The Royal Institution of Australia (RiAus) is co-presenting a new play, Rocket Town, for the Adelaide Fringe, about young people growing up in Woomera, South Australia.
Written and directed by UK playwright Emily Steel, Rocket Town is based on conversations she has had with with young people and adults living in Woomera.
Rocket Town has already had some very positive responses, one ex-resident of Woomera said, “it was like someone was recording everything we did as teenagers in Woomera, and what our parents were doing!”
Woomera is mainly known for both its rocket research and the immigration centre that closed in 2003. Rocket Town explores another side of Woomera and what it’s like to grow up in this town with its extraordinary history, in the middle of the desert.
Rocket Town is about two teenagers, Jess and Josh, who have been brought to the town by their parents’ work. It features performances by Dee Easton and Sam Calleja.
Writer and director, Emily Steel, has written plays for BBC Radio 4, Sherman Cymru Theatre in Wales, the Washington DC Fringe Festival, and ‘Spotlight On’ Festival, New York. She also has a background in the history of science and has worked as a researcher on Charles Darwin and the Beagle voyage.
Emily moved to Adelaide from London in the middle of 2010 and Rocket Town is her first production in Australia.
Rocket Town was inspired by a roadtrip into the outback. After seeing Woomera’s rocket park, and discovering its history, Emily pitched the idea for a play to RiAus, which encourages public engagement with science and technology.
To research Rocket Town, she booked herself into the Eldo hotel in Woomera, and slept in rooms originally built for rocket scientists. She spent her time walking around and talking to people, at the observatory, the heritage centre, the pub and the school.
“People have asked why I’m writing a play about Woomera,” says Emily. “I’m not from there. I’m not even from Australia. But I’m interested in local stories, new voices and unusual places.”
Rocket Town is at the Science Exchange, Exchange Place, Adelaide. Performances are from 22-26 February, 1-5 and 8-12 March, at 6.30pm.
February performances are $15/$10, March performances $20/$15. Parental guidance is recommended.
Tickets can be purchased through www.adelaidefringe.com.au or via www.riaus.org.au
To find out more visit the Rocket Town website.
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