The Nestmakers – Betty Sweetlove

Artist 

Betty Sweetlove is an early-career, playwright and performer interested in theatre that generates expansive, joyful and high-emotion collective experiences. Her love of theatre sits alongside her interest in history and heritage, understanding both storytelling and history writing as great responsibilities and powerful tools. In her current practice as a playwright, she explores climate disaster, collective action, utopia and dystopia, amongst many other related themes.   

Following the work of eco-feminist thinkers and performance artists, she is interested in theatre that offers an antidote to despair, prioritises audience wellbeing and energises people’s capacity for dreaming radical dreams. Similarly, in an age of non-stop streaming and screen time, she’s interested in theatre that generates spaces of refuge from the demands of screens, hoping to make work that brings people together in unexpected moments of care, collaboration and connection.  

Development Process 

Betty had undergone the first development of the script and held a reading at Totem Theatre in 2021. Following this, she decided the script needed a review and to be worked through with a cast of actors. She applied to Project Seed to develop the full-scale show of The Nestmakers.    

Two intensive development weeks were held in the Red Hot Arts Central Australia studio; an intensive script development with the support of a dramaturg and creative consultant/mentor. The script revision allowed for further development of the concept and tightening of characters and plot.   

The second phase of development involved full-time rehearsals with a dramaturg-director and three actors.  

Outcome 

The Nestmakers was performed twice at Desert Festival 2022, with audiences at full capacity. It took place on the main stage at the festival Hub, The Gap View Hotel, and greatly utilised the large LED screen behind the stage, augmenting reality into the dystopian future of the play. 

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