The latest work by renowned multidisciplinary artist Gideon D. Wilonja, I Met An Angel Named Jacques, will be presented at Foostcray Community Arts for four performances only this October.
Shining a light on the queer sentimentalities and experiences felt in the African diaspora, this electric debut season is one of only three recipients of the Jewel Box Commission – created by Foostcray Community Arts with the aim of supporting and raising the profile of early career Black, Indigenous, and PoC artists.
I Met An Angel Named Jacques introduces us to L’or – a celebrated artist whose work is bold, unrelenting, and impossible to ignore. He’s at the top of his game, all eyes are on him; under the public gaze he has it all together. But with fame comes scrutiny and there’s no room for mistakes. Enter Jacques, an ambitious cultural critic with a sharp tongue, and a mind that cuts through the noise.
A poetic, bruising dive into the ways we love, I Met An Angel Named Jacques is a tale about the ache for validation, facing your demons, and the dangerous comfort of familiar pain. Exploring the incessant human need for acceptance and the lengths we go to find it; it’s an electric love story that hates romance.
“The catalyst for creating I Met An Angel Named Jacques was my obsession with relationships that are both magnetic and destructive,” says writer Gideon D. Wilonja. “I was interested in how love, ambition, and ego collide, especially in queer Black lives where identity and desire are always under some kind of scrutiny.”
“Like many cultures around the world (and in so-called Australia) that have been uprooted and subjected to colonialism, homophobia and transphobia have been used as tools to discredit existing spiritual and cultural systems. This has created deep disconnection, ridicule, and persecution of many queer individuals.”
“I Met An Angel Named Jacques doesn’t sit neatly in one genre or tradition; it bends between realism, poetry, and surreal intensity. The world is recognisable, but also heightened, almost dreamlike, because that’s how grief and desire feel when you’re living them. Audiences can expect something that feels both intimate and volatile.”
Directed by Clary Riven, I Met An Angel Named Jacques features a remarkable team of cast and creatives. Lauded actor Ras-Samuel (Kingdom of the Planet of The Apes, The Clearing) and Gideon D. Wilonja star and spar in the lead roles of this premiere production. Joining them on stage, Ben Chisholm, Sasha Hannequin, and Atinuke Abraham complete the exceptional ensemble brought together to bring this story to life.
Built from the ground up with local voices, this compelling new work by Gideon D. Wilonja promises to be a highlight on the Melbourne Arts Calendar!
Director: Clary Riven | Featuring: Ras-Samuel, Gideon D. Wilonja, Ben Chisholm, Sasha Hannequin, Atinuke Abraham | Sound Design: Ethan Hunter | Set Design: Jacqueline Tran | Costume Design: Milly Wright | Intimacy Coordinator: Kiana Daniele | Stage Manager: Chiara Henger | Producers: Aamer Ahmed and wani toaishara | Writer: Gideon D. Wilonja
I Met An Angel Named Jacques
Performance Space – Footscray Community Arts, 45 Moreland Street, Footscray
Season: 2 – 4 October 2025 (preview: 1 October)
Information and Bookings: www.footscrayarts.com
Image: Ras-Samuel and Gideon D. Wilonja – photo by wani toaishara