‘RELATE’ is a Raw, Real and Captivating Exploration into Relationships Through Dance, Spoken Word and Circus Arts.
Dive deep into the messy, beautiful and complex world of relationships on October 6 at the Potato Shed in Drysdale with the performance and the world premiere of Relate.
Directed and created by locally based performance company, Fresh Creative Entertainment (FCE), this raw, personal performance tells the story of connection through dance, circus arts, and spoken word. Starring a seasoned cast of elite performers (The Producers (Original Australian Cast), Legally Blond (Stage), We will Rock You (Original European cast), Olivia (TV Biopic)), it uncovers the best of us and the rest of us – as humans and how we relate.
Stay up to date with what’s happening on stages around the region here.
“This whole project started as a cathartic exercise for me, a way for me to process the end of a relationship which had a lot of addiction and domestic abuse,” said Chantelle Fava, Founder of Fresh Creative Entertainment.
“As I was writing the piece, I started connecting with other people in my community, and began exploring the struggles and the truths that really lie within many of our relationships.”
Relate steps audiences into a social circle set in urban Australia. Over 70 minutes, Relate explores and uncovers the intricacies of intertwined relationships – mother, brother, husband, wife, lover, substance, friends and other.
“My hope is that audience members will find a storyline within the show that they relate to,” said Director, Benji Leeks. “Our worlds are made up of relationships. The ones with our friends, our addictions, our partners, our egos, the list goes on. Relate exposes and works through the messy emotions of these connections.”
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Relate was created by FCE Founder Chantelle back in 2016 after spending some time reflecting on her time living with a partner with addiction and domestic violence. Director, Benji Leeks, came on board during the writing process, and they began to interview others who had experienced relationship difficulties and trauma – grieving mothers who lost their children to cancer, people who identify as LGBTQIA+ and the impact their identity has had on their family relationships, and married couples who struggle daily to balance their family life.
Relate was first shown to a public audience in 2016, and in 2020, FCE was awarded the Community Arts Grant from Geelong City Council to explore the themes of relationships and the struggles further to capture them on film. Thanks to further investments from the Council, the piece is now ready for a live audience.
Artfully weaving different narratives together, this beautiful performance highlights relatable daily battles we all face. Watch their stories unfold, and try putting yourself in their shoes. How would you handle the same situation? How would you feel?
Following its world premiere in Geelong the performance will then move to Melbourne Fringe Festival. It will run from October 7-9 at the Bluestone Church Arts Space in Footscray.
Relate takes place at Potato Shed, Drysdale on October 6 from 8pm. You can purchase tickets here.
