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April's Fool
by David Burton
THEMES: Drug Culture, Drug Overdose, Death
LENGTH: 60 Minutes
CAST SIZE: 9+
SUITABLE FOR: Senior Years
CHARACTER AGES: 15-50
A powerful story of love, loss, and sadness with touching humour.
$25.95
Description
In April 2009, two weeks short of his nineteenth birthday, Toowoomba teenager Kristjan Terauds died due to complications from illicit drug use. Using the words of Kristjan’s friends and family interviewed over many months, and inspired by the journal of Kristjan’s father, David Burton has dramatised a powerful story of love, loss, and sadness, with touching humour.
April’s Fool is a thought-provoking, memorable, and ultimately optimistic reflection on the choices we make and how they affect those we love.
Production History
April’s Fool was originally commissioned by Empire Theatre Project Company, Toowoomba and has since toured to Brisbane and surrounding regions. Nominated for the Queensland Premier’s Drama Literary Award in 2011. April’s Fool also toured nationally in 2012.
ISBN: 978 1921390 07 4
Education Notes
TEACHERS’ NOTES INCLUDED IN PUBLICATION
These materials are designed to assist students’ understanding and appreciation of the play April’s Fool by David Burton and the issues it raises. The activities have been designed for a classroom setting and are broken into two sections; section one activities explore verbatim theatre, while the second section provides activities and material to explore the issues, including substance abuse, that arises from the production.
Reviews
"Heart-breakingly beautiful theatre."
— Stage Whispers, 2011
"April’s Fool” is not foolish theatre, it is wise theatre that is speaking with the reality and totality of human experience. I salute and applaud this show and all those associated with bringing it to Brisbane. It is this subject matter of which there is a crying need, these are the stories we need to hear and this is the way we need to hear them. They have incalculable cultural and human value as we, in this most isolating and disconnected time, need more than ever to connect to each other, our emotions and the issues that confront and challenge ourselves and our society."
— Theatre People
"If theatre is meant to move you and provoke thoughts and emotions, April’s Fool is a surefire winner"
— The Chronicle, 2010
"April’s Fool is sweet agony. David Burton did justice to this story with his decision to write the script with ‘verbatim’ dialogue gathered from family, community and the diary kept by Kristjan Terauds’ father during the ordeal of Kristjan’s death. These words, little stitches of life, are masterfully woven by Burton into a tapestry timeline of the last days of Kristjan."
— Aussie Theatre
"April’s Fool re-creates the memory of a smart, bright, beloved young man.... It’s that potency that makes April’s Fool more than just a play – it’s a potential lifesaver."
— Courier Mail
Performance Rights
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Performance Rights Enquiry Form
Any performance or public reading of any text published by Playlab is forbidden unless a licence has been received from the author or the author’s agent. The purchase of a Playlab publication in no way gives the purchaser the right to perform the play in public, whether by means of a staged production or as a reading. Please direct all inquiries concerning performance rights, publication, translation or recording rights to info@playlabtheatre.com.au or call us on (07) 3220 2763.