hysterical
Pragya Agarwal in conversation with Lisa Williams
How have gender norms defined how we feel? Join Pragya Agarwal as she explores the internalisation of society's expectations - and how we can break free.
In The Utzon Room | Unreserved Seating | Talks & Ideas
COVID-19 safety information
The health and wellbeing of everyone attending the Opera House is our top priority. We’re committed to making your experience safe, comfortable and enjoyable, with a number of measures in place including regular cleaning of high-touch areas, air conditioning systems that maximise ventilation, and hand sanitiser stations positioned in all paths of travel. We encourage you to wear a mask in indoor settings or when physical distancing can’t be maintained, and please stay home if you feel unwell. If you need to discuss your ticketing or booking options, contact our Box Office team on 02 9250 7777.
Pre-sale and on-sale information
Multipacks
General public on sale – 9am, Tuesday 17 January
Single Tickets
Insider Member Priority – 9am, Tuesday 17 January
What’s On e-newsletter pre-sale – 9am, Wednesday 18 January
General public on sale – 12pm, Thursday 19 January
Sunday 12 March 2023, 1pm
Session runs from 1pm - 2pm
Standard tickets from $33 | $8.50 Booking Fee applies per transaction Save up to 15% with a festival Multipack | Livestream tickets from $15
| Ticket | Unreserved Seating |
|---|---|
| Standard |
$33 |
| Insider (Save 20% on this performance) | $26.40 |
| Multipack Buy 3 - 4 events and save 10% | $29.70 |
| Multipack Buy 5+ events and save 15% | $28.05 |
| Livestream | $15 |
| Earlybird livestream festival pass (available until 1 Feb 2023) |
$65 |
| Livestream festival pass | $80 |
Prices correct at the time of publication and subject to change without notice. Exact prices will be displayed with seat selection. Children aged 15 years and under must be accompanied at all times
The authorised ticket agency for this event is Sydney Opera House and Vimeo. For more information about Authorised Agencies, see the FAQ below.
Enjoy the full day of talks online with a Festival Pass ($80 from 1 Feb 2023), or purchase an individual livestream ($15). Purchase here.
This talk runs for approximately 60 minutes (no interval)
Event duration is a guide only and may be subject to change.
Suitable for all ages
Children aged 15 years and under must be accompanied at all times, and children under the age of 12 are not required to wear a mask.
“It is not our biology but how we are socialised in the culture around us that determines how we express emotions.”
The New Statesman
Exploding the myth of gendered feelings
Bittersweet melancholy, fiery rage, effervescent joy - emotions are a quintessential human experience. But from ancient times to today, social norms have limited our capacity to feel. Whether it's by being told to smile, having anger punished, or being called hysterical, women have been refused a full emotional spectrum. And toxic masculinity leaves men faring no better.
In her latest book Hysterical, Pragya Agarwal dives deep into the history and science of gendered and racialised emotions. Are there really innate differences between male and female emotions? What impact does this idea have, and how has it been used to justify the subjugation of women? Together we'll imagine how to build communities that allow us to feel emotions in their fullness, beyond gender.
Presented by Sydney Opera House
Session Partner:
More about...
Dr Pragya Agarwal (she/her) is a professor of social inequities, behavioural and data scientist, founder of a research think-tank investigating gender inequities, and author of four widely acclaimed non-fiction books for adults on racism, gender bias and motherhood, and a picture book for raising non-racist children. Her writing has also appeared in places such as The Guardian, The Independent, New Scientist, Scientific American, Literary Hub, and her essay 'Mother Tongue' was recently nominated as 'best of net' by The Florida Review. Pragya was selected as a 'creative thinker' for innovative research by Nesta and awarded the Transmission Prize for ‘making complex scientific ideas accessible.’ She has also been nominated as one of 50 people creating change in the ‘India-UK’ corridor, and one of 100 leading women in social enterprise in the UK. Pragya is a fellow of Royal Society of Arts and Royal Geographical Society.
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More about...
Lisa A. Williams (she/her) is a social psychologist and Associate Professor at UNSW Sydney, whose research explores how emotions shape and are shaped by social processes. Her current research projects address emotional experience in the context of close relationships, prosocial behaviour, and blood donation. She is an advocate for gender equity—particularly in STEM—and currently serves as Associate Dean of Equity Diversity and Inclusion in the UNSW Faculty of Science.
Catch the livestream
A selection of ten talks at All About Women will be livestreamed from our stages in 2023, meaning you can catch keynote talks from Bikini Kill, Jennette McCurdy, Grace Tame and so many more even if you can't make it to the House on the day.
