Showing at Melbourne Fringe Festival, the dark comedy Years Years Bears explores all things cults and true crime podcasts.
Years Years Bears, set to show at this year’s Melbourne Fringe Festival, is a brand new play that questions our fixation with true crime podcasts.
Written and directed by Cypriot-Australian Cassandra-Elli Yiannacou, this dark comedy follows a true crime podcast detailing the events of a brutal murder years past. The murder takes place in a community hall where an ex-cult member support group is at work.
Years Years Bears
- 16-19 October, 5:45 pm
- Festival Hub Trades Hall
- Tickets: $30, concession $22
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The podcast delves into what caused the group to turn against each other and how it led to murder. Feel the emersion of a live podcast experience with live reenactments of the incident, newly revealed transcripts and of course, paid ads!
However, as the distressing story moves along, the victim comes to rewrite her story. Experience this meta-story from October 16 to 19 at Festival Hub Trades Hall.
Years Years Bears stems from writer Cassandra’s recognition that true crime plays a large role in entertainment and that there’s been a long-term obsession with the genre.
While Cassandra understands that crime stories are often thrilling and fascinating, she also sees how “we eat up the tragedy of someone who can never tell their own story” and recognises it as an ethical conundrum.
With the whole cast being true crime fans, the story is a chance for their own reflection, as much as the audiences. As much as the story is intended to make you laugh, it’s also intended to make you see things differently.
Working in collaboration with Wildefang Theatre Company, Cassandra is fresh from delivering The 13th Month which premiered in Sydney. She is also a winner of the Ultimo Prize, having her short fiction published by Ultimo Press.
Her writing is intended to be a fierce interrogation of the present day and is categorised by political, historical and scientific themes. With such heavy themes, melding with comedy can be difficult, but that’s just what Years Years Bears does.
With such a twist on true crime podcasts we know and love, Years Years Bears is thought-provoking and captivating. You might gasp and you might scream, but you’re certain to laugh in this brand new dark comedy.
Go buy yourself a ticket to Years Years Bears here.
This article was made in partnership with Years Years Bears.
