Fireworks on stage: Qld’s top theatre students shine

Year 12 Qld Academy for Creative Industries students will strut the stage from tonight in the culmination of three years’ work.

Brendan O'Malley

3 min read

May 27, 2021 - 3:44PM

Westside News

QACI performs spontaneous Human Combustion

Entertainment

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They are the best of the best.

Year 12 students at Kelvin Grove’s Queensland Academy for Creative Industries take to the stage from tonight in their grand finale, Spontaneous Human Combustion.

And with professional pyrotechnics thrown in, the play is literally set to go off.

QACI is one of three “smart state’’ academies and takes the top Years 10-12 creative talents Queensland has to offer.

The show’s creator and director, Senior Theatre Teacher Brad Jennings, said the production, which he commissioned as a teaching resource while at Brisbane Girls Grammar School, spoke to issues confronting many high school students.

Isabella Kirkwood (left) and Sepi Toa. Picture: Courtesy QACI

Cast members of Spontaneous Human Combustion. Picture: Courtesy QACI

“It’s a gritty play for a contemporary audience that explores how we deal with loss and change,’’ he said.

“Performed in the style of magical realism, this production showcases the incredible talent of our graduating theatre students in their final public performance.’’

Lead performer Isabella Kirkwood, 16, who plays Joan of Arc, said she hoped to pursue acting as a career.

She was chosen to work with professional actors as part of the Queensland Youth Theatre’s Youth Ensemble program and has performed in a number of school productions.

“It’s definitely a big responsibility being the lead, but everybody has been very supportive,’’ she said.

Sepiutaruth Toa, 16, who plays opposite Kirkwood as the character Astrid, was also chosen by QTC for its Youth Ensemble.

A moment of high drama in Spontaneous Human Combustion.

Dress rehearsal for tonight’s show.

“Our whole year group has performed together since Year 10, so I think we’ve got it,’’ she said.

“This is a representation of our journey over the last three years.’’

Malini Hooper, 17, who plays the part of eccentric poet Cecilia, said she jumped at the chance to enrol at QACI.

“I’ve always wanted to get into acting, but never had the opportunity because I grew up in rural NSW and in India,’’ she said.

QACI is a 100 per cent selective state school where students study a range of subjects, which can include theatre, as part of the rigorous International Baccalaureat program.

Spontaneous Human Combustion premieres at 6.30pm tonight (May 27) at QACI’s state-of-the-art 350-seat theatre in Musk Ave, Kelvin Grove.

There are also performances on Friday and Saturday nights (May 28 and 29) at 6.30pm.

The public is welcome to attend. Tickets are $10 and available through Eventbrite:

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/spontaneous-human-combustion-tickets-156616432967

A scene from QACI's Spontaneous Human Combustion.

The cast of Spontaneous Human Combustion.

SPONTANEOUS HUMAN COMBUSTION

School Captain Astrid Pollard is on fire. Ever since she was assigned that oral presentation on Joan of Arc, life has sort of… well… spontaneously combusted.

People are looking at How her funny and the frogs in Biology are singing to her.

Help comes in the form of school pariah, Hadley, who convinces Astrid that this might be some kind of divine calling or a mission.

But something darker is swirling beneath the mysterious vigil and it explains the cracks in Astrid’s strangely magical universe.

Directed by Theatre Teachers Dan Crestani and Brad Jennings, Spontaneous Human Combustion is a gritty new play for a contemporary audience that explores how we deal with loss and change.

Performed in the style of Magical Realism, this production showcases the incredible talent of our graduating Theatre students in their final public performance.