Metamorphosis (2020) — Jason Forrest

Jason Forrest

Jason Forrest is an Australian director, creative and educator working across theatre, film and performance internationally. Currently undertaking a Master of Fine Arts in Directing at NIDA, his practice centres on inquiry-led collaboration, performer agency and rigorous process. With three decades in the arts, Jason brings depth, clarity and a distinctly human approach to contemporary storytelling.

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The Red Shoes
15–18 & 21–25 Apr 7:00 PM
The Loading Dock Theatre
Presented at Qtopia Sydney

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Drama Education

Metamorphosis

Theatre

2020

A devised ensemble performance exploring change,
loss and the necessity of letting go.

Year: 2020
Role: Director / Facilitator
Category: Theatre (Drama Education)

Institution: Fintona Girls’ School
Program: VCE Drama – Unit 3
Venue: Drama Studio

Developed in response to the central stimulus of metamorphosis, this production invited students to draw from a wide range of visual art, literature and cultural references to devise original performance work. Each ensemble followed a rigorous play-making process, resulting in two distinct yet thematically connected pieces.

Created over an extended development period, the work mirrored its own subject matter — as both the performances and the performers evolved through rehearsal, delay and refinement. Across both pieces, a shared idea emerged: to evolve, one must let go. Without release, growth becomes impossible.

The first work, Baggage Claim, follows five disconnected characters waiting on a train platform — a central metaphor for change and agency. As opportunities pass, some characters move forward while others remain suspended, unable to evolve. The second work, Five Stages, examines grief through the lens of a widower navigating loss, unfolding across five scenes that reflect the emotional stages of mourning through varied performance styles.