Writer

I kicked off my writing adventure as an ALL-IN with my first two scripts, She’s Dead Of Course and Tits Up premiering in 2010 at the enormous and indefatigable Edinburgh Fringe Festival. In 2011, Tits Up was re-developed and performed in Sydney and regional NSW. I was lucky enough to find a wonderful group of collaborators through my university degree and together, we formed the arts collective Rue De La Rocket, joyfully devising multi-disciplinary performance works and comedy plays developed collaboratively through improvisation and ‘play’. Comedy play, This Is My Box, was one of these shows, which we performed in Sydney, regional NSW, New York, and Edinburgh, achieving packed houses and 4-star reviews. As a member of Rue de la Rocket, I was invited to attend residencies in The Rocks, Sydney (Word Travels), Bundanon Trust, and Beijing Red Gate Gallery and received funding to develop the new play, Spectrophobia, which had a successful showing in Sydney in 2016. In 2017 I co-created the verbatim theatre production, MotherLode, and was moved by the experience of interviewing women and crafting their stories into compelling theatre. I have since found myself drawn to researching forgotten historical figures (usually female) and am tickled by opportunities to weave them into contemporary storylines. Recently, I have been contracted to write a podcast for ActionLab, Monash University (PaRK Parenting - 3 seasons) and as a copywriter on their Post Project delivering an opioid safety toolkit website. My ongoing work in film has seen the development of a web series, Trigger Alert, and a pilot for a TV series, Growing Up Green. I have numerous film projects currently in development including a three-part limited series, which is inspired by real events. This project is currently being pitched to production companies.
I ventured back to the theatre this year when I was invited to attend two writing residencies (Lake House residency, Lake Macquarie, and Green House residency, Albury) to co-write a one-woman play called Escape Room. Leaning into my passion, this show delves into the historical and contemporary perspectives of four women who are battling to be heard, to be relevant, to be safe, and to belong. Escape Room premiered at Sydney Fringe 2024 and was shortlisted for ‘Best In Theatre’.
  • Four women. One hotel room. Decades apart. Development manager, Aila Driscoll knows - a property acquisition is preparation for war. This hotel is set for demolition. Her rapid-fire tactics will secure not just the property, but Aila’s dominance over her male competitors.
    But her invasion plans are halted as crippling endometriosis traps her in the very hotel room she’s set to demolish and she’s confronted by the ghosts of its past; the women who blazed the trails before her, while seeking refuge in this very room. Hilarious and thought-provoking, this one-woman show draws on the experiences of real Australian women, from the turn of the century through to today. Historically accurate, yet humorous in tone, Escape Room examines the very society in which women exist, the daily injustices females experience; casual sexism in the workplace, extreme safety concerns in public, and how the structure of society has silenced us professionally, domestically, and medically. Women checking into the escape room have long been searching for a way out, but history has taught us, that maybe they’re safer to stay in.

  • Reviews and archival


    ‘Superb and uniquely executed’ - Sydney Theatre Reviews
    ‘An ideal production...’ - Theatre Now
    ‘Karli Evans carried each story in her heart, and I was moved by the poignancy of her performance… one of my favourite Fringe shows this year. The audience didn’t want to leave, engaged as they were in the ideas of the play - a real testament to the work.’ - Lesley Watson, Board Director Sydney Fringe 5-minute minute sizzle reel
  • REVIEWS: MotherLode This is a curated night of very personal stories of seven particular women and their response to motherhood... The format of verbatim theatre allows the performers to delve deeply into the emotional turmoil of the story and MotherLode does just this... the stories have been intertwined carefully to present a connected group tale as well as letting each individual shine...It is refreshing to hear only female voices on stage and the intergenerational casting reminds us of just how far we have and haven’t come in terms of feminism and women’s place in society. - Fiona Hallenan - Barker, Theatre Now & On The Town MotherLode is a fascinating look from seven different actresses, all mothers themselves - interview seven mothers from diverse walks of life and delve into the similarities and vast differences in this universal experience of giving life... The result is 80 minutes of honest, compelling, funny and riveting theatre where we discover the collective power mothers hold for the future of this world... We guarantee this won't be your average theatre show. - Weekend Notes We are cocooned in a womblike atmosphere, a trusting safe place for sharing raw, honest, sometimes sad, confronting, and often funny tales. It’s a bit like being a fly on the wall in a holistic counseling session, definitely, no holds barred... This is a women-focused play with a strong female force. Mel Somerville, ALT Review

