“Gibson’s punked up version of the passion of St Joan is an electric, ground-breaking production…Gibson extracts an iconic religious figure from history and grafts her onto a contemporary stage”
“Janie Gibson channels the spirit of Joan of Arc in this breathtaking performance that addresses us, involves us – and makes us complicit in the outcomes…But we’re not just an audience, we’re part of this trial, this ritual – …we’re the ones building the bonfire and placing candles in the pyre; it is up to us whether it’s to burn or to remember…she delivers a powerful history lesson that still needs to be learned, where the questioner may be silenced, but the questions remain”.
“Janie has established herself as a powerful and original performance maker”
NEW ANNUAL FESTIVAL
Voices Of Joan
Voices of Joan is a moving and irreverent solo performance unravelling the history of misogyny through a radical retelling of the story of Joan of Arc. Performer and writer Janie Gibson transforms into the multitudinous voices of Joan as she searches for her story through fragments of trial transcripts, drama and history. Using wit, humour and multiple on stage costume changes Gibson undresses the patriarchy (and certain members of the audience), rallies the crowd from behind her megaphone and incites the audience to build Joan’s pyre with her. With a wireless radio as her time machine she tunes into echoes of Joan’s story in acts of courage and oppression throughout history in search of a road map for resistance in our uncertain times.
NEW ANNUAL FESTIVAL SEPT 27-30
ABOUT
Artistic Team
Performer and Creator: Janie Gibson
Director and Creator: Anu Almagro
Lighting Design: Fausto Brusamolino
Composition & Sound Design: Liesl Pieterse
Additional Composition: Xani Kolac and Toecutter
Dramaturgy: Emilie Collyer
This project is proudly supported by the City of Newcastle’s New Annual festival 2021, Arts on Tour, the NSW Government through Create NSW, L’Escorxador Cultural Centre and the Newcastle Community Tennis Centre.
