Today, we had the pleasure of catching up with the vibrant and talented cast of The Bridge. This inventive production dives into the dynamic world of the Aussie music scene, bridging the gap between the raw, grunge era of the 1990s and the flashy, digital age of today.
About The Bridge
What is this Production about?
THE BRIDGE is about the Aussie music scene in the 1990s and now, told through the experience of Amber, a grunge force-of-nature who was “too loud” and “too much” when she broke out, and is unexpectedly thrust back into the spotlight, thirty or so years later, when her most personal song goes viral… for all the wrong reasons.
If the culprit, TikTok darling Alyssa, is anything to go off, the ‘biz might look different but it’s the same old wolf (just in a very pink sheep’s clothing). But both women are immovable objects, and their collision course is well and truly set… and both will have to reckon with what the other means for their place in the world.
The Bridge is about the choices we make in a world that’s determined to misunderstand us, and how we can both push back against the systems that shape us, or get lost in the rapids… but ultimately, it’s about how MUSIC transcends, regardless of our differences.
What character are you playing, and what can you share with us about them?
I’m playing “Alyssa”, who is… a lot of fun to perform. She’s a TikTok tragic, impossibly obsessed with the colour pink, incredibly determined, but let’s just say… not so well-suited to a life outside her bedroom (just yet). I think she encapsulates a lot of what’s awesome about her generation – but she’s definitely a liiiittle vulnerable to some criticism, too.
What’s challenging about bringing this script to life?
The Bridge is this awesome, chaotic collision of the “old” and “new” worlds of the music industry – so, good old fashioned live music combined with the fast paced, sometimes boggling world of the internet – and we are well and truly bringing that to life on-stage with a blend of digital and live-performance elements. It’s going to be different to any other show you’ve seen, and different to any other show we’ve all been a part of bringing to life…
Why did you want to be involved in this production?
Myself and other co-writers Sunny Grace and Richie Black are all complete music nerds; our tastes converge around Aussie riot rock and a deep appreciation for the bad-ass trail-blazing women who brought truth and righteous rage to the world. I think we were all excited by the idea of writing something for the theatre that could really capture what Aussie’s really love about live-music… and as a musician myself, I was really excited about what that might end up looking like.
I’m also really inspired by my friends’ styles and tastes as writers and I wanted to be a part of creating something together; I’d never co-written for theatre before so it was an awesome experiment in how we can combine our voices, as three writers from three different generations (Zillenial, Millenial and Gen X), to not just talk the talk about intergenerational conversations but WALK THE WALK!
What sort of person is going to love this show?
Anyone who votes religiously in the Triple J Hottest 100.
What will the audience be thinking about in the car as they drive home after this show?
They’ll no doubt be thinking a lot about wigs, but also maybe speculating about the more human parts that their fave musicians might not show in the public arena.
What’s going to surprise people about this show?
I think the audience is constantly going to be thinking, holy shit what’s going to happen next, because the show is such a rollercoaster of energy.
Call someone out by name: who must come see this production?
Ella Hooper, Myf Warhurst, Yumi Stynes… we salute you. We request your attendance.
Who in the show is most like their character?
I really hope no one in the cast thinks it’s me.
Who’s the least?
Everyone (thankfully, in most cases).
Where can patrons purchase tickets to this production?
The Bridge is showing now to the 13th of September. To book tickets to The Bridge, please visit https://www.kingsxtheatre.com/the-bridge.
Thank you so much for sharing a glimpse of The Bridge with us! Best of luck with the upcoming show; it sounds like an unforgettable mix of nostalgia and new-age flair.
Other production interviews can be viewed in our About The Production Series.
