The Bleeding Tree

Angus Cerini’s play focuses on the ongoing violence against women, challenging notions of disempowerment and using black humour to present confrontation. To preserve the clarity of Cerini’s words, the design for this Hobart performance needed to be uncluttered and restrained, providing a backdrop that echoes the emotion and enhances the starkness of the work. The design reflects the narrative arc of the work from constraint, oppression and volatility through to strength, stability and regaining control. A symbolic minimalist form amplifies the play and its storytelling, mirroring the narrative shift from oppression to empowerment.