Living With The Dead

living with the dead
By Cosette bolt

“Six in total. Four for the flames, one for me, and one witness cremation…busy. Alright let's get started”. Kris is navigating her day to day life as a young mortician preparing the bodies of the departed for their final send off. As Kris prepares each of the bodies, the dead experience their “last words”, a chance to relive, reminisce and remember a moment from their lives. What happens to those who are left behind? How do we learn to live with the dead?

cast

mrs sparrow

irena komunjer

patch

Emily mahi'ai

sandy

Alyssa munro

Andrew

Michael stephens

kris

grace baker

Evans

Chris veteri

par

erin Speirs

Katrina

Isabella Velarde

creative team

“Never forget that all the tables are the same height, for some this is the only place they will ever experience equality”. The rehearsal room has been dynamic, thoughtful and most importantly a safe space for us all to tackle the difficult themes explored in the show. The collaborative joy we’ve had in the rehearsal room has definitely trickled down into the overall show, which I am so grateful and excited to share with you all. This production speaks to how we choose to remember those we’ve lost and how we, as a society, navigate death, grief and loss. Whilst we understand these are not easy conversations to have, I hope this play provides people with a conversation starter.

director

Matthew attwood

writer

cosette bolt

Living with the Dead is an homage to all those who have experienced grief in these years of massive social, political, and climate change. To give a voice back to those who have become numbers in this discussion of how we engage socially with the departed, we must actively engage with their stories. These stories are not new, but I hope you find them unique and cathartic. Thank you for coming along and supporting the culmination of seven years of writing and living with these characters.