STARSTRUCK – DARK, HOT & FUNNY! WORLD PREMIERE

Hot from European summer festivals, StarStruck makes its full-length debut and world premiere at Riverside Theatres Parramatta in early July 2010!
Satirising the celebrity worship, Starstruck is cutting-edge contemporary dance theatre performed by international dance theatre collective Sum Of Its Parts.
In an era in which everyone seems to be entangled in the cult of celebrity, StarStruck observes the stars through the obsessive eyes of disturbed fans.
StarStruck is an exposé of the relationship our society maintains with its stars. The piece follows a Celebrity Stalker, a Celebrity Wannabe, a Celebrity Cult Preacher and a Master of Ceremonies. Their journeys are explored through dance, projected images and films, physical theatre and live sound. Through a series of minor transformations, driven by their desire, they become anti-social monsters of extreme behaviour. A slightly overzealous fascination with a star is progressively transformed into an unhealthy obsession which, in a snowball effect, careers into a macabre and obscure pit of absurdity!
Taking this element of popular culture as its starting point, StarStruck creates a new hybrid form of multimedia and live performance. Because the body can express passion and madness in ways that words cannot, choreography has emerged as the driving form in the production. Its also talkback TV, reality TV, horror films, superhero films, MTV, soapie-sitcom and awards ceremonies. It promises audiences laughter, voyeurism, horror, revulsion, persuasion, satire, madness, sadness and beauty!
Created originally by Victoria Chiu in 2008 and developed into a collaboration between established Australian and European Artists Jozsef Trefeli, Roland Cox and Rudi van Der Merwe, StarStruck has forged a much needed bridge and creative dialogue between high quality progressive dance theatre in Australia and Europe. Western Sydney Dance Action (WSDA) supported the Australian stage two choreographic development of StarStruck at Parramatta’s Connect Studios in January 2010 and both WSDA and Riverside Theatres are proud to now be presenting the world premiere of StarStruck, which officially marks the production’s world tour to Festival across Europe in 2010-2011 (including Festival Dansez-Theatre du Chateau Rouge Annemasse France; Dresden International Tanzwoche Projekttheater Germany; Stu Summer Festival Estonia, Theatre du la Parfumerie Geneva Switzerland, Tanz in Winterthur Theater am Gleis Switzerland, Tanz in Olten Switzerland, L’Heure Bleue Theatre Poulaire Romande and LaChauxDeFonds Switzerland)
NB Though all constantly travelling international artists, Victoria, Roland and Jozsef originally hail from NSW, Rudi from South Africa. Victoria is resident in Wahroonga, formerly (like Roland) from Maroubra. Jozsef originally from Western Sydney is based in the ACT when in Australia. Having never before performed his own work in Australia (he is now based in Geneva where he works with Rudi), this is a homecoming for him!
“Intriguing, amusing and deeply moving without sacrificing a sense of simplicity that is synonymous with great talent.” – Tribune de Genève
PREMIERE SEASON – TWO PERFORMANCES ONLY!!
STARSTRUCK
Friday 9 and Saturday 10 July 8pm
Riverside Theatres Parramatta – Lennox Theatre
Tickets $28 / $22 conc Bookings: 8839 3399
or online: www.riversideparramatta.com.au