  • MotherLode - Life Starts Here

    Seven actresses – all mothers themselves - interview seven mothers from diverse walks of life and delve into the similarities and vast differences in this universal experience of giving life.
    These are the stories perhaps never told, until now; the controversial, the heartbreaking, the beautiful and the messy. These are tales of the inevitable pain as well as the exquisite magic, of caring. Every word spoken on stage comes direct from the collected interviews and via the creator of the show, Dean Carey, woven into a funny, honest and compelling 80 minutes of riveting theatre where we discover the collective power mothers hold for the future of this world.
    Warning - This is Reality Theatre. It may ring truer than you care to admit. Whether you’re a mother, father, sister, brother, son or daughter, life all began in the same instance.
  • Spectrophobia is a new work that explores the world of mirrors, beauty and hair - the stuff that haunts us every day. In a world increasingly obsessed with external beauty how do we navigate our inner world? When we feel compelled to filter a photo before it sees the light of day, what happens when we stop and look in a mirror? No, really look? Can you look?
  • REVIEWS: This is My Box
    The script is superb. It has all the hallmarks of a thoroughly devised work, relying on much more than words, where every momenrt is made absurd, and with a plot trajectory that is never predictable, yet everything seems to make sense…Both performers are compelling, and all their roles are hilarious. Suzy Goes See It’s a seamlessly choreographed hour about social pressures, delivered with pin-sharp timing and vocal dexterity, particularly during a protracted tongue-twister sketch – about Christmas hampers – which deserves a standing ovation. But as well as being technically impressive, these supremely talented girls are crease-up funny. The Scotsman - 4 Stars
    Glowingly expressive and zinging with attitude, this is a worthy watch for those who want funny feminism or just plain fun. Three Weeks - 4 Stars
    The pair are very reminiscent of the British duo Sue and Mel during their early years at the Fringe, making use of the same style and feel of observational comedy... the show will leave a lasting imprint in the mind. Broadway Baby
  • Ever wanted to punch life in the box?
    This is My Box is a Fringe Festival hit, punching out a cast of lonely characters in their search for happiness, all before the full time bell at 52 minutes. It delivers darkly humorous sparing, politically incorrect side-kicks and sometimes surreal scenes that will sneak up on you when you’re taking a moments breath. Sydney performers Karena Thomas and Karli Evans and their faithful 'boxes' or vocal loopers will take the audience on an hour of power. These skillful performers use their ‘boxes’ to create a cast of characters, and a soundscape that defies the small space. Created from a series of sound experiments and improvisations, this new work was received with great reviews in the 2012 Sydney Fringe Festival, with performances in New York and Edinburgh Fringe 2013. Join our quirky characters as they stretch their own boxes for your viewing pleasure! How far are you prepared to stretch yours? AWARDS: Winner - Most Quirky Characters (Suzy Goes See 2014)
  • Rue de la Rocket impressed me at every turn in my time working with them, which was in no small part due to both their professionalism and their determination to create exciting and marketable work.... From the initial contact, they were professional, driven, and clear in their goals for the show... The show run did not disappoint, bringing in a wide audience for its full run, and in doing so, encapsulating the spirit of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe as the largest open- access arts event in the world....To call This is my Box a success is an understatement. The company performs to a high standard, where those comedic beats are met with an effortlessness that belies the precision.... they cover all elements of their performance with care, diligence, and creativity... In short, RDR is a highly focused performance company, with clear goals that are met not only on time, but with a polished finish. They are a company who will excel at their goals, not simply meet them and hope that’s enough. I look forward to an opportunity to work with them again on any project that they wish to bring. It will be a pleasure and a privilege to be involved in producing such a quality of work. John-David Henshaw Artistic Director, Sweet Venues, Edinburgh

  • PaRK Parenting Podcast

    Scripts for a fun, sports-based parenting podcast. - Monash University, 2022 Link to come

  • The Female Factory

  • Female Facotry Review: Taking this fine script out of a theatre and placing it in the centre of the grounds of the old orphanage was a brilliant stroke of genius. How could one forget that the female factory was the place and the narrative of many unassigned convict women arriving in Australia in the 1800s?  Here in colonial Parramatta, their punishment was multiplied many times over as their sons and daughters (born out of wedlock pregnancies) were taken from them at age three and placed in the orphanage while the mothers remained in the female factory. Though the orphanage was just steps away, no communication between mother and child was allowed.   The theme and script of The Female Factory uncovered the political power of authorities and the embedded inequities and abuses within the reform structure. But it was the stark setting of the orphanage, the outdoor yards and the sharp performances which brought to light the loss of privileges or rights of these convict women.   The two actors of Rue de la Rocket Arts Collective were also the authors of this script which they point out is a work in progress -- this was a first performance of a larger creative development. We look forward to the next round. - Patricia Salgado - Parramatta Tourist Guide

  • The Female Factory

    A mother’s love or moral corruption? Two women have been charged with the crime of pregnancy and sent to the Female Factory to work off their sentence. Spurned by society and considered morally corrupt, they know that they do not have the right to keep their children, who will be taken to the orphanage when they turn three years old. The two form a close bond and as their stories unfold we are offered a glimpse into the life of two of the women who have walked through the imposing gates of the Female Factory. Writer/performers Mel Dodge and Karli Evans wrote this play while pregnant, so the impact of this story resonates strongly with them. “We hear of the original Aussie Battler and always think of men. The women who walked through the factory gates were the foremothers of these battlers –fiery and determined, with a twinkle in their eye.” Mel Dodge. We have chosen to focus on one era of the vast history of these sites although there are thousands of stories across many generations that speak of women being swept under the rug and the personal courage necessary to survive. As young women living in Australia, we want to share these stories.

  • What's happening Now?

    I am currently planting, tending, and growing a number of exciting projects that I cannot wait to share with you!

  • Mini Series

    Based on true events, this mini-series is currently in pre-production. My lips are sealed for now... More info to come...

  • The Bundy Boys - A middle-grade fiction novel

    A whimsical adventure tale of 25,000 words, following three brothers as they search for ‘their place in the world’. A rekindling of older styles such as The Magic Faraway Tree with a modern meld of science fiction, philosophy, and a sprinkling of magic, The Bundy Boys is aimed at 8-10-year-olds with an interest in taking adventures in space and who are perhaps open to mind-blowing quantum concepts.

  • Kelsey/Retrospective - A One-Woman Play

    Part verbatim, part fiction, this is a powerful story of one woman's journey from horrific beginnings to healing and self-love.

  • Growing Up Green - A TV series

    It’s Mia’s 21st birthday and no-one has given her the only gift she really wants - an environmentally conscious family! When her older sister, Bernie curiously and unexpectedly returns from her high flying London life, Mia discovers that ‘speaking her truth’ isn’t that easy when her own family may be on the enemy side. Created with Lara Lightfoot.