HotHouse Theatre presents Biting Dog Theatre Throwback in Wodonga

HotHouse Theatre's ensemble of emerging performer/theatre makers, Industry Co:Lab, has been developing a play to perform in Wodonga on Friday night.

Biting Dog Theatre Throwback pays homage to the decade-long festival that helped shape HotHouse Theatre and, more broadly, the Border arts scene.

From 1998-2008 the festival influenced 2000 regional students, trained 80 student technicians/stage managers and entertained 10,000 patrons.

Staying true to the festival format of using a "neutral script" (deliberately lacking detail) to develop a show, the Industry Co:Lab ensemble has worked under the direction of associate artist Rachel McNamara to devise a piece of their own work.

McNamara said the new show was bang up to date.

She said it was based on Yesterday An Incident Occurred by British playwright Mark Ravenhill who explored people's relationship to the war on terror.

"They've had to work out their own characterisation as part of the development process," she said.

"Working on a script of that calibre, it's been challenging for them because it's asked them to be political in their working."

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The cast includes Zygi Barlow, Hamish Brown, Will Cochrane , Kleo Edwards, Marlo Gaukroger, Ainslie Hunter, Darcy Liston and Sara Jones.

Like their festival predecessors, the Industry Co:Lab is the next generation of emerging theatre makers.

McNamara said Biting Dog Festival students responded to neutral scripts, developed technical theatre and stage management skills and presented their interpretations of work to the public over a decade.

"It was the nexus for so many programs at HotHouse and across the Border in places like The Cube Wodonga with technical training," McNamara said.

Show running time is 60 minutes.

For tickets visit hothousetheatre.com.au/biting-dog-theatre-throwback

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