Local Work on the New Annual Stage: Tantrum Youth Arts Presents New Australian play Good Mourning

From 22-23 September, local professional arts organisation Tantrum Youth Arts will present original Australian play Good Mourning alongside nationally and internationally acclaimed works as part of the New Annual festival.

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Presented in the Playhouse as part of Civic Theatre Newcastle Season 2023, Good Mourning explores the complexities of loss and grief from the honest perspective of an eight-year-old, who reminds us that while death is scary, life is a celebration.

Through Good Mourning, Tantrum is proud to continue its commitment to providing professional opportunities for artists in the Hunter. Good Mourning playwright Sonia Dodd was born and raised in Newcastle, as was performer Samuel Jenkins. The Good Mourning cast also features Dungog-based actor Jada Laurie in her first professional role.

Civic Theatre Manager Leonie Wallace said, “The Civic Theatre is pleased to be supporting Tantrum Youth Arts to present this poignant original work at the Playhouse as part of our Civic Season 2023.

“Good Mourning will also run as part of the New Annual Festival, giving visitors to our city the opportunity to see what local Newcastle artists can do - it’s important for quality local work like Good Mourning to be given the chance to present on such a broad platform.”

Pieced together from interviews, news reports and diary entries, Good Mourning captures the true story of director Hannah Armstrong’s father’s death from the varying perspectives of Hannah’s family members.

The family embark on a farewell tour through Canberra, Newcastle and the sparkly theme parks of the Gold Coast, promising each other to reincarnate as magpies, and building final memories of a man they are only just getting to know.

“Good Mourning is based on the stories and pockets of memories from my life as an eight-year-old in the three months leading up to my dad’s death, and also about the family memories and dynamics between my siblings and my mum and my dad during that time,” Good Mourning director and co-creator Hannah Armstrong said.

“It also explores that very Australian experience of the family road trip - going down to the coast or out to the country - and the fights that you have with your siblings but also the funny moments and really special moments you share as well.”

The presentation of Good Mourning will also include an art installation in the Playhouse foyer, comprised of handwritten stories of loss and grief contributed by community members in the lead up to the show. The audience will be invited to explore these reflections and offerings prior to the live performance of Good Mourning.

This is Tantrum’s second appearance in the New Annual festival, last year presenting collaborative film work Radial, created by Tantrum’s Accelerate Ensemble in partnership with Civic Theatre Newcastle and award-winning Back to Back Theatre from Geelong.