A production by UNE postgrad student in Theatre Studies, Kate Shearer, has been nominated at the Matilda’s – Queensland’s theatre premier industry excellence awards – for Best Physical Theatre Work.

PLUNGE was produced as part of Kate’s M.Phil, which focus on practice-led research into narrative-led site specific performance, and was staged at the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre earlier this year. It is described as “a highly sensate experience mixing intimacy with spectacle.  As the audience travel across the aquatic centre, they experience is a fusion between the voices of the real people interviewed (elite swimmers, coaches, divers,  learn-to-swim parents) intersected with the lives of three fictitious characters – Tom, an elite swimmer at the beginning of his career, Alex, the swimming hero on the decline and the wanna-be diver, Cassy.”

The excellence of Kate’s work is brought home by the fact that there are only four nominations in each category at the Matildas. Another of her productions, which is not part of her studies, was nominated in three categories and took out two awards for acting on the night. 

Image: PLUNGE as staged at the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre