Irene Korsten’s latest work, Are You There?, literally came about one day at work, at the front desk. The play features an array of true stories from Korsten’s time working in Aged Care
“I was fielding emails, spreadsheets, the office phone, my mobile phone – it was hectic,” says Korsten, explaining the genesis of the play. “In front of me appeared one of our more silent residents, her ability to verbalise having only recently left her – and I took a breath – the intense double narrative hit home. Here’s me in the middle of this stressful and busy life that seems so important, and here’s this woman, at the end of her life. There was such force in the poignancy of it, the sobering reminder of how unimportant my spreadsheets were (though necessary to the workplace) and then, the writer in me couldn’t help but see the theatricality of it.”
Korsten knew this was something she had to write about one day and put on stage.
Korsten has firsthand knowledge of caring for people with dementia. She was the primary caretaker for her own parents in the last years of their life, one of whom had dementia for 10 years. One thing that is not widely discussed is the after math of having taken on this role, and how incredibly challenging that is to work through – emotionally and physically.
“I have trained in dementia care, and I think the lesson there, most salient to the piece, was about the inner world of the person living with dementia. The emotional world still exists, even with advanced dementia. We were taught about how connections in the brain light up like fireworks just before they degenerate completely. Powerful and poignant imagery right there! This all went towards the creation of the physical world of Lauren – who speaks only three words – but who’s inner world the audience accesses through her physical expression.”
As expected, the work explores aging and death, women and work – although, Korsten is quick to explain, she in no way attempts to provide a definitive expression of those substantial themes.
What came unexpectedly for Korsten was mothers and mothering arising as a theme at the initial read through with the actors and the director.
“I don’t think I was totally aware of it to be honest. It’s interesting what comes through the unconscious. This is unsurprising as there is definitely a ‘femaleness’ to aged care. Not only with the nursing staff but also the residents the residents are mostly female. People often assume it’s because women live longer than men but also, I believe, that the women are the caretakers of men – husbands, fathers – they keep them at home, but when it’s their turn, who is there? Often daughters…and then professional care workers, who are mostly women…”
Unlike some writers, Korsten says she really doesn’t set out to ‘say’ anything in her work. She writes, instead, for the love of characters and authenticity.
“I don’t start with topics, themes, or any politics in mind. However, I did want to get away from the bad news stories about aged care (because that is all that the media is interested in) and show this environment from the point of view of an insider. I have mostly experienced caring, warm, and yes, fun moments within the aged care environment.
I think I’m always trying to write something deeper and more meaningful than it ever ends up being. I’m trying to convey something about being alive and coping and ‘being’.
There’s a quote from Michael Cunnigham in his introduction to Death in Venice that hit me and summed this up far better than I can, “One hopes that the finished [work] will contain not only characters and scenes but a certain larger truth, though that truth, whatever it may be, is impossible to express fully in words . . . beneath the level of active consciousness, something about being alive and being mortal, and that ‘something’, when we try to express it, inevitably eludes us.”
Cunningham, Michael ‘Introduction to Death in Venice by Thomas Mann.’ New York: Ecco, 2004. Nailed it!!”
While tackling serious issues with the work, Irene also really wanted to convey the camaraderie and gallows humour which builds up in environments like aged care facilities, and the joy people find in the little things – eg Fish and Chip Fridays.
“If there is any conversation to be engendered by this piece, it would have to be that death isn’t the only way life can come to an end; grab onto every moment, no matter how late in life.
Oh, and don’t view the elderly as a bunch of symptoms, look deeper, ask some questions – you’ll get many surprises and often a shock – real people dwell there with a lot of stories.”
Korsten says the play has taken about two years, give or take, from initial concept to finished work. The writing started after she finished working in aged care. “A bit of space between the setting, or event(s) is necessary before I can begin any thoughtful writing about something.”
Korsten acknowledges her biggest challenge was how to avoid being overly informational. She didn’t want this to be a didactic piece about aged care.
“That is not interesting to me or an audience. With this piece I am still a writer first, and an aged care worker second. The theatricality takes precedence.
