Intricate Rituals

Intricate Rituals is a dark comedy monologue written by Seth Douglas and produced by Ricochet Theatre. It plays as part of the double bill of monologues, Elegies, which was toured by Ricochet Theatre in 2022 and 2023.

Run Time: 45 minutes
Cast: Maria Cook

Intricate Rituals deftly moves from comedy to tragedy exploring grief, queer longing and the lasting effects of a closeted adolescence - and throws some interesting facts about bugs in there for good measure. Siken is your average gay university student - witty, geeky and hopelessly in love with her straight best friend. But when callous, senseless tragedy unexpectedly strikes her life, Siken is forced to confront herself as grief turns her down a darker and increasingly supernatural path...

I also completed the shadow puppetry design for the show, using an overhead projector to help create a thrum of potential and ritual and stage the impossible.

This project was a really special one to me as I felt a real connection to Siken and her experience as a young queer woman coming to terms with her identity and finding her people. Working on my first queer-led story was such a privilege and further proved to me the need for representation on stage not just for audiences but for artists involved in theatre.