Beast of Burden of Proof
Alex Last (TAS)
A Next Wave x Salamanca Arts Centre co-commission
These are trialing times. Ecosystems are collapsing and whole species are rapidly disappearing. But who is responsible? One threat in particular has been singled out: a small bird known as the Indian or Common Myna. Introduced to this continent over 150 years ago, the species stands accused of rampant ecological lawlessness; of wreaking havoc on native birds, overcrowding available habitats, and interfering with human infrastructure. In response, Myna communities are being exterminated across the country. However, until this moment, they have not received a fair trial.
Join your fellow citizens in this trial of restorative ecological justice, and confront a tangled, multi-sensory web of evidence in an effort to decide the Myna’s fate – a decision laced with irreversible consequences. Participants must judge the facts and deliberate together, facing the ethics of being human in a world striving for ecological justice.
Content Warnings
This production contains mature themes, and is not recommended for children under 12 years old.
Mature themes: some descriptions of physical violence
Mature themes: references to xenophobia
Mature themes: references to environmental disaster and animal cruelty
Scenography & Prop Design: Chloe Spiers-Atherden
Dramaturgy: Loren Kronemeyer
Performer: Chloe Spiers-Atherden
Alex Last is an interdisciplinary artist living and working on Muwinina land in nipaluna, lutruwita (also known as Hobart, Tasmania). Alex works in a range of mediums across various disciplines, exploring the variously entangled, dissonant, cryptic and transformative relationships which bind earthly organisms and their human relatives. In a possibly vain effort to dampen global anthropocentrism, Alex labors to listen closely and uncover those narratives which illuminate the ornate details of animal subjectivity.
Sponsored by:
- Salamanca Arts Centre