Femme Fatale

"Femme Fatale" is a playful, magical and ever-so-slightly sinister theatre production created by an all-female company that seeks to challenge our perceptions of women. The production has been programmed as part of Sydney's Old 505 Freshworks Season this January, and provides a strong opportunity to reach significant audiences based on the Old 505's large following. We believe this work is extremely important (and rather unique) in presenting a story created wholly by and about women.

The under-representation of women in theatre and media is extremely topical, as exemplified by the recent formation of the Women in Theatre and Screen initiative in Sydney. leftofcentre theatre co. believes that in order to challenge the status quo, female voices (both the voices of creative artists and those of female characters) must be given opportunities to be heard and seen, and thus, normalised. We seek to create social change through entertaining, engaging, thought-provoking theatrical experiences. Praise for previous work includes, “A brilliant piece of social activism… This type of theatre must be supported in order for it to thrive. And when it’s this enjoyable to watch, I can't see why you wouldn't...I returned from The Genius Project with renewed hope and unshakeable faith in the future of our society’s artists." (Upstaged Reviews, "The Genius Project" 2015).

This is what we seek to achieve with "Femme Fatale." The production is stylistically arresting, showcasing a magical, mythological landscape, yet its story and voices are thoroughly contemporary. "Femme Fatale" gives the female figures of genesis mythology (Eve, Pandora and Lilith) the chance to re-tell their own stories, drawing contemporary parallels to the way women are viewed today and thus challenging common perceptions of women. The play pulls apart notions of 'the crazy woman,' 'the devil woman,' 'the good girl,' and of course, 'the femme fatale,' to reveal the complex human figures behind them.

Fondos becados por Sydney (December 2015)