Review: PUSH
Picture: PUSH, Screech Arts at the Anywhere Festival Paint Factory Hub (NOT a Creative Futures Photography Image, source Screech Arts Facebook page).
Screech Arts is an innovative and inclusive performing arts school, run by CPL – Choice, Passion, Life who work with people with a disability to live the life they choose. Each time I have the opportunity to go to see a Screech Arts show I lock it in, as I know I will see something that will impress, engage and move audiences. We are so very fortunate to have such a talented ensemble of artists and creatives who bring innovative, heartfelt, and thought-provoking stories to the stage. For PUSH cast and creatives include Danielle Carty, Aidan Chauncy, Dylan Geary, Dale Gonelli, Mags Doherty, Micheal Doust, Danielle Stewart (Actors Ensemble Members), together with Keri Bertwistle & Jasmin Cox (Dance Troupe guest performers) and with Danielle Brew, Sarah McGill, Niala Lewis, Cristina Morales-Diaz, Wendy Chauncy (Screech Support Staff), and a creative team led by Lynne Bradley (Director), Sarah McGill (Choreographer), and Niala Lewis (Dramaturg / Writer).
PUSH premiered at the Paint Factory Festival Hub over the closing weekend of the 2025 Anywhere Festival. Directed by Zen Zen Zo’s physical theatre pioneer Lynne Bradley, the show has been developed in collaboration with neurodivergent writer Niala Lewis. Combining physical theatre, music, dance, and storytelling, across a series of more than a dozen scenes, PUSH explores so very many aspects of the word ‘push’—from the opening pushing of the broom, through to speaking about ‘pushing past the limit[s],’ and being brave enough to ‘push my boundaries.’
PUSH lives up to the promotion of being ‘Screech Arts at their boldest [… and is] frank, funny, and fearless.’ In challenging stigma and preconceptions, the scenes that address issues of infantilisation and sex were the most direct; in the words of the artists, ‘I have grown, they groan at me […] forever young they say, even as my hair turns grey.’ The performers drew whoops from the audience in response to the enthusiastic and sexy interpretation of Bishop Briggs’ ‘River’—hitting home with the message about everyone deserving ‘love and connection.’
Screech Arts shows benefit from a talented group of support workers, family members, and fellow creatives, including the excellent work on sound and spot-on musical choices in PUSH (the show opens with ‘Push The Sky Away’ and closes with the Salt-N-Pepa ‘Push It’ … of course!). But it is the artist/performers who are the real stars. My personal favourite moments included the poignant scene that contrasted the impacts of different teaching styles, the ‘I’m glad I pushed myself; instead of sitting at home watching TV I’m on it!’ piece, the dance sets, and the clever responses to each of the word prompts (particularly everyone’s interpretation of ‘free’ and ‘successful’).
PUSH is a clever, insightful, and important piece of theatre. The show closes with Bradley’s challenge to the audience: ‘when life holds us back, we push […] The question is, will you push with us too?’ I hope that Screech Arts find future opportunities to bring this work to a wider audience, and to attract future advocates and supporters—whether on a more conventional inner-city stage, or back in the fabulous Paint Factory Anywhere Festival Hub.
Audience information: Push, The Paint Factory Festival Hub, 115 Hyde Road, Yeronga (1-2 August 2025, shows at 2pm and 6pm). Tickets $30. 12+/PG, as one piece has sexual references and sexualised dance moves—noting that the producers suggest rating of M. 60 minutes.
The reviewer attended the 2 August 2025 matinee performance.