Takalaka woman set to shine in 'World Problems' presented by Melbourne Theatre Company

Joseph Guenzler Published May 10, 2024 at 5.20am (AWST)

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Carly Sheppard during 'World Problems' rehearsals. (Image: Tiffany Garvie)

Proud Takalaka woman, Carly Sheppard, a cross-disciplinary performance artist based in Naarm (Melbourne), is set to captivate audiences with her vivid portrayal in Emma Mary Hall's "World Problems".

She weaves through various art forms, including dance, theatre-making, performance, sculpture, drawing, writing, voice, and installation, to navigate complex narratives of intersecting race, class, mythologies, and inherited identities.

Growing up, Ms Sheppard went through phases of expressing herself in a different mediums, yearning to share her stories like many Indigenous people do.

"There was never a point where I said I wanted to try art," she said.

"But there's always these stories you carry inside yourself and I was just bursting at the seams."

"I went to NAISDA dance college and rediscovered dance...that was amazing because I got to understand myself among mob from all over the country."

She highlighted that through her discovery as an artist, she's learned ways to meld her skills together to tell her stories, and other people's stories.

*Carly Sheppard's vivid performance, under Cassandra Fumi's direction and Dann Barber's design, catapults audiences through time.(Image: Tiffany Garvie)*

World Problems, written by Emma Mary Hall and first performed in March 2019 at fortyfivedownstairs, is a poignant exploration of humanity's responsibility to Planet Earth.

Ms Sheppard was enamoured with the script, saying she thought it was something she "could have written, in the future".

"So I was asked to audition for World Problems and read the script and thought 'oh my god this is amazing," Ms Sheppard said.

"I went in for the audition and just got it.

"It's such an epic work... it doesn't have this traditional narrative ark. It's a list of things that this person can remember - that they are not just a person but they are many people."

Seamlessly merging intimate reflections with a global perspective, the production delves into pressing environmental concerns.

Ms Sheppard's performance, directed by Cassandra Fumi and presented by Melbourne Theatre Company, adds a layer of vivid physicality to the narrative.

With set and costume design by Dann Barber, lighting design by Harrie Hogan, and composition and sound design by Rachel Lewindon, World Problems is poised to be a multisensory experience.

Movement consultation by Amelia Jean O'Leary enhances the production's dynamic portrayal of a woman's journey through time, blurring the lines between the personal and the speculative.

Ms Shappard notes that Emma Mary Hall was had been present throughout the rehearsal process, offering great insights to keep the performance alive and focused.

"We got to have her with us during development and through some of the rehearsals which kept the work and the text alive," she said.

"We've got the most incredible team and I jut feel very lucky to have this opportunity."

As Ms Sheppard embodies the central character, audiences are invited to witness a journey through childhood memories that evolve into a contemplation of the future.

'World Problems' serves as an elegy for the world yet to come, offering moments of both comedy and terror, while ultimately providing a cathartic experience for all who engage with it.

Ms Sheppard's involvement in "World Problems" highlights her commitment to exploring the chaos of conflicting cultural paradigms and challenging colonial interruptions through her art.

Her performance promises to be a captivating portrayal of resilience, reflection, and the interconnectedness of humanity and the natural world.

'World Problems' is an educational show, being played to a younger audience, prompting them to think and reflect on the world around them.

"I really want to show respect to young people and their intellect and emotional maturity," she said.

"They are inheriting the world, so they will understand the work in a different way to us older and more jaded types."

"But also, the audience is all of us."

Performances for 'World Problems' kick off on 3 May 2024 at the Southbank Theatre, The Lawler.

Tickets are available online.

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REGIONAL TOUR DATES

Founders Theatre, Caro Convention Centre, Mt Helen

Friday 24 May, 11 am

Contact: 03 5327 9480