There's so much more...
shame-less
pragya agarwal, karen williams & karen iles, moderated by: jane caro
Join Pragya Agarwal & Karen Williams as they discuss how the feeling of shame is provoked, the ways it is gendered, and what we can do to erode its power.
opening night gala
fatima bhutto, gelareh pour, germaine acogny, clare bowditch, eryn jean norvill & jannawi dance clan. hosted by: clare bowditch
All About Women opens the festival with an inspiring evening of storytelling, poetry, dance and music celebrating the extraordinary strength of women and gender-diverse people fighting for justice around the world.
bindi bosses
dance workshop
BINDI BOSSES are bold, proud, empowered and free to express and celebrate their cultural identity.This wonderful dance workshop for ages 8+ will be like nothing you've experienced before. Come have a boogie!
Venue Information
Performances are being sold to 100% capacity in line with the NSW Public Health Order. This includes all shows in the Concert Hall, Joan Sutherland Theatre, Studio, Playhouse, Drama Theatre, Utzon Room and Forecourt. Please note that you will be seated directly alongside other ticketholders.
Our foyers will be open 90 minutes pre-show for Concert Hall and Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and two hours pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances. Refreshments will be available for purchase from our theatre bars. Please remember to maintain physical distancing whilst consuming drinks in our foyers.
All Sydney Opera House foyers are pram accessible, with lifts to the main and western foyers. The public lift to all foyers is accessible from the corridor near the escalators on the Lower Concourse and also in the Western Foyer via the corridor on the Ground Level (at the top of the escalators). Pram parking will be available outside the theatres in the Western Foyer consistent with COVID-safe rules.
Transport options
- We encourage you to use private transport options to minimise crowding on public transport (in line with NSW Government advice).
- The Sydney Opera House Car Park, operated by Wilson Parking, is open and available to use. Wilson Parking offer discounted parking if you book ahead. Please see their website for details.
- Please check the Transport NSW website for the latest advice and information on travel and COVID-19 safety measures. You can catch public transport (bus, train, ferry) to Circular Quay and enjoy a 6 min walk to the Opera House.
What time do I need to arrive before the event?
Ticket purchases and collection at our Box Office is discouraged and eTicket or postal delivery methods should be used, wherever possible. However, if you are collecting your tickets from the Box Office, we recommend doing this at least 60 minutes before the event starts. If you have already received your tickets, the venue doors will be open 45 minutes pre-show for Concert Hall and Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and 30 minutes pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances. Please take your seats as soon as you arrive.
If you are late, we will seat you as soon as we can and, where possible, in your allocated seat. However, to reduce movement in the venue as well as minimise disruption to the performance and other patrons, ticketholders may be seated in an allocated latecomer’s seat. Please be aware that some events have lock-out periods. In these cases, latecomers will be admitted at a suitable break in the performance. On occasions, this may not be until the interval, or at all where there is no interval.
Details of our right to refuse admission can be found in our General Terms and Conditions for Tickets and Events.
What if I can't come to my performance?
Please contact Box Office on 9250 7777 as soon as possible to advise if you can no longer attend. If you can no longer attend because you are unwell, or have been in contact with someone displaying COVID-19 symptoms, the Opera House has introduced flexible ticketing options to help you, find out more information here.
Will there be bag checks, and is cloaking available?
In accordance with our venue security procedures, Opera House security will be scanning and checking bags under the Monumental Stairs, prior to entering the building. Bags will be scanned by an x-ray machine, and staff will wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) when handling your belongings, such as gloves. Cloaking facilities will be open 60 minutes pre-show for Concert Hall and Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and 60 minutes pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances. However it is strongly encouraged that you travel lightly to minimise contact and queuing. Any bags larger than an A4 piece of paper will need to be checked into the Cloak Room.
Will there be food and beverages available for purchase in the venue?
Foyers will be open 90 minutes pre-show for Concert Hall and Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and two hours pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances. Refreshments will be available for purchase from our theatre bars.
The venue doors will be open 45 minutes pre-show for Concert Hall and Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and 30 minutes pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances.
Please bring a credit or debit card for any on site purchases to enable contactless payment. You’re welcome to bring your own water bottle but no other food and drinks are permitted inside our venues. Opera Bar, Opera Kitchen and Portside are also available for you to enjoy.
Can I smoke at the Opera House?
