Undercurrent Theatre Company (UTC) is an emerging theatre company based in Boorloo-Perth consisting of core members; Scarlet Rose (they/them), Samuel Gordon Bruce (he/him) and David Stewart (he/him). Formed in 2020 upon graduating the Bachelor of Performing Arts from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, UTC have forged themselves in the Boorloo-Perth and Walyalup-Fremantle industry through the development of new performance works with a strong focus on movement and ensemble building. In 2021 the company presented their debut show My Shout, exploring the complexities of drinking culture in Australia through movement, dance and personal storytelling. The work was performed to a wide range of audiences at The Blue Room Theatre and received the judges award for a “skillful combination of movement and text”. They continued to explore their voice as a company through a WAAPA and Fremantle Arts Centre supported residency in the summer of 2021/22, devising with a diverse ensemble of artists around themes of landscape and identity.
Undercurrent is led by a passionate and dedicated team who are each breaking into the industry. Scarlet, Sam and David have brought their independent art practice to the company, spanning across directing, writing, devising, acting, composition, AV design and photography. Each artist strives to work collaboratively within the company, both administratively and creatively and this practice extends to the work they do with larger ensembles. Additionally, UTC has an ethos of movement training as a fundamental part of their practice. The use of group training and improvisation to build trust and cohesion within the company extends to the artists they engage with.
In May 2023, UTC toured My Shout to Karratha for the Red Earth Arts Festival and has future plans for touring to more regional communities. This emerging team are building their name across the WA and national arts landscape and are striving to bring movement theatre to the forefront of the Perth Arts Ecology, exploring a wide range of themes across Australian politics, queer identity, intercultural practice and human connection.