Weeks after the controversial termination of its lease, Sydney’s Divine Playhouse has risen from the ashes, heading to the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia for a three-night stand dubbed UNHOLY / DIVINE.
Taking place throughout the month of October, UNHOLY / DIVINE is officially described as an event which will bring together more than 50 independent artists at one of Australia’s major contemporary art institutions to celebrate the “power of difference, dissent and divine mischief”.
Launching on October 8th, An Unholy Funeral plans to lay the memories of Divine Playhouse to rest, with attendees urged to war their best “high fashion funeral veil” for a what is described as a party to die for – complete with processions, hymns, and performance spaces curated by artists throughout the Foundation Hall.
Two weeks later, on October 22nd, the MCA’s ongoing Late program will bring with it An Unholy Rebirth, with the “heavenly awakening” set to celebrate with themes of resurrection and joy. The following week, on October 29th, A Delicious Indiscretion is all about indulgence, with forbidden fruits, confessions, and naughty arts” all part of the evening’s fare.
Tickets to the three events are available now via the MCA’s website.
The nascent announcement of the return of the Divine Playhouse’s artistic endeavours comes months after the performance, live music, and arts pop-up venue and bar – housed in a former church which was deconsecrated in the 1930s, and had previously operated as a theatre, homeless shelter, and a children’s school – opened under a one-year lease in July.
However, the joy was short-lived, and on July 8th, a group of 70 people gathered outside the venue to protest against its events, and on July 9th, landlords sent a “notice of breach” to the venue’s events organisers, Heaps Gay Events, accusing them of insulting and mocking “religious beliefs of millions of Christian Australians.”
After generating much publicity in regard to their plight, on July 20th, Divine Playhouse revealed that its landlord – Sydney property development company Revelop – had given them days to vacate following the termination of the venue's lease, claiming "offensive trade" as the reason for their decision.
For those playing at home, "offensive trade" is not exactly a common reason for lease termination. In fact, in the 184 years since it was implemented in New South Wales law to regulate foul smells and industrial waste, not once has a court been asked to consider if this terminology extends to matters of 'moral' offensiveness.
“Our sense of injustice is overwhelming,” said Kat Dopper, the founder of Divine Playhouse and HG Events. “Divine Playhouse was created as a critical new cultural home for diverse artists and communities from all over Sydney and New South Wales.”
“That’s freedom of expression in Australia right now: some voices get amplified, others get evicted. In this case it feels like bigotry masquerading as moral victory,” Dopper added.
“This isn't about Divine versus Revelop. It's so much bigger. If a landlord's personal beliefs can shut down an arts venue, no stage in this country is safe. Who decides what art is acceptable? Right now, the answer is whoever owns the building.”
After attempts to locate a new venue, and in the wake of Divine Playhouse’s return to the MCA, Dopper is far more pleased about the nature of the latest announcement.
“When a small venue disappears, the city doesn’t just lose a room,” she explains. “It loses a place where grassroots artists can test ideas, communities can gather and culture can be born before it reaches the mainstream.
“I am delighted that the MCA has offered to open its doors and let artists be heard.”
UNHOLY / DIVINE at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia
Thursday, October 8th
MOURN! WEEP! WAIL! An Unholy Funeral – The Death Of Divine!
Aunty Jonny
Brendan Del La Hay
Divacups
Fei Gao
Ian Thomas
Jessica Dunn
La Figa
Lesbionica
Like Like Like
Neil Beatie
Nikkita Iman
Porcelain Alice
Skye Gellmann
Stereogamous
The Bombshells
Thursday, October 22nd
BLISS! DEVOTION! ADORATION! An Unholy Rebirth – Resurrection And Joy
Angels Only DJs
Anso
Boye Sivan
Cheryn Frost & Emma Kew
El Beauty
Gogo Bumhole
La Figa
Matt Vaughan
Ruby Teys & Sharon Manhattan
Sparkles Is Back
Unholy Drag Choir
Victoria Falcona
Thursday, October 29th
PLEASURE! VICE! DESIRE! A Delicious Indiscretion – Forbidden Fruits, Confessions And Naughty Arts
Augie
Basija
Charlie Villas
Cyrus
Fetu
Glory Holiness with Jamie James
Godsexkidofacid
Jiggy
La Figa
Leen Reith
Mama Medusa
Sexy Galexy
Sharon Manhattan
Sharkie
Venus
