A couple of months ago, I was invited by the Melbourne Writers’ Festival to host a couple of post-show Q&As for their theatre series ‘Staged’. I was absolutely thrilled. I hadn’t been back in Melbourne since December 2016 and on August 26th 2018, I took on the role of a Q&A chairperson for the first time. 
I had a chance to lead the post-show discussions for two remarkable pieces of Australian theatre. With Monster/Woman, a black comedy on the story of Medusa, we discussed feminism, the power of storytelling, and comedy With The Aspie Hour, a cabaret on two twenty-somethings living with Asperger’s Syndrome, we talked about vulnerability, authenticity and mental health.
I felt (and still do feel) so, so lucky to have had the opportunity to be part of such an inviting, progressive space. I was so proud and happy to be able to lead and participate in conversations that I would never ordinarily have a chance to. Plus, the whole experience served as a timely reminder that theatre has the power to bring people together. With theatre, we can take a hard look at matters of life and death, and to know what it truly means to be human.
Patricia Tobin 