5 Questions with Poona
(Elsa Tuet-Rosenberg as Poona in Poona)
No.1
Many people know that Poona Li Hung is a figure made up by One Nation supporters in their 1997 book Pauline Hanson: The Truth, which alongside paranoid imaginary of Poona as an ‘Asian lesbian cyborg ruler’ contains other racist and vile assertions about First Nations people and POC. What resulted in you both deciding to bring this figure to life through a satirical show?
Well the excerpt is such a cruel but hilarious gem of creative writing, for starters… it was an irresistible provocation. And the idea that Poona is this nightmare-ish figure whose very identity represents ‘political correctness gone mad’ was laughable to us, hence our decision to turn her into the protagonist of a more aspirational portrait of 2050 so-called Australia. We also discovered [that] using relations between humans, cyborgs and robots as a cipher for racism was full of possibilities for nuance and humour in terms of exploring heavy themes, which was very inspiring.
No.2
Tell us a little bit about the creative process. How did the team come together, and what did the collaborative process look like in terms of developing the show?
Roshelle had done spoken word and performance gigs about Poona over the years and really wanted to bring her into the world on a larger scale. In 2019 Poona got the green-light from Next Wave Festival, and we came together to develop a sci-fi interactive theatre show combining our skills and creative sensibilities. Our collaborative process has involved knowledge-sharing, interviewing MPs of colour, learning from our cast and creatives, and getting into a groove developing the story and script with a united voice. Google Docs has been very helpful with that!
No.3
In the event synopsis, it is mentioned that the audience for each showing will be given canapés. Is there much of an audience participatory aspect to Poona? Give us a sneak peek.
The canapes have been dialled back in line with COVID safe protocols, but aside from that there’s lots of audience interaction to look forward to (and the option to be more passive if you want!). Audience members will be assigned specific roles on Poona’s core team, and their collective responses to a number of election cycle crises will decide Poona’s fate, and that of the nation. So basically, you determine the outcome of the show—no pressure!
No.4
What challenges or surprises did the team encounter in the making of Poona? And what do you hope audiences will take away from the show?
Having to postpone the show [last year] was certainly a surprise, but of course not unique to Poona. For a while, it was challenging not to fall into sci-fi tropes and create a dystopian universe, especially considering the toxic nature of the source material. But once we locked into more everyday examples of how we’d like workplaces, friendships and relationships to be in the future, it became easier to represent models of healthy living and loving amidst the chaos and robophobia of 2050. We hope audiences will walk away from the show feeling invigorated to keep pushing for a world where someone like Poona could be Prime Minister.
No.5
Do you have any advice for young and/or aspiring theatre-makers of colour? What is something you wish you had heard when you just began that can help as a resource now?
Making art should be more about the process than the outcome. Find collaborators you respect, who respect you back. Find artists you want to learn from and grow with, and hold safe spaces to play and experiment together without fear.
In 1997, the controversial book, Pauline Hanson: The Truth imagined Australia in the year 2050, run by Poona, a “lesbian… of Indian and Chinese background” and… a cyborg. Roshelle Fong and Keziah Warner bring Poona to life in this necessary and timely interactive theatre work.
As a Poona staffer on the campaign trail, only you can navigate the election cycle to determine your candidate’s future. Fasten your ‘Vote Poona’ badge, collect that last-minute polling data, and brace yourself – will Poona be voted Cyborg in Chief? The fate of the nation is up to you.
Poona opens at Next Wave from Tues 11 May to Sun 23 May at the Chinese Museum. Get your tickets here.