Event
The Last Word
25 January 2015
The Last WordPoetic, contemplative and deeply personal, The Last Word is a series of short audio monologues written by six Western Sydney writers which reflect upon their relationship with a loved one who has passed away.
Over the course of 40 minutes listeners are transported from Belmore to Cootamundra to the hustle and bustle of downtown Johannesburg as mothers, grandfathers, husbands and wives are recounted, re-remembered and farewelled.
The genesis for The Last Word came from an impassioned conversation with Bankstown mixed-business owner Michael Kamaleddine about his father who had passed away.
Experienced through headphones, The Last Word is a contemporary take on the radio plays broadcast in the 50s and 60s.
Listen to The Last Word here
Creative Team
Peter Polites
Polites edited Ornaments from Two Countries, a GLBTIQ Western Sydney and Regional NSW publication, co-wrote Season 2 of the web series iluvubut.tv and appeared in SWEATSHOP’s show #3 Jerks.
Samantha Hogg
Hogg is an Indigenous writer from Revesby. She has written for Westside Magazine, The Lifted Brow, The Red Room Company’s 2012 Poetry Object and was recently featured in the 2014 Seizure/ SWEATSHOP collaboration Stories Of Sydney.
Robyn Schmitz
Schmitz is an Aboriginal elder. A Wadjuri woman, she has lived in Padstow for 60 years. Working amongst her people, mainly children, and writing fill her days. Robyn first worked with UTP on B-Side in 2014.
David Cranston
David has lived on Northam Avenue, Bankstown since he was two years old. He is now 81 and remains active in the community as a JP, the Treasurer at Coolaburoo Neighbourhood Centre, and a member of Lakemba’s men’s group Older Men New Ideas.
Amanda Yeo
Yeo is a solicitor, BA Communication/B Laws graduate, and writer for SWEATSHOP: Western Sydney Literacy Movement.
Gaele Sobott
Sobott has lived in Botswana, France and England. She has published a range of acclaimed publications and was one of 12 people selected for the Australia Council 2014 Sync Leadership Program.
Performers:
Susannah Bayes-Morton
Hai Ha Le
Russel Kiefel
Maddy Madden
Peter Polites
Vicki Van Hout
Concept: Michael Kamaleddine
Editor: Rosie Dennis
Composer/Sound Design: James Brown
Sound Design (Cootamundra): Gail Priest
Sound Engineer: Mitchell Hart
The Last Word is one of nine works in BANKSTOWN:LIVE, part of Sydney Festival 2015.
Supporters and Partners
Australia Council for the Arts, Arts NSW, Bankstown City Council