- The health, safety and wellbeing of everyone at the Sydney Opera House is our top priority. In line with this commitment, the Opera House will become a smoke-free site from Saturday 1 January 2022.
- By becoming a smoke-free site, the Opera House seeks to reduce exposure to harmful second-hand smoke, as well as minimise the impact of smoking on the environment, including litter and pollution of the surrounding marine environment.
What safety measures have you implemented?
Nothing is more important to us than the health and safety of everyone on site, and we are closely following NSW Health guidelines and advice. The Sydney Opera House is registered as a COVID Safe business with the NSW Government. For detailed information about our COVID-19 safety measures and what’s required of you when visiting, please see our plan your visit page.
What am I required to do as an audience member?
Face masks are strongly recommended for all patrons while inside our theatres and foyers, including during the performance. Please bring your own mask.
As you move around the Opera House, practise physical distancing (1.5 metres whenever possible) and follow the guidance provided by our staff and signage.
Within venues, always take your allocated seat.
For detailed information about our COVID-19 safety measures and what’s required of you, please see our plan your visit page.
Do I need to be vaccinated to visit the Sydney Opera House?
The Sydney Opera House no longer requires patrons to show that they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Am I required to wear a mask?
Face masks are strongly recommended for all patrons while inside our theatres and foyers, including during the performance. Please bring your own mask.
How are you managing contact tracing?
Contact information is required when making a booking with us and upon arrival at the Opera House, as set out in our General Terms and Conditions for Tickets and Attendance at Events and our Customer Privacy Statement.
As the ticket purchaser, you are responsible for recording the contact details of your guests. Contact information will only be used for the purposes of contact tracing, if required, and will be deleted at least 28 days after your event.
How do I watch the livestream?
- Purchase a livestream ticket. Livestreams are watched through the Sydney Opera House's streaming platform, Stream.
- We recommend you sign in to Stream at least 15 minutes prior to the start of the livestream to ensure you log in smoothly and aren’t experiencing any issues.
- Once you’ve signed in, navigate to the Stream event webpage where you purchased the ticket, by searching the event title in the search function. You will also receive an email notification ahead of the livestream commencing, with a direct link to this same web page where you’ll watch.
Note - Depending on the livestream, you may find two livestream options in your purchase. An accessible livestream option may appear, which includes both closed captions and Auslan interpretation.
- The livestream will begin playing automatically or shortly after the designated start time on the Stream event web page.
- You will have a chance to re-watch the livestream for an indicated length of time, which will be made available on your Stream account following the event. Note, the archived recording will be available approximately 90 minutes after the conclusion of the livestream.
Can I watch the livestream on any device?
The Stream app is now here! Turn your living room into a theatre or watch on the go. The Stream app allows you to livestream from wherever you are. Alternatively, watch the livestream from your preferred browser.
How to use the Stream app:
Create a free Stream account here.
To be first in the know when new Stream releases are announced, be sure to tick the box to confirm you’re interested in receiving ‘newsletters and product updates from Stream - Sydney Opera House’.
To watch on a TV or an Apple phone or tablet, download the Stream app from the Apple Store. To watch on an Android phone or tablet, download the app from Google Play.
Open the Stream app and tap ‘Sign In’.
Start watching on any device!
Can I share my livestream account with a friend?
You can only watch livestreams on one device at any one time.
Can I use my Sydney Opera House account login when purchasing a livestream ticket?
The streaming platform is managed by our platform partner Vimeo. You will need to create a seperate account on the streaming platform to purchase a livestream ticket.
Once I have watched the livestream, can I watch it again later?
A recording of the livestream will be available to watch on your account for 3 days following the event. Note, the archive recording will be available approximately 90 minutes after the conclusion of the livestream.
What happens if there is a technical issue with the livestream?
The quality of your live playback experience is largely dependent on the download speed you have from ISP (Internet Service Provider) or mobile provider. Keep in mind that your overall Internet speed can vary depending on many factors, including but not limited to: time of day, Wi-Fi performance, other devices/users utilizing your connection, and the strength of the signal provided by your ISP.
Visit the Help section of our streaming platform at https://stream.sydneyoperahouse.com/help to troubleshoot your issue.
You may also wish to verify that you are using a supported web browser - you can find a list of supported browsers here.
If you have continue to have issues with the livestream during the duration of the event, note you will be able to watch a recording of the Livestream via your account for 30 days following the festival.
If your issue persists, please contact Support at https://stream.sydneyoperahouse.com/contact/support.
Note, support is managed by our streaming platform partner Vimeo.