Heart is a Wasteland

Production still for "Heart is a Wasteland". L-R: Ursula Yovich as Raye, Aaron Pedersen as Dan. Photographer: Deryk McAlpin

Heart is a Wasteland

By John Harvey

29 June 2017 – 16 July 2017 Beckett Theatre

Malthouse Theatre, Arenamedia and Brown Cab Productions,

Commission Theatre Music Film Co-Production

Raye is struggling, a country music star in the making. Riding her luck, she’s playing pub to pub along Australia’s vast desert highways, flogging demo CDs for ten bucks a piece until she can go home to Alice and look her son Elvis in the eye. Then Raye’s life becomes entwined with that of another wanderer and a love affair unfurls over the four-day drive to Alice Springs.

Heart is a Wasteland sees John and Margaret Harvey combine theatre, film and live music in this intimate portrait of two travellers that cuts to the country’s heart. Two of Australia’s most revered actors, Ursula Yovich (Love and Information) and Aaron Pedersen (Water Rats, Mystery Road, Goldstone) come together to portray two achingly beautiful characters in a whiskey-fuelled battle of egos and hidden scars.

From Brown Cab Productions, Heart is a Wasteland is a luminous journey towards the recognition of everyone’s worthiness of, and right to, love.

★★★★
"A MOVING ROAD TRIP THROUGH AUSTRALIA'S DESERT CENTRE"
— The Age

"ENLIGHTENING AND UTTERLY REFRESHING"
— Theatre People

 

Production still for "Heart is a Wasteland". Aaron Pedersen as Dan. Photographer: Deryk McAlpin
Production still for "Heart is a Wasteland". L-R: Anna Liebzeit (musician), Ursula Yovich as Raye, Aaron Pedersen as Dan. Photographer: Deryk McAlpin
Production still for "Heart is a Wasteland". Ursula Yovich as Raye. Photographer: Deryk McAlpin
Production still for "Heart is a Wasteland". L-R: Ursula Yovich as Raye, Aaron Pedersen as Dan. Photographer: Deryk McAlpin
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Production still for "Heart is a Wasteland". Aaron Pedersen as Dan. Photographer: Deryk McAlpin

Production still for "Heart is a Wasteland". L-R: Anna Liebzeit (musician), Ursula Yovich as Raye, Aaron Pedersen as Dan. Photographer: Deryk McAlpin

Production still for "Heart is a Wasteland". Ursula Yovich as Raye. Photographer: Deryk McAlpin

Production still for "Heart is a Wasteland". L-R: Ursula Yovich as Raye, Aaron Pedersen as Dan. Photographer: Deryk McAlpin

Cast

Anna Liebzeit

Anna Liebzeit

Performer, Musical Director, Sound Designer

Creatives

Margaret Harvey

Margaret Harvey

Director

Desmond Connellan

Desmond Connellan

Video Designer

Alison Ross

Alison Ross

Production Designer

Steve Adam

Sound Designer

Lisa Mibus

Lisa Mibus

Lighting Designer

Mark Pritchard

Mark Pritchard

Dramaturg

John Harvey

John Harvey

Playwright

Ainsley Kerr

Ainsley Kerr

Stage Manager

Lydia Fairhall

Songwriter

Acknowledgements

A co-production with Brown Cab Productions. Script development proudly supported by Footscray Community Arts Centre and the Malcolm Robertson Foundation.

Production Program