Footscray’s Bluestone Church Arts Space will host the premiere of a groundbreaking new play by Australian trans writer and performer Em Chandler on Thursday, August 28.
‘Numa and Karl: Extraordinary Man That He Was’ shines a light on the untold story of Karl Heinrich Ulrich, a pioneering queer activist in 19th century Germany, who, in 1867, became the first person in modern history to publicly speak out for the rights of homosexuals.
Long before Stonewall or Pride, Ulrichs laid the philosophical groundwork for queer liberation, and fittingly, ‘Numa and Karl’ will open on the bicentenary of his birth.
The following day, August 19, marks the 158th anniversary of the moment for which Ulrich is remembered, the speech he gave to the Assembly of German Jurists demanding the rights of homosexuals be recognised.
Chandler’s play reimagines this momentous act through a rich blend of historical drama and theatrical poetry.
Accompanied by his fictional confidant Numa, Karl retraces a life marked by love, exile, resistance, and imagination and details the emotional and intellectual struggles he endured fighting to live and love openly.
The opening night performance of ‘Numa and Karl’ will be followed with a celebratory post-show gala event, including drinks and a special address by Em Chandler, honouring Ulrichs’ legacy.
The play produced by Sevenfold Theatre Company, directed by acclaimed theatre-maker Alanah Guiry and featuring a cast and crew made up of LGBTQIA+ and allied artists will then continue until September 13.
Information and tickets: https://events.humanitix.com/numa-and-karl-extraordinary-man-that-he-was
