Rehearsing 'The Unfortunates' in a Historic Space

Staged Theatre Company Inc. is performing Aoise Stratford’s award winning play The Unfortunates at the St Marks Anglican Church Hall on the Friday 28th 7:30pm and Saturday 29th 2pm and 7:30pm (August) and the following weekend Friday 4th 7:30pm and Saturday 5th 2pm and 7:30pm (September).

The Church Hall was an intentional choice for staging the play as it was seen to be appropriate setting as the play takes place in 1888. The heritage building of the old church, built at the turn of the last century, has a beautiful wooden interior and transforms into an immersive and intimate performance space.

St. Mark's Church Hall

This play strongly focuses on the ‘unfortunate’ women, living and surviving in the Autumn of Terror in 1888 Whitechapel, London. Churches often became places of refuge for these women who often, through circumstances beyond their control, had slipped into desperate need and even more desperate situations. The play explores the thoughts and memories of Mary Jane Kelly and her relationships with the other unfortunate women living in Whitechapel.

The term unfortunate was given to women in Victorian times who were desperate and destitute, often surviving on the streets and succumbing unfortunately to the vice and the criminal atmosphere they lived in. This production seeks to highlight the plight of these women but also to celebrate their pluck, determination and survival skills.

These women, though dealing with terrible circumstances, poverty and misfortune were still fighting to survive, often relying on each other and the charity that was given by some kind members of the community.

The play also has fair doses of humour, sometimes bawdy and raw, highlighting another way that those in Whitechapel would survive - with the ability to laugh, dance and even sing in the most difficult of times - taking small moments of light, to transport themselves from the dark. Before viewing The Unfortunates, it is important to note that the subject matter of the production is not suitable for children.

Some of the Parishioners of St Marks Anglican Church are supporting this production by giving their time to prepare food and serving afternoon tea during the matinee shows. In light of St Mark’s Anglican Church’s current work in assisting those less fortunate in the community, through their community outreach programs, Staged Theatre will be donating part proceeds of refreshments sold during interval to St Mark’s Community Outreach Programs.

We invite you to immerse yourself in place that you may have heard of, in a time that is etched in infamy and meet the characters based on a true story and mystery that has captivated the world for over a century… And your presence will go towards reframing this story from the perspective of those who have become mere statistics in a crime to the centre of the narrative.

Your presence will contribute to supporting the amazing work being done by communities such as St Mark’s, to help those in need in our local area.

We acknowledge all the work being done by many, to bring a little light into our world.

Join us and be inspired by The Unfortunates! Tickets can be purchased here!