Running with Emus is a new, non-naturalistic Australian play written by the AWGIE award-winning regional Victorian playwright, Merrilee Moss (Night Breakfast 2010).
The story, set in two different time zones, is about the conflicts and dynamics that arise in a small town near the Murray River as it considers becoming a "Refugee Friendly Town". Seventy-six year old Patricia has dropped out of life. She is living on her verandah, watching birds, waiting for her time to come, when her granddaughter arrives to stir up the town. Throw into the mix a ghost from the past, a bigoted Mayor and a chorus of laconic locals.
This is a tragi-comic play about what it is to be Australian in a multicultural world; a small town story reflecting a global phenomenon about identity, belonging and coping with change.
MERRILEE MOSS is an award-winning Victorian playwright. Her nine plays include If Looks Could Kill (1988), Over the Hill (1989), Empty Suitcases (1993) and Tango Femme (2011). In 2010, her play Night Breakfast won the Community and Youth Australian Writers Guild Industry Excellence (AWGIE) Award. In 2014 her play Oriel was awarded a High Commendation in the R.E. Ross Playwrights’ Development Awards. Oriel had a season at La Mama Courthouse Theatre in 2016. Moss has a PhD in Theatre Performance from Monash University. She has also published novels, including the adventure series for young adults Hot Pursuit and a novel for 7-11 year olds, Thriller & Me.
| Cast Info | 3F, 5M, (doubling available) |
| Genres | Drama, Surreal/magic realism, Comedy, Tragicomedy |
| Themes | Multicultural themes, Political/Social themes, Significant female roles |
| Audiences | Adult |
| Extent | 76 |
| Edition | CTS |
| Size | 137 x 210 mm |