THE MEETING

About the show

AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE Stetson’s play imagines a secret meeting between Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X, exploring the opposing views of these two great Black leaders. One man sees an advance to freedom through revolutionary active struggle, using violence if necessary, the other is dedicated to non-violent means and peaceful demonstration. The Meeting engages in a debate about revolution, change and freedom that remains as relevant now as the day it was written. As playwright, Jeff Stetson observes: “At its heart, the play is about the power of love to overcome these obstacles that deny us the ability to empathise with those who are different and yet share the same dreams and experience the same pain.” Red Stitch’s production delivers a physically charged contemporary reimagining of Stetson’s story, honouring these iconic men and their work, whilst embracing the universality of their rhetoric. Since it was written 35 years ago, The Meeting by Jeff Stetson has been produced in all 50 states of America as well as over a dozen countries internationally. Stetson states: “I believe its fundamental power is that it transcends countries or racial/ethnic demographics and underscores that the desire for basic dignity and the quest to overcome hatred or violence or inhumanity remains a universal goal.”