[csaa-forum] Version 1.0's "The Wages of Spin" @ The Street Theatre, Canberra - July 20-30

[David Williams]

  From the company behind the smash hit stage production of the
“Children Overboard” Inquiry, CMI:  version 1.0 presents
The Wages of Spin
Does it matter we went to war on a lie?
The Street Theatre, Canberra: July 20 - 30
"This is a great show: witty, clever, lively and provocative.  It opens with
a blindfolded man negotiating a bed of nails, actually dangerous...  Version
1.0. - whose CMI (A Certain Maritime Incident) last year was one of the most
interesting and provocative responses to the Tampa and the sinking of Siev X
events - is doing a new type of political theatre that is based in serious
research but is also mocking, subversive and fun." (John McCallum, The
Australian, 23/5/05)

Following rave reviews and a popular premiere season in Sydney this May,
Version 1.0's latest production, The Wages of Spin, arrives in Australia's
political capital - Canberra - at The Street Theatre. With clever subversive
wit, this production provokes a closer examination of the issues at the core
of the controversy surrounding the "intelligence" reports that were the
deciding factor in Australia's involvement in the war in Iraq. The Wages of
Spin is political theatre Version 1.0 style - playful, surreal, visceral and
tragic, with no easy answers.

While the production's subject is serious, the treatment is often hilarious.
Canberra audiences were in raptures after this troupe's last visit with CMI
(A Certain Maritime Incident), a production that used the children overboard
incident as its material. As was the trademark of that show, Version 1.0
have again produced a show that successfully subverts, whilst never ceasing
to entertain. Audiences can expect to be shocked and horrified at the
reality of war and the manipulation of truth, and in the very next moment,
laughing at the irony of the media's obsession with pop star Delta Goodrem's
'suffering' and 'trauma' caused by he relationship 'crisis'.

The production's meticulously researched script re-examines Senate Committee
proceedings, often cheekily using the Hansard transcript verbatim as a
theatrical device that leaves audiences asking: What should we believe?
Further provoking the audience to question the authenticity of information,
and the 'word' of those in power, is the productions clever
re-contextualization of official public documents, television interviews and
even raves from columnists & webloggers.  As David Williams, co-devisor of
the play states, this production is designed to engage the audience
critically with the issues and ask: "Does it matter that we went to war on a
lie?" Williams describes the show as: "Part documentary, part civic
archaeology, and part frenzied media circus".

"The Wages of Spin is political theatre at its best. It's entertaining,
well-researched and takes pro-war politicians and big media to task." (Green
Left Weekly, 1/6/05)

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Artists  Performer/Devisers: Stephen Klinder, Deborah Pollard & David
Williams   Performing Media Crew: Jane Grimley, Katy Green, Jacob Patterson
Dramaturgy: Paul Dwyer  Outside Eye: Yana Taylor  Lighting: Simon Wise
Video: Sean Bacon  Sound: Gail Priest   Producer: Harley Stumm
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Season Details The Street Theatre, Cnr Childers St & University Ave.  July
20 – 30 (Tue – Sat 8pm + 2pm matinee, Sat 30th)  Tix  $29/24.   Bookings:
02 6247 1223
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Media Info  Canberra Arts Marketing  02 6257 4400 (Georgina) 0421 745 550
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The Wages of Spin is supported by the Commonwealth Government through
through the Australia Council,  its arts funding & advisory body, the NSW
Government through the Ministry for the Arts, and Sydney University's
Department of Performance Studies.
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