"All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players," said Shakespeare. Though some players' lives seem to pack more drama than most of us. This could be said of Soul Theatre Inc founder Alicia Liley, whose whole life has been much like a dramatic play.
At the age of 18, Alicia was young and beautiful, and as the doorway to life was just opening before her, a near fatal car accident caused her to be declared clinically dead in the ambulance on the way to the hospital.
Written off by doctors as a vegetable with the inability to walk, talk or write, yet again Alicia defied all odds and after 8 weeks in a coma and 10 months in hospital, with much hard work, determination and perseverance, she remarkably came back into mainstream life as a normal human being. One might think this in itself is quite an achievement, but Alicia Liley is not only a walking miracle, but also a philanthropist of the highest order.
She founded the Soul Theatre Inc in Melbourne, which performs plays that confront attitudes of narrow mindedness, bigotry, injustice and ignorance, and which highlight discrimination against the disadvantaged.
"The Soul Theatre takes over my life," laughs Alicia. "It is the driving force."
Currently married with two lovely children, the only perceivable scar is a slight impediment in her speech, yet even now, years later she still feels the sting of discrimination. "People often think that I am drunk or stoned," she says.
Prior to the accident, her ambition was to be a famous actress so that she could influence the world in promoting love, generosity, compassion and caring for one another while eradicating greed, hatred, injustice and war.
"The accident somewhat hindered this," Alicia giggles. "But it hasn't altered my desire to help others, just not quite on a global scale – just yet."
The creation of Soul Theatre Inc has similar ideals by bringing to the attention of the general public various issues in an educational and entertaining way. For those who cannot speak for themselves, it provides "a voice for the voiceless", adds her husband Mack.
Always struggling to make ends meet, Alicia is by necessity multitasked, taking on the role of producer, chairman, actor, production manager, public relations person and fundraiser.
Chrysalis, the new play that opens in August, is a legal drama based on the true life cases of nine English women who were jailed because of multiple SIDS.
"It is a new work by playwright Dina Ross who, though English, has lived in Melbourne for 12 years," Alicia explains. The story is about Annie, a mother whose three children die from SIDS. Annie is accused of total negligence.
"The script is poetic and well researched on this issue," says Alicia. "It has an interesting twist as Steffie – the Council for the Defence – is childless, is a black woman and was herself an adopted child." Alicia also said that she finds it ironic that Steffie remains childless while she is defending a mother who easily gets pregnant yet has lost three of her babies.
Directed by David Myles and produced by Alicia herself, the play has been included in the VCE curriculum.
Chrysalis opens at the Carlton Courthouse at 349 Drummond Street, Carlton, which is run by La Mama Theatre. The audience can sit up close to the players in both these theatres even though the Courthouse is the bigger venue with 88 seats.
"It is intimate theatre," says Maureen Hartley, publicity officer of La Mama Theatre. "And yes, performing arts can make a difference. We have an open door policy. That's what La Mama is for – to produce for new Australian work so that anybody at whatever stage of their career can submit."
The opening night for Chrysalis is August 6 and it runs until August 23, with performances on Wednesdays and Sundays at 6.30pm, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, Wednesday August 13 and 20 at 1pm and Thursday August 7, 14 and 21 at 11am. To book, call (03) 9347 6142 or visit
www.soultheatre.org.au for more information.
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