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 EMMA BELL speaks to SVEN SWENSON about his newest play THE BLITTERLING.
The black box plays host to black humour in a new play that kickstarts the indie theatre season at La Boite. Tragedy takes centre stage in Sven Swenson’s The Bitterling, and the prolific playwright this time offers audiences an unusual family reunion amidst Brisbane’s catastrophic 1974 floods. “It’s a story of reconnecting relationships,” Swenson says, “when three generations of one family are trapped in a house by the rising waters.” Consequently, “the flood becomes an additional character in the play.”
With an extensive work portfolio as writer, director, performer and producer in theatre, film and television, Swenson has a Queensland Premier Drama Award under his belt and is known for his brave and controversial work. It’s no wonder The Bitterling was selected to lead the independent theatre season to deliver a slice of exciting contemporary work without limitations. Swenson says, “I asked what input La Boite put into the independent work and artistic director David Berthold told me that it is truly independent, which is really liberating.”
So what can audiences expect from the season? “Raw theatre. Truthful for the most part. Interestingly, The Bitterling is a play about freedom, so the artistic freedom in independent theatre is fitting,” says Swenson.
And the play itself has been a long time coming. “The initial concept came eight years ago, then three years ago the central character began speaking in floods,” says Swenson. Yes, you got it right: the fictional character came to life to speak animatedly to the playwright. And it is not uncommon, says Swenson. “My neighbours fear for my sanity in the writing phase as I allow my characters to talk to me. No, more than that – I channel them. It’s not unusual to find me pacing up and down the verandah having conversations with myself.” While the voice that would later emerge as the character Rose – played by Brisbane’s own Louise Brehmer – came to life years ago, she was silenced as the play sat in a drawer.
But when Swenson’s last hit production The Truth about Kookaburras came out, he was approached by producers about whether or not he had a small-cast play to work on and so pulled it out of the drawer. The process continues. “I submitted an idea to La Boite Indie and was shortlisted, then interviewed by a panel and accepted. I found out that La Boite’s profound interest is to serve the theatre community. It was a very positive experience,” he says.
With a string of past successes, what are Swenson’s biggest challenges as a playwright and director of independent theatre in Brisbane? “I’ve always got plays lined up to go into production. Ideally I want to have two productions on per year, but that’s difficult to achieve. Also funding is a challenge,” he adds. Still, The Bitterling’s timing is impeccable as floodwaters rise around Queensland. Whether superstitious or not, the elements ensure it’s a production audiences won’t forget.
THE BITTERLING runs from Mar 17 to Apr 4 at La Boite Theatre. Ph: 3007 8600 / www.laboite.com.au
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