Written and produced by Dawn Bamforth
Directed by Paul Canlan
The Vessel is the story of Mary, a strong and powerful older woman, bound by physical incapacity and the confines of her room and diminishing brain. What is carried, what is hidden and what is borne by the vessel, are as important as where it lands. The story is told with the assistance of four other people, involved in her life in care – Her daughter, a nurse, personal care assistant and volunteer/clown.
After a successful sold-out season at the Social Foundry in Kyneton in early March, we have redeveloped the work to reveal a little more of Mary’s early life and touch on the ongoing problems of understaffing in Aged Care and its’ impact on workers and family members. The Vessel runs for around one hour and includes a Q & A with the playwright about the intersection between the Arts and Social Justice and how this play came to fruition.
Dawn is a recipient of the 2023 Creative Power Awards, which enabled her to engage with other local, regional, professional artists to present The Vessel and to meet and engage with a wider international community of Award recipients both here and in the USA.
