Darren Vizer

S_T_I_G_M_A

We Reached our Target, now our next goal, $5622

With extra money we can give a complmentary ticket to the HIV positive community members from VAC and Positive Living Centre, who are kindly letting us use their space to rehearse, who other wise would not be able to attend, we now want to give back to the community for this wonderful support we have received. 

We are presenting a confrontational live theatre and movement performance, examining Prejudices, Discrimination & Stigma: experienced by people living with HIV when entering into sexual relationships.  Exposing the incensing responses of the general population

'We are inviting the HIV positive community into rehearsal process, to give them a voice from their lived experiences of HIV Stigma.

A first stage development, unifying dance & acting for story telling, to be performed at La Mama Courthouse for Midsumma 2017.

Our Mission

To confront self-hatred imposed by mass culture,  ignorance of the ill-informed and commercial media that implies people living with HIV are dirty and need to apologise for their status. 

How 'Stigma' started.

This started from an idea in my head, I felt the compulsion to confront the stigma of living with HIV based on my own personal lived experiences. Frequently when I chat to people and I selectively disclose my HIV status, instantly I am treated differently, I get this look like 'poor you', 'Im sorry to hear'.  When I chat with gay men I am often referred to as 'Your Not Clean' or 'Dirty' this has a huge impact and can affect my mental health if I let it. I am giving a proposal and a response, as a gay male who continues to experience this.  

We had an early research development in June 2017 at sponsored by The Space Dance Centre, supported by Living Positive Victoria, produced by Devize Co.  Rory Godbold, Sam Duncan. Images By Darren Gill

NOW 

Currently, I believe the inclusion of woman's voice was relevant, to incorporate a more diverse story sharing their lived experience of HIV Stigma, frequently less heard in Australia, not as an echo, but as a platform for equality. We are working with women living with HIV, whos stories are portrayed by Tascha Flowers.  

From Tina Chow and American model, jewelry designer, and influential fashion icon of the 1970s and 1980s, who die of Aids related illnes at 41 in 1992 to the general population, HIV Stigma is not exclusive to gay men. Its a virus effecting the human condition. 

In Partnership

The Team

DIRECTOR & CHOREOGRAPHER Darren Vizer

CREATIVE CONSULTANT Bagryana Popov

ACTOR/MOVER Rory Godbold  
ACTOR/MOVER Tascha Flowers
ACTOR/MOVER Sam Duncan

COSTUMES & SET DESIGNER Soma Garner

LIGHTING DESIGNER Bronwyn Pringle

SOUND COMPOSITION & DESIGNER Zac Kazepis
SOUND COMPOSITION Nedd Jones  

PRODUCTION MANAGER Meika Clark  

A DEVIZE CO Production

Jump aboard our Facebook page and be a part of our community!

https://business.facebook.com/devizecostigma/

We want to pay the artists, performers and collaborators fees for their contribution to this project,  so they can storytell the Stigma  people living with HIV face.

We need pledges for  sets, props, costumes, documentation, marketing and promotion.

What your pledges will do. 

They foster  an original theatre work ‘Stigma’, using motivational method acting techniques and dance.

You will help examine a relevant topic ‘Stigma’ breaking down barriers, discrimination, prejudices and human rights for a marginalised community, people living with HIV are not dirty.

Give a voice to everyday lived experiences of HIV stigma, fearlessly challenging perceptions through storytelling, intolerance of someone’s disability is a human rights issue.   Incorporate my own and Kim Davis’s lived experience of HIV stigma, along with invited Melbournes HIV community members into rehearsal process to inform the work.

Three weeks of collaboration in the rehearsal studio at The Space Dance Centre in Prahran, three public showings at La Mama Theatre during Midusmma festival in 2017.

The material developed and gathered filmed documentation for second stage development.

Breaking down HIV Stigma is a global challenge, more Women now are living with HIV than Men. Many living in fear and shame.

People around the world are too frightened and unable to disclose their status, because of persecution, cultural, religious beliefs, socio-economic, career and family.

We want to make it easier for people live out in the open about their status, show the world all people living with HIV, healthy capable human beings with feelings who are clean.

Devize co is an independent theatre company which receives no funding at this stage, we believe all artists should be paid well for their contribution to society and the value they add to the human race, to make a better world.