See You Next Tuesday

SYNT is 5 weeks in the life of 17 year old Evie. She’s in her final year of highschool and deep in the throes of navigating sex, power and consent. She also has a super-power she’s trying to get a grip on; the ability to make things go see through. After being blown off by a guy, Evie goes for a walk and meets Ash; he’s 19, studying architecture, and so totally mature. The two end up having sex in the park and agree to meet next week without exchanging contact info. Evie hurries home where her younger brother Nick is asleep (she’s meant to be babysitting, her mum works night shifts) and is now infatuated, against her better judgement. Next Tuesday she goes to meet him as planned. But, as she sees him waiting, something takes hold of her and she decides to hide and blow him off, drunk on the power she has over this older boy. The following Tuesday she goes to see a new guy, Wei Cheng. After a disappointing tryst and a misplaced phone, she heads to the park to calm down. She sees Ash, and thinks he’s there waiting for her. Unfortunately, his date arrives this time, and Evie leaves furious at him and herself. She arrives home to discover Nick woke up and called her mum. Evie’s mum is frantic with worry, explodes at her and grounds her. Week four, Evie is miserable. She’s been stuck in her room, Nick is driving Evie insane with his incessant desire to ‘hang out’, and all she wants is Ash. Evie tracks him down on Instagram and they strike up conversation. The final Tuesday, Ash will come around for a ‘quick kiss’ and to drop off a game for Evie to give Nick for his birthday. When Ash arrives he’s forgotten the game, and convinces Evie to come back to his house ‘just for a second’ to get it. When they stop for petrol Evie sees through Ash’s car door, sees the game hidden, and knows Ash has ill intentions trying to get her back to his house. She hops out, walks home heartbroken but determined, and climbs into bed with her brother, wishing him Happy Birthday.

Form and Style:

Three young women play Evie, together. Each woman brings to life a different facet of the messy, contradictory, and hilarious parts of the teenage brain. The script is in 5 distinct pieces, as the story unfolds across five Tuesdays in the life of our main character. Original pop music ties the sections together. It is a text-heavy script. Each of the performers addresses the audience directly with their text. Occasionally the girls address each other in moments of Evie’s internal conflict or joy, but for the most part they are three interweaving monologues, occasionally overlapping, occasionally in unison, but mostly displaying three facets of this character’s personality as she confronts the characters and obstacles in her story. The action is described, along with Evie’s thoughts on the situation, rather than ever unfolding in front of us. Occasionally one of the performers steps aside and speaks the dialogue of someone Evie is speaking to, or texting. The voice is contemporary, and colloquial, attempting to mimic with as much accuracy and craft as possible the cadence of a 17 year old in 2020. The set is a semi-abstracted playing space that morphs between Evie’s bedroom, the bedroom of boys she visits, and the park she frequents. It’s filled with objects from the play and from Evie’s thoughts, calling to mind the bright, colourful messiness of a teenage bedroom without portraying one realistically.

Community and Audience Engagement:

1) School engagement. SYNT was successful in securing school groups during its premiere season, and the reaction from upper high school students and their teachers was positive. We would reach out to any schools in the area that may be able to attend, provide them with an updated education pack, and host a Q&A were they to attend. 2) Features/interviews in local newspapers, and with local radio where possible. 3) Cross promotion using existing regional networks, providing discount codes to select groups through inclusion in EDMs / other broadcasts from those orgs. 4) Using previous reviews and high quality marketing collateral in digital advertising via Facebook and Instagram

Available Marketing:

Sample media release, promotional video (vertical, square and horizontal available), promotional photo series, examples of previous flyers/ A0 paste ups from premiere season, high quality production photos, education pack for schools, program