QUALIA THEATRE 
​Heidi Everett Productions
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www.qualiatheatre.com​
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Challenging new performance works exploring social and human rights
in Australia's public mental health and psychiatric system.

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​QUALIA / FYRE

Theatre + film. Audience forum.


By Heidi Everett
Co-created and Directed by John Fleming

Qualia/Fyre is a search for fire in one of the coldest places on earth. Inspired by the powerful creative dynamic of Heidi Everett and John Fleming, the work delivers an unyielding sense of humour through ‘ward-time’ artwork, illuminating the genuine experience of the public psychiatric system. Fyre presents the contrast between mental health recovery and healing through the arts and nature.

This is a new work of Heidi's mental health diversity performance company Qualia Theatre, which premiered to sold-out audiences at Melbourne FRINGE in 2019, receiving the Access and Inclusion award for world-leading inclusive audience and artist practices.
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Cinematography - Jason Cheetham
Film Lighting - Filip Laureys
Image - Darren GIll

Qualia/Fyre contains low-moderate level depictions of psychiatric ward realities. A PTS (post trauma stress) content advice pack is available for audience members who would like to know these scenes in advance.

​Previous shows include Banyule Cultural Centre and la Mama Theatre.

Qualia/Fyre is supported by la Mama Explorations, Banyule Arts and Creative Victoria. Work created and performed on Wurundjeri Country.

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​QUAlia / original

Are psychiatric spaces safe for diverse bodies, minds and cultures?

Jess Cochran, Maggie Toko and Xavier Gouault feature in this short film with their testaments about their human rights experience of Australia's public mental health system.

Video content advice: allusion to homelessness and voicing of Indigenous disempowerment.

Qualia Orginal film is made with support from City of Port Phillip and Arts Access Victoria THRIVE.

qua•li•a - /'kwåleea 
​
n. In philosophy, qualia refers to individual instances of subjective conscious experience;
​'Qualia' - the experiential Quality of what it is to be like you.

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​QUALIA / SCIENCE GALLERY
Triptych: stage play, short film and panel Q&A.

A public psych ward; it’s confronting. People are trying to navigate trauma, confined and imprisoned in an equally traumatising medical space. How do you communicate, if you don’t speak the language of a psychiatric ward and it doesn’t speak yours? What if you're in a wheelchair or from a culturally diverse background?

This commissioned performance is by lived experience artists Jess Cochran and Andrew Lewis for Science Gallery Melbourne mental health exhibition.

Director/Producer
​Heidi Everett.
​Supported by Science Gallery Melbourne and City of Melbourne Arts

SHOWS 2022

FYRE:
Ivanhoe Library and Cultural Hub Theatre
DAX Centre Auditorium - OCTOBER 2021
la Mama Explorations 2022

Qualia *Original short film 
City of Port Phillip 2021

Qualia Science
Science Gallery Melbourne - October 2021
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Qualia *Original : Thankyou to season premiere performers
​(front row L-R) Jessica Cochran, Hadley Johnson and Xavier Guoualt, dramaturg Caroline Bowditch (seated back left), Michael Olsen (script support), Heidi Everett back right.

Image: Four people seated around a small table. Left to right - lady in scarf in wheelchair, lady with blonde streak in hair, man in beanie writing, woman in chair with hands on knees.

Image: three women seated around a small round table talking. Person on left sitting in a wheelchair, person on right wearing a cap.