Dear Diary

People who’ve seen Kay Proudlove play her songs know she’s whip-smart, hilarious and with the voice of an angel, but seeing Kay turn her own life into a theatre show I saw the depth she has as a writer and performer, and how much extra talent she’s been hiding in those suitcases.

ABOUT THE SHOW

Dear Diary is a new musical work from Kay Proudlove. Kay is a NSW South Coast performer, writer and composer who has toured worldwide with her live shows, and worked on various music, theatre and dramatic arts projects. From first kisses, girl power, spice world, and Elijah Wood fan fiction to lost gigs, found memories and frayed friendships, Dear Diary takes us on a hilarious and often painful journey back through our teenage years, delving into the pressures and expectations of growing up. With wry humour and confessional stories, Dear Diary asks us to look at what we hold onto in our lives and what holds onto us.

"The inspiration for Dear Diary came from moving house and stumbling across the journals of my teenage years. The entries were heart-breaking, funny and vulnerable, which to me is a winning combination when it comes to writing songs and making art.”
- Kay Proudlove 

Proudlove is the consummate performer, delighting crowds between songs and delivering lyric driven music that is instantly relatable.

WRITER'S NOTE 

Finding my teenage journals and reading through them could have gone many ways. Luckily, instead of wallowing in a pit of nostalgia and regret, I decided to make some art. I began to write songs, using the entries for lyrics. I knew early on that these songs weren’t going to fit into my regular gigs and sought out a way for them to be heard. Like Oliver with his soup bowl, I came knocking on the door of MERRIGONGX, wanting more. 

Enter Phil Spencer, a dramaturg who coached me on how to write outside of my comfort zone (i.e. in a form that isn’t a song) and Leland Kean, who gave me a stage and helped me work out how to use it to tell this story. Dear Diary has turned into a show of storytelling, music and self-discovery. It looks at what we hold on to in our lives (both physically and mentally), why we keep these things and when it’s the right time to let them go, if ever. 

I hope that the audience find familiarity in the naïve, cringe-worthy moments and have the chance to reflect on their own journey through life so far.
- Kay Proudlove