As a young man who grew up in the Byron Shire, Max McAuley discovered his talent for dance and performance at an early age. When his parents saw him playing music videos over and over again and copying the choreography, they decided it was time to enrol him in formal dance lessons.
As a teenager, he joined Sprung Dance Theatre and over the past 10-plus years has developed his dance and performance skills across a range of genres. He has also had leading roles in numerous ensemble performances with Sprung and has been invited to perform individually both locally and further afield: most recently for Cheeky Cabaret (2019 and 2024); The Golden Pineapple Awards in Newcastle (2023); Stars of the Northern Rivers for the NSW Cancer Council (2023); and auditioned live for Australia’s Got Talent (2022).
Max has recently taken the huge leap into working as an independent artist and in collaboration with Ché Pritchard has spent many months developing his first solo work Max to the Max to be performed at the Brunswick Picture House.
As an artist with Down syndrome, Max has a number of challenges to overcome in order to produce his best work, so with this in mind the rationale for the project was that it would not be bound by traditional creative processes but would instead be informed by Max’s unique strengths and weaknesses and introduce techniques to support him with his stagecraft.
The show offers audiences a unique perspective into the capacity for people with disability to create and deliver art that is entertaining, professional and provocative. It also breaks down stereotypes around sexuality, social engagement and capacity for people with disability to make meaningful contributions to society.
Most importantly, the show is clever, entertaining and enormous fun – Max and Ché have developed characters that Max is passionate about and showcase his many talents as a dancer and performer. There are moments of tenderness and bursts of cheekiness as well as humour, sass and attitude.
Enjoy some time in the courtyard at the Picture House to browse Max’s beautiful, handmade ceramics and photography before and after the show. There will also be a brief Q&A session with Max and Ché after the performance for a deeper insight into the creative process.
Tickets are on sale now at the Brunswick Picture House – brunswickpicturehouse.com/max-max-29-30-jun
To learn more about Max and his many achievements, you can visit his website: www.maxmcauley.com.au
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