A scene from Hello, Goodbye and Happy Birthday.
Camera IconA scene from Hello, Goodbye and Happy Birthday. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Hello, Goodbye and Happy Birthday: perspectives of age shown in Mandurah play

Jill BurgessMandurah Coastal Times

ROSLYN Oades attended an 80th birthday party, shortly followed by an 18th and it occurred to her during the speeches that one felt like a farewell party while the other was a hello-world-here-I-come event.

The pairing of the two events felt profound and theatrical.

It started her thinking about entrances and exists into adulthood and the chance to explore the bookends of a fully lived life.

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In Hello, Goodbye and Happy Birthday, the audience is offered a rare opportunity to eavesdrop on the consternation of those wondering how to say goodbye or wondering where to begin.

One represents untold potential, the other a lifetime of experience, aspirations, fear and memories.

Scripted from real life conversations with people either side of the milestones, Hello, Goodbye and Happy Birthday is a warm and human show from Roslyn Oades and Collaborators.

Both groups were asked to respond to a parallel series of questions, drawing direct links between their experiences.

Equally playful and affecting, the Melbourne Theatre and Malthouse Theatre hit sees Oades continue her ground breaking headphone verbatim documentary theatre techniques that create extraordinarily immediate and vivid perspectives.

Hello, Goodbye and Happy Birthday is presented by Peel Health Campus.

WHAT: Hello, Goodbye and Happy Birthday WHERE: Fish Trap Theatre, Mandurah WHEN: Friday and Saturday, August 25, 26

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