Julia Faragher

This production contains themes and discussions relating to sexual assault, rape culture, suicide and mental illness, sexual violence and STIs. It also includes violent and explicit body imagery, flashing lights, haze and herbal cigarettes. You hear a seductive voice begin to talk about lavender tea after the lights go down in the Red Stitch Actors' Theatre. You remain subdued in the darkness as the voice asks how you are and amuses you with the sounds of their house, such as the brush of a wipe across a table and a crackle as they open a packet of biscuits. This is only the beginning of an unusual evening drifting through life in the world of Shhhh. Red Stitch’s production of Shhhh marks the Australian premiere of American playwright Clare Barron’s latest work. The play follows two sisters, playwright Shareen (Jessica Clarke) and postal worker Sally (Caroline Lee), through the everyday motions of their lives, navigating sex, illness, pleasure and pain.  After its ASMR-charged opening, Shhhh drops us straight into the middle of a conversation as Kyle (Peter Paltos) tells Shareen a gruesome story about a boat accident which reminded him of her. There’s no real sense of a beginning to the story, and it barrels straight into Shareen and Sally’s worlds. The play briefly glimpses into a few of the intimate moments that make up their lives. A fitting homage to its namesake, the play has a drowsy feel. From the piles of soft blankets and jackets to the pink mountainous backdrop, Ro