The Events, written by Scottish playwright David Greig, enlists different singers in each city the play is performed.

Each choir has been given a pre-prescribed song list which acts as dramatic comment to the story that unfolds.  However they have only been given limited information of the actors’ dialogue.

Read More: NSW Parliament’s answer to Prince Harry and Meghan visiting Wollongong

“It’s intriguing, and it’s a little bit disconcerting,” Singongo musical director Janet Andrews said.

“The producers have sent me a bit of the script around the songs we’re doing … they’ve given us an idea it’s quite an intense show and it’s a journey we are going on with the actors and the performers.”

Around 30 participants from Singongo will accompany three performances, while a group from Out Of The Blue will accompany two more.

“They comment on the world of the play but they also provide for the audience a kind of a literal reflection so the audience are looking at the choir and should see themselves in the choir,” director of The Events Clare Watson said.

Read More: Xavier Rudd concert moved from UOW to a bigger venue

The plot explores the aftermath of a mass shooting and an Anglican minister trying to rebuild her community – however the violent event is never depicted in the dialogue.

The vicar, played by Catherine McClements, becomes obsessed with trying to understand the actions of the gun-toting teenager.

Greig was driven to fathom what motivates a person to such extremes following the 2011 mass shooting in Norway in which Anders Breivik killed 69 mostly young people.

“It’s devastating that this work continues to be so relevant but at the same time it really speaks about how big-hearted humans can be, how empathic we can be and how we do better when we’re working together as a community,” Watson said.

“That’s demonstrated through the choir, that idea of coming together and working with harmony.”

The Events, Illawarra Performing Arts Centre, July 25 to 28. More tickets and more information visit: www.merrigong.com.au 

Read More: Night markets at UOW's Innovation Campus during winter