Pollinate Ensembles Opening Performance

We would love to invite you to the first ever presentation by Pollinate Ensembles,
three experimental and performative happenings on Sat 27 May.

Each of the works are an expression of the inquiry which a group of 8 of us have been
sitting in for the last 8 weeks, considering such questions as:

- What are the stories we tell about ourselves? perhaps that we don’t even realise?
- What is my personal story, and how does it interact with others' stories and stories of ‘Australia’ ?
- When am I able to share most honestly, and when do I apply some level of armour to protect myself?
- How ‘real’ is it possible to be in public?
- If it feels so liberating to be vulnerable, why do we stop ourselves from doing this?
- How can we make theatre more transformative and alive for both the audience, and the performer?

Each of the three pieces are a semi-improvised offering, which will include the option of participatory
elements for the audience, and hope to invite the audience into some of these questions with us for a moment.

POPCORN - Sat 27 May, 3.30pm - 4.30pm

Testing Grounds Outdoor Space

This is a public, free of charge performance that will be offered to anyone and everyone who might pass by... A grid of performers define the rules and then follow them, responding to anything which might be spoken on the microphone. The microphone remains available for personal individual sharing, as well as one-on-one interviews. How is the public distinct from the private?

SHARESHAME - Sat 27 May, 7.30pm - 8.30pm (arrive at 7:15pm)

Testing Grounds Indoor Space

This event is ticketed and has limited access to keep it intimate. A vulnerability variety hour, as various stage images emerge of both restraint and unbridled honesty. Moments for the audience to eat popcorn, embrace the role of voyeur and comment upon the action which just unfolded. How would it feel to share without shame? 

REALRAVE - Sat 27 May, 9pm - 10pm

Testing Grounds Indoor Space

This event will act as a continuation on from SHARESHAME and will offer a place for community to digest the event and reflect. A Brene Brown Ted Talk interspersed with beats provides the soundtrack to a safe space, or perhaps even a brave space to discuss story, honesty and meaning, and reflect upon the previous work. What self do we embody when we’re invited to be real?

To Clarify: Your ticket will give you access to our performance of SHARESHAME from 7:30pm to 8:30pm. 

Please arrive at 7:15 to settle in for the event. Following on from this, there will be a casual community event (REALRAVE) where food and drinks will be available to reflect on the show, get to know each other and reflect to various prompts in the space. For die hard fans, there will be an earlier, public event on the streets of North Melbourne at the Testing Ground Outdoor space across the road from their venue, which will be an interactive theatrical exploration.