Short Blanket

After 2 successful years of producing Australian premieres of published work, Slanted Theatre moves to support local emerging talent with the presentation of Short Blanket by emerging playwright, Matt Bostock. As part of Meraki Arts Bar’s inaugural season, this new play is about a playwright’s big break, which comes with unforeseen strings attached. 

Set in Australia, the play follows the story of Lainey, an emerging Filipinx writer, who is finally given her big break. However, with production resting on an industry showing, Lainey has to learn the difference between telling a good story, and putting on a good show. Fresh off of an acclaimed season in indie theatre, Lainey is given a chance to tell her story on the mainstage. However, due to concerns of ‘alienating their audience’, the show will only be made on the condition that they hold a successful development and showing of the work. From there and throughout, Lainey and the crew wrestle with balancing what they want to say, with what people want to see. Short Blanket is a searing examination of tokenisation, representation, and the ethics of selling stories in places that are seemingly never ready for them.