However, the biggest hurdle is always and forever (or so it seems) my internal voice telling me to give up. Let’s face it, no one cares if I write or not (except me), no lives hang in the balance, no livelihoods will be made or broken – so what’s the motivation to keep on when you hit walls? How do you push through with something that feels as if it is of little consequence in the world – especially right now?
Sometimes that’s all we can do, a little bit of creativity in our corner. Do no harm, try and express some humanity. It’s a kind, compassionate piece which felt needed somehow.”
With an aging population, dementia and aged care is in our minds more than ever before. Many people are navigating the emotional and literal terrain of dealing transitioning parents into aged care. Korsten is quick to share her observations and experiences – both hilarious and moving – but would like people to know that firstly, it is a genuinely caring environment.
“No, not everybody who comes into aged care loves it, some residents decry it until the day they die, but the majority end up enjoying it and loving the company, ” she says candidly. “You feel incredibly vulnerable when you’re at home alone and no longer physically capable – I have been home with periods of serious illness on a couple of occasions and felt that vulnerability – so imagine what it’s like when you reach the point where a fall may mean lying there for hours waiting for help.
The other surprise is probably rather obvious, and that is, everybody has a story, and boy do they! I literally had an abundance of riches to draw on for this. I had to leave much of it out otherwise we’d be having a three hour show and two intervals! It was heartbreaking though – how do you choose what goes in and what stays?
I have nothing but enjoyable memories of working in aged care. I met wonderful people, both staff and residents, heard stories from generations that are no longer with us. Someone who was sent to Hiroshima after the war for the ‘clean up’, or who were the first air ‘hostesses’ for TAA, or the first woman to wear a bikini in Australia, stories of people who came here from refugee camps after WW2, or the more everyday stories of farming and community service. People wanted to talk, to tell their stories and be heard – I could harvest a thousand plays from working in aged care.”
Winner of a Green Room award for writing for Ordinary Misery, and Highly Commended at the Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards. Korsten has written plays, one-person shows and written and performed stand-up comedy. Korsten is a graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts (drama) as well as being a graduate of RMIT’s Professional Writing and Editing Diploma.
As a creative she loves to tell stories with as much psychological, emotional and relationship authenticity as possible. Preferably the kind of internal stuff we struggle to admit to ourselves.
“I delve into people’s inner worlds and their family of origin with abandon, it’s always what most interests me about someone when I meet them, though not always a topic you can broach immediately that’s for sure!
I find the return journey from a dark place, like addiction or depression (or at least the attempt to return) far more interesting than say, the addiction itself.”
Korsten started her career in the entertainment industry as a stand–up comic and says that humour has been a saving grace throughout her life, as well as a smoke screen on occasion.
“I always love to find a balance of humour and poignancy in my work. I like it rhythmically – yes, give the audience a break is the way I sometimes see it, give things contrast. I think as much about rhythm as I do about content. With this piece, I also gave a great deal of thought to the physicality of the characters – that was new territory for me – and not just the obvious movement work that’s contained within it, but how do they move in this space, what is THEIR physical rhythm.”
A premiere season of writer Irene Korsten’s latest work, Are You There? brings together a talented team of Melbourne creatives including director Rachel Baring and actors Jane Clifton, Melanie Madrigali and Rosemary Johns. Running for a limited time at the Explosive’s Factory in St Kilda, this new Australian dark comedy from Wild Boar Theatre Company (Korsten formed the theatre company during Covid lock downs, and this is the inaugural production) promises to liven up a crisp Spring night.
Says Korsten, “Although I’ve obviously banged on about aged care here – don’t think of it that way (honestly, if I was told a play was about aged care I’d think ‘shit, that’s boring’). The aged care environment here serves as context rather than the sole aspect of this play. It’s really about three very different women, thrust together in a small space over a long and tumultuous Friday.
It’s totally relatable no matter your age or circumstances. I mean seriously, this is for anyone who’s ever juggled work and off-spring, aged parents, difficult customers – you name it. Come for the humour and the humanity and stay for some brilliant direction, acting and comic timing!”
September 3 – 13
