performance works where love and ferocity meet candor, joy, and humour. Writing and performing for the stage, screen, and livestream since 2016, Jamila is a “delightfully fresh powerhouse of talent” (The Advertiser) and “one heck of a theatre innovator” (Time Out Sydney).

Jamila returns to exploring themes of autonomy both bodily and societally, creating spaces in which to craft joy and community connection, and telling stories through queer, disabled working methodologies.

Jamila is most known for their plays Benched, Pillow Talk, How to Eat Rabbit, and Butterfly Kicks. As an actor, writer, and disability consultant, Jamila has worked with Sydney Theatre Company, Malthouse Theatre, La Mama, Darlinghurst Theatre Company, Arts House, State Theatre Company of South Australia, Adelaide Festival, Vitalstatistix, and many more.

Acknowledgement

Thank you to all of the wonderful queer and disabled people who shared their experiences with me in the research process for this play. Thank you to Nory, Joan and Di, Dan, Chantel, Ilana, and Shoshana.

Ticket Price

Free. Registrations required on Humanitix.

Please note that there is often a drop-off in attendance at our free events on the day of the performance. If this event is booked out and you have not secured a ticket, we encourage you to arrive at the venue 15 minutes before the advertised start time and speak to our Front of House team. Once audience members with tickets have been seated, any remaining seats will be made available to patrons waiting at the door. Please be advised that entry without securing a ticket in advance cannot be guaranteed.

If you have booked for a performance and are no longer able to attend, please cancel your booking via your Humanitix account or email us at fineartsmusic-tickets@unimelb.edu.au.

Venue

This reading takes place in Studio 4, located in the Dodds Street Performing Arts Building which is accessible via paths in the Dodds Street Linear Park.
Please meet our friendly Front of House staff in the foyer on the ground floor of the Dodds Street Performing Arts Building. Studio 4 is then accessible via the stairs or lift.

Read more about the Master of Theatre (Writing) graduates presenting this season.

Image: Don Shearman.

PARKING

The City of Melbourne has recently changed the parking restrictions around the Southbank Campus. Parking control hours are now expanded to 7am–10pm, seven days per week, and are capped at three hours. A $2-per-hour fee after 7pm is also now in place. There is no change to the $4-per-hour peak rate between 7am–7pm. Parking inspectors are regularly in the area fining drivers who overstay their meter, so we encourage everyone to be aware and avoid an expensive fine.

ACCESSIBILITY

All venues at the Southbank campus are wheelchair accessible. To read more about access services available at our venues, please visit: https://finearts-music.unimelb.edu.au/access-our-events.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Please stay home if you feel unwell, even with mild symptoms. Face masks are welcome in all settings for community and personal safety.
In order to account for drop-off in attendance, we overbook a select number of free events at the Faculty. If you have not arrived by the start of the performance, your ticket may be released to any waiting patrons at the door. Please arrive at the venue at least 15 minutes before the performance to secure your seat.
Admission to any of our concerts and events is strictly at the discretion of Front of House. We have zero tolerance for any disrespectful behaviour.