Bumpy Angels

Until recently, pregnancies out of wedlock were considered a shameful event, that should be hidden away from society. Girls who were pregnant were placed in institutions, often under the care of Catholic nuns, to await the birth. The girls, some of whom were as young as fourteen, worked within the home, to pay for their upkeep. Queensland theatre director Jim Vile delivered laundry to the Home of the Good Shepherd, while a university student in WA. His recollections of the girls in white who rushed to the barred windows to watch him unload his van, inspired Sue Rider's play BUMPY ANGELS. BUMPY ANGELS is the story of a group of pregnant girls waiting out their confinements while working in the laundry of a Catholic institution and is set in 1954 during the hype and excitement of the Queen's Australian tour. An important play, not only for its historical perspective of the 1950's, but because it deals with social issues that remain relevant almost fifty years later, such as adoption, incest and racial and religious tolerance. Despite (or perhaps because of) its social focus, BUMPY ANGELS is an extremely funny play. Fans of 1950's music will enjoy the contemporary music that features throughout the production. Directed by Kimberley Shaw, the cast includes Kyla Hall, Katrina Dunn , Kym Garlett-Gray, Gemma Northover, Sharon Malcolm, Angela Trevithick-Webb, Tracey Small, Barbara-Nova Cameron, Amy Leeder and Veronica Fourie.