##Nakkiah Lui’s Kiki & Kitty
ABC, Screen Australia and Porchlight Films are delighted to announce the start of shooting on Kiki & Kitty – an absurdist comedy series from Gamillaroi/Torres Strait Islander and seriously clever writer/creator/actor, Nakkiah Lui.
Working with producers Liz Watts and Sylvia Warmer, Lui has written the series and will play the pivotal role of Kiki.
Directed by Catriona McKenzie (Shadow Hunters, Satellite Boy, Redfern Now), the six-part series for ABC iview portrays the trials and tribulations of Kiki, the good black girl in a bad white world, who stumbles across her vagina in the personification of Kitty (played by Elaine Crombie) and realises there is a lot more to life than she thought.
Commissioned by ABC Indigenous and financed with the support of Screen Australia’s Multiplatform Fund, the series is expected to air across multiple platforms.
“The opportunity to support Nakkiah Lui in her first standalone screen creation was a no-brainer, with the talented creative having already proved her comedy chops as a co-writer of Black Comedy and of course her extensive theatre work,” said Screen Australia Investment Manager Mike Cowap. “The script for Kiki & Kitty is completely irreverent, cheeky and distinctly Australian, and certainly is in safe hands with Director Catriona McKenzie.”
Hilarious and charming, the six-parter is Lui’s first commission following her previous work as writer/actor on the ABC series Black Comedy, plus an array of theatre work including Blaque Showgirls for Malthouse Theatre Company in 2016 and the upcoming Black is the New White for the Sydney Theatre Company.
Elaine Crombie comes to Kiki & Kitty fresh from Lui’s theatre show Blaque Showgirls. Her other credits include Black Comedy, Redfern Now and 8MMM Aboriginal Radio.
The series also stars Christine Anu as Kiki’s Mum, Maria; Charlie Garber as Kiki’s love interest Jack the hire car driver; Tessa Rose as Kiki’s tenacious Nan; Lisa Flanagan as Nan’s vagina (yep, you read right); Ryan Johnson as the incorrigible office co-worker Brandon and Rob Carlton as Bryce the ice skating king.
Filming will take place in and around Sydney NSW.
Kiki & Kitty – 6 x 10mins; Principal funder Screen Australia. A Porchlight Films production for ABC. Executive Producer: Kelrick Martin, Producers: Liz Watts & Sylvia Warmer. Creator and Writer: Nakkiah Lui. Director: Catriona McKenzie