A woman. A dog. A campervan. And 4,500kms of wide-open road.

Mot wakes up one morning to find that her heart is missing from her chest. She can breathe; she has a pulse—but she feels… nothing.

So, she decides to go and look for it. With her dog enlisted as co-pilot, Mot heads down the Highway of Lost Hearts: into the deepest core of the Australian outback—navigating red dirt landscapes, fire and flood, brittle dryness, vast salt lakes, age-old mountains and murky waters filled with lost souls.

An allegory for a country that’s lost its heart, Highway of Lost Hearts by Mary Anne Butler is half gritty road journey, half magic realism and all heart. It leaves you pondering the question: when your heart goes missing, what lengths will you go to in order to find it again?

After a celebrated season at BMEC in 2021, Lingua Franca’s production of Highway of Lost Hearts is hitting the road on a NSW wide tour. Back for one night only, join us as we send off Kate Smith and Smith & Jones to share this Bathurst-made production with audiences around the state.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   “The grief, loss and humour of this play is transformed into a memorable and resplendent experience that is achieved through the relationship between monologist Smith and two female musicians, who in unison bring an enchanting dimension to a narrative that makes one ponder matters of the heart that go beyond the world of the play. This outstanding production is not to be missed.”  Arts Hub

Performed by Kate Smith, Sophie Jones and Abby Smith
Playwright Mary Anne Smith
Director Adam Deusien
Designer Annemaree Dalziel
Lighting Design and Production Manager Becky Russell
Live Original Music Smith & Jones