Month: May 2015

Belvoir presents, THE WIZARD OF OZ, after L. Frank Baum, in the Belvoir St Upstairs Theatre, Surry Hills, May 2 – May 31. THE  WIZARD OF OZ, is Directed by Adena Jacobs, following on from her HEDDA GABLER ‘investigation – interrogation” last year for the Belvoir audience. This is not an adaption of the novel, or even of the famous film. From the program notes: Jacobs stