Apologia at Malthouse

Audiences should expect awkwardness fused with comedy at Malthouse Theatre this August with the debut of Apologia, a new work by actor, director, playwright and choreographer Nicola Gunn (Piece for Person, Ghetto Blaster). Gunn fulfills a personal dream with the role she has created here – portraying a French actress, despite definitely not being French.

Apologia takes audiences on a journey of comedic encounters while confronting what it means to have your voice translated by others. The play follows a French actress, two Parisian tourists and a French translator through a series of complex relationships, career changes and disappointments. Combining sound, theatre installation, film and literature, the play encompasses Gunn’s signature bold and candid approach to dissecting human interactions, conflicts and dependencies.

Gunn is joined on stage by performers Taka Takiguchi and Yumi Umiumari, with French translations and voiceover by Séverine Magois and Japanese translations by Aoi Matsushima. Apologia is the second instalment in Gunn’s Interpreters trilogy, as she continues to explore the acts of translation and interpretation.

The play runs Tuesdays through Saturdays from August 8 to 17, with a final staging at 5pm on Sunday August 18. You can catch previews on August 6 and 7, and a Q&A following the performance on Tuesday August 13.

Find more information and book tickets online.

This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Malthouse Theatre.