Arts Centre Melbourne Presents RUBY'S WISH

Ruby's Wish, a heart-warming tale of friendship, hope and the blurred lines between fantasy and reality, conceived by performer, writer and comedian Holly Austin, will be presented at Arts Centre Melbourne from 12 - 13 May. The story follows the unlikely friendship between Ruby, a sick seven-year-old confined to her hospital bed and Dot, a socially awkward clown doctor. The pair embark on a series of imaginative adventures that transform Ruby's hospital room into a playful wonderland.

Ruby is everything a little girl should be: brazen, hopeful and bright-eyed but unlike most girls her age is stuck in a hospital bed and still believes in wishes. Dot is a clown doctor grown-up, who is misunderstood and misunderstands. She misinterprets and mostly mistrusts words and works with sound, music and mime instead.

As Ruby and Dot form an unlikely friendship, the hospital room becomes a wonderland of mop monsters, bed caves, giant cranes and distorted fairy stories. Pillows become clouds and only a tip truck worth of chocolate mousse can crush the bedroom baddies.

Ruby's Wish celebrates the imagination and proves there is no harm in believing. Mixing puppets with people and true stories with false, Ruby's Wish plays on the edge of fantasy and reality with comedy, animation, beatboxing and clowning.

Austin says Ruby's Wish is based on a true story of a child she and Adriano Cappelletta (co-writer/performer) met while working in children's hospitals as Captain Starlight, a superhero sent to earth to brighten the lives of sick kids.

""Ruby" despite her illness had the most incredible optimism and an imagination without limits,' Austin says.

"Jo Turner (co-writer/director), Adriano and I really wanted to create a show that didn't talk down to children and allowed adults to free their imagination and embrace their inner kid."

"I don't think the progression to adulthood needs to abandon the wonders of childhood. To me the connection between young and old is simply about harnessing playfulness and joy and as an adult, holding on to childlike ideals by keeping an open heart and mind."

A visual spectacular, Ruby's Wish reunites the creative team from CuBBYHOuSE (MAKEbeLIVE Productions, Tamarama Rock Surfers, The Public Theater, New York).

Book: artscentremelbourne.com.au or 1300 182 183

Photo Credit: Kathy Luu

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