A solo theatre show lands in Sydney this week that tells the story of a university lecturer who loses his job due to his homosexuality.
The Will To Be is written and performed by Mark Salvestro and was the winner of the Adelaide Fringe Weekly Award in 2020.
Set in a university office in 1962, the play tells the story of a junior lecturer who is dismissed from his position due to being gay.
It’s a timely reminder of queer rights, withThe Sydney Morning Herald just last month telling the story of a Sydney music teacher who was sacked due to her sexuality.
The draft religious discrimination bill is currently with both the major parties but has not yet been released to the public and there has been no timeline provided for when it will be debated in parliament.
Salvestro, the creator of the show, said it was important to tell stories of queer history to shine a light on how far we’ve come but also to show where we can go.
“As a gay man and a theatre-maker, I consider it my duty to share the stories of those that came before me, the trailblazers of the queer community, and shine a light on how far we’ve come in terms of LGBTQIA+ rights and visibility,” he said.
“While we still have a long way to go, I’m a big believer that the act of storytelling leads to empathy, which leads to a better, more inclusive society.”
The show’s Sydney premiere also comes 40 years since homosexuality was decriminalised in NSW. Premier Chris Minns recently apologised for those dark days.
“I hope the play will continue to educate Sydneysiders on the hardship, advocacy and sacrifice that its queer community has endured, and remind them what’s being celebrated when it comes to pride events today,” said Salvestro.
The play will run at Qtopia’s substation theatre from July 3 until July 6 with tickets currently on sale. Tickets are $42 and $38 for concession cardholders.
Eliot Hastie is a senior news producer at Channel Ten, reporting on a range of general stories, specialising in foreign affairs and LGBTQ+ stories. He’s also a reporter for Gay Sydney News, where he covers LGBTQIA+ culture, politics and nightlife. He previously helped to build and launch ausbiz, Australia's only live streaming finance news channel, where he was also an executive producer and host. He has previously worked as a finance and business journalist for publications including Fintech Business, Real Estate Business and other Momentum Media titles. Eliot holds a journalism degree from the University of Westminster and brings experience in both broadcast and digital reporting. Contact Eliot: eliot.hastie@gaysydneynews.com.au
