Congress
A citizens’ assembly.
A curatorial match making project across words, intention and representation.
A series of first speeches from those often unheard.
Personal visions for our collective future.
Congress is a citizens’ assembly; a platform for people to have their say and be heard. Congress connects the personal with the political by matchmaking community citizens with professional wordsmiths. Professional writers and Community Citizens will be invited to meet, work together, write and deliver their own first speech (previously maiden speeches). Together, they will create visions from those often unheard; public declarations that address personal visions for our collective future.
Congress takes the form of a ritualised performance; presents a democratic counterpoint that encourage citizens to participate, to agitate, to inspire change and transformation.
Created by All The Queens Men.
2019
Wyndham City Council Chambers. Presented by Wyndham City, Arts and Culture Saturday 7 September
Featuring – Hannah Bradsworth, Les Sanderson, Aimee McCartney, Pamela Kennedy, Erum Ali, Damon Paraha, Jack Measham, Jumess Dinanga,
Dancers – Brent Watkins, Anosha Ali, L2R Dance, Nga Uri Whaioranga, Tama Tatau, Georgette Mofalesi (Afro Fever), Bec Reid and Tristan Meecham
Words by – Fatima Measham, David Wells, wāni Le Frère, Grace Vanilau, Paola Balla, Eugenia Flynn, Roger Monk and Demet Divaroren
CREATIVE TEAM
Composer, Lighting and Sound Designer: Nick Roux
Production Manager, Lighting Designer, Consultant: Ben (Bosco) Shaw
Stage Manager: Leo Gester
Audio Description: Will McRostie, Description Victoria
Auslan Interpreters: Benji Hoopmann and Glenda Judd, Auslan Stage Left
Wyndham City Council: Trish Carlon
Photography: Bryony Jackson
Filming: Singing Bowl Media
2018
Darwin Festival, Northern Territory Parliament, Saturday 25 August
Creative Team Tristan Meecham, Bec Reid, Nick Roux, Bosco Shaw, Vanessa Wright
Stage Manager Rory Cadman
Speakers: Charlie King, Evan Keith, Jade Jones-Cubillo, Mark Brustolin, Nadem Turkia, Rebecca Hell, Rosa Norman Muller, Sophie Kuswadi
Wordsmiths: Roger Monk, Jill Pope, Matt Heffernan, Philip Tarl Denson, Sam Carmody, Tania Lieman, Thomas Moorhead, Varunika Ruwanpura
Dancers: Express Studios, Kayoko, Sytha Routh, Ryoko Jones, Kayoko, Erma Muller
2017
Melbourne Fringe Festival / Darebin Arts – Closing Event Northcote Town Hall.
Creation / Direction: All The Queens Men (Tristan Meecham and Bec Reid).
Lighting / Sound Design: Nick Roux.
Speakers: Vidya Rajan, Keira Leike, Helen Bayes, Ethan Pham, Davey Thompson, Hannah Murphy Walsh, Buster Murphy, Geraldine Cook, Ezeldin Deng, Barry T. Nguyen
Wordsmiths: Benjamin Law, Suzie Miller, Melanie Joosten, Richard Watts, Roger Monk, Carly Findlay, Alia Gabres, Cynthia Troup, Solomon Salew, Terry Barnes.
Dancers: Lorna Hannan, Tama Tatau, Jungle City Studios, Orlando and Juno de Zwart, Wade Sera-Matiara aka Flyoi.
Stage Management: Rory Cadman.
