Bluefruit Theatre Presents ORPHANS; Opens November 7

The South Australian premiere of the award-winning play Orphans by Dennis Kelly is to be staged by Bluefruit Theatre at the Bakehouse Theatre on Angas Street from 7 November. As well as bringing together a talented, professional ensemble, Bluefruit has also collaborated with charity workers and young offenders to create a confronting piece of art that looks set to challenge and move audiences far more than an average night out at the theatre.

Billed as a psychological thriller, Orphans begins with a simple yet intriguingly nightmarish scenario: the peaceful, urban life led by Danny and his pregnant wife, Helen, is thrown into turmoil when Helen's brother Liam arrives, in dramatic fashion, covered in someone else's blood. The action then builds with almost cinematic suspense, confronting issues of violent crime, racism and stranger danger and examining the strength of blood ties.

Image show: Anna Cheney as Helen and Sam Calleja as Liam

The play raises pertinent questions about the nature of fear, particularly the threat of the vague, undefined 'other', and the desperate need to feel safe within the family unit. It also explores, in fascinating detail, the theory that our society is so worm-eaten and corrupt that even decent liberals will resort, under pressure, to torture.

Driven by a desire to ensure that the issues explored in the play have lasting resonance with its audiences, Bluefruit Theatre has teamed up with Time for Kids, a local charity with an outstanding track record that works tirelessly to support and mentor children who are disadvantaged. Bluefruit selected this charity as the schemes it offers help children from similar backgrounds to the brother and sister portrayed in Orphans. Since they were established, 53 years ago, not one of the children Time for Kids has mentored has fallen back into the criminal justice system.

As well as Time for Kids, Bluefruit has also been working with staff of the Youth Education Centre at the Adelaide Youth Training Centre. Through this collaboration, an art and poetry exhibition has been designed for the theatre foyer which gives a unique and moving insight into the hearts and minds of some young offenders and will create a very different 'experience' for audiences as they walk through the Bakehouse Theatre doors.

Bluefruit Theatre's artistic director, Shona Benson, said, "If the crime in Orphans had actually taken place on our streets it would have been all over the news and made front page headlines. Debates would have followed, on TV and at the school gates, as to how we must make our streets safer and how we need to protect ourselves from crime. I hope that Orphans will evoke similar emotions and passions as if the horrific event talked about on stage had happened in real life. And, through the strong link with Time for Kids and the art work on display from young people who have offended, I hope that constructive discussions will start amongst audience members in the foyer and ideas about how we can all take steps to make our communities safer and stronger can be debated and considered.

"If this can happen through the magic of great theatre, with the comfort of knowing that no one has been hurt in the process, not only does it give this production great purpose, it also demonstrates the huge potential theatre has to make a really positive contribution to social responsibility campaigns, community agendas and our everyday lives."

Orphans was first staged by the Traverse Theatre in 2009 at the Edinburgh Fringe and won a series of awards. It then transferred to the Soho Theatre in London and has since been staged all over the world with mesmerising and powerful effect. Kelly is often quoted as saying, "I always want my plays to have tension; whether the audience hates it or loves it is up to them, but I never want them to be bored." There is certainly no risk of that with Orphans.

Benson said, "Dennis Kelly is an astonishingly perceptive and observant writer. He once said, 'A play should be sort of like a person, you know, funny and kind but also capable of incredible cruelty...' I've found myself quoting him a lot recently; he's totally spot on."

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