“A new vignette play for youth performers…”

Join us as we sit down with HUB Resident Xanthe Jones to chat all things Australian Gothic, youth theatre, and original work.

Welcome, Xanthe, to your HUB Residency! Can you give us a quick introduction of yourself and your practice?
I’m Xanthe Jones, a Brisbane-based writer, director & designer working in theatre, immersive performance, and cross-disciplinary collaboration. My focus is on creating high-quality original work and opportunities for emerging performers.

You’re joining the HUB Residency program this year to develop your work Rate of Decay, can you tell us a bit more about the project?
Rate of Decay is an Australian Gothic vignette play for youth performers, combining live theatre and multimedia to explore darker themes through short-form scenes.

Rate of Decay will have its first showing later this year at the Backbone Festival. What do you magine an audience member might say when they leave the performance?

“Every performer had a distinct moment to shine, and the stories were rooted in Australian true crime and gothic lore, which I found intense and thought-provoking.” - Future Backbone Festival Audience Member

Finally, we’d love to know what you are most grateful for in your residency at Backbone?
I’m grateful for the space and resources to finalise the script, explore its adaptability, and collaborate with young performers and filmmakers in a supportive professional development context.

We can’t wait to follow Xanthe and her collaborators as this project develops! Watch this space for new developments and process updates about Rate of Decay.