Frederick Irwin Anglican School graduate Sarah Christiner has been busy rehearsing for her next performance in The Other Side - a play that highlights the hardships faced by homeless women.
The show follows a troubled woman named Kate who has suffered a great tragedy, portraying her during different stages of life by three different actors.
An amalgamation of the arts, it takes audiences through a photographic exhibition, ensconced in carefully selected music, culminating in the presentation of a play telling the story.
Christiner, who plays the youngest one of the Kates, said her character was inspired by women the cast had encountered in their professional and personal lives.
"Most of us have come across Kates - whether in health, education, law or hospitality, so it's important to understand she is in no way make-believe," she said.
"But while we may see the fade of these Kates, we rarely get a glimpse of the world from her side of the fence.
"Our aim for this event is to present this other side of life with sensitivity and care and to make an enlightening impact."
Presented by Life on Hold Productions, The Other Side takes audiences through a photographic exhibition, matched with carefully selected music, before culminating in a play about Kate.
Director Siobhan O'Gara said she loved plays and scripts that spoke to the human condition and were steeped in social reality.
"Homelessness is a growing issue in our society and does not discriminate between professionals, the educated or dispossessed and is a leveller in an uncaring world," she said.
"But it's important to avoid sensationalising the issue and to present the story in a way that elicits sympathy and understanding for the character - and of the condition."
The Other Side will perform at the Victoria Park Centre at 7.30pm on July 26 and at 6pm and 8pm on July 20 and 27.
For more information, or to purchase tickets, visit the Try Booking website.
