Metropolis Now

Interior - Max, Rufus and Sam’s apartment – the old Metropolis Megaplex - Evening. Once a thriving cinema where families would come for Sunday outings and teens and twentysomethings would come for an awkward first date is now overpriced budget accommodation. Inside, a community of mostly struggling artists, musicians, dancers and writers make ends meet. Just. A creative commune that capitalism, greed and artificial intelligence forgot. A new Bohemia.
 
Inspired by 'RENT' and 'La Boheme', this new play featuring songs from the 80s and 90s imagines a dystopian future where AI has ransacked the arts industry, corporate greed has escalated the cost of living and sustainability crises, and despite technological and scientific advancements a cure for cancer remains elusive.
 
Sam yearns for acceptance from their family. Rufus' creative inspiration left with his ex-girlfriend. Max hides his fear that life is leaving him behind. Emma is caught between ambition and the reality that her dreams don't pay the rent. And while Colin and Zoe's relationship is tested by burgeoning insecurities, Mimi finds the courage to be vulnerable despite the uncertainty of her future.
 
Exploring themes such as anxiety about the future and the state of the world, mental health, fear, mortality, sexuality, identity, relationships and the unmatched power of hope, 'Metropolis Now' is a timely homage to 'RENT' and 'La Boheme' that begs the audience to see that hope and authenticity are the greatest acts of rebellion in a society that too often perpetuates fear. 
 
Two versions are available - one with songs and one without.
 
Running time approximately 80 minutes (with songs) and 70 minutes without.
 
The playwright does not own copyright to the songs. These must be applied for via APRA/AMCOS and/or the license holder direct.