THE FUTURE IS YOU
As we face the reality of the climate crisis, independent theatre company Cram Collective is taking to The Mill to develop The Future Is You, a show that looks at our ever-changing role in the world. Co-founder Ren Williams tells us more.
You’re developing The Future Is You as part of the Spotlight Residency at The Mill. Tell us more about this project and its message.
The residency is ten days, with ten local artists collaborating to create a new work. On the final day, August 25, there’ll be a showing of The Future Is You, which will go into further development and hopefully become a Fringe show. It’s exciting and very loosey- goosey, but that’s where the magic forms. We’re going into the residency focusing on topics about us in the future and what our role is as artists within the climate crisis. It’s what it takes to be the main character of our own story and how we get there while also trying to be sustainable and build others up.
Why are you drawn to creating art on topics such as the climate crisis?
The climate crisis is an era that we’re in. It’s not going away. We’re the generation that’s launching into it and the generation that’s doing the most to acknowledge it. We love doing urgent work and creating something that starts discussions in the foyer. At Cram, we’re all about the foyer experience – people walking away from a show and wanting to talk about what they’ve just witnessed. It’s more than just a show, it’s an experience which interrogates the audience in their own views.
Cram Collective was founded by yourself, Connor Reidy, Aarod Vawser and Melissa Pullinger. Why did you launch an independent theatre and arts collective?
We met through the Flinders Drama Centre. During our four years of training, we were creating electric, bold and daring work within the institution. It was really exciting, and something we wanted to see outside of university. Within a month of Cram Collective launching we had our first piece, New World Coming, and two-sold out shows. South Australia is growing as a theatre scape. There are a lot of artists here bonding together to create a vibe within the state, and I think Cram is adding to that. I think we’re creating a spark and an interest and a community. It’s a real buzz.
Why should people support independent arts?
Entertainment and the arts are so important for every human being to engage with. I think it’s crucial to support independent artists – it means we can stay in Adelaide to create work, which is something so beneficial for the whole of South Australia. People thrive on art. It’s a human need.
The Future Is You, directed by Connor Reidy, will show at The Mill this August 25. Tickets available now. Keep up to date with Cram Collective online @thecramcollective.
Photo: @verity_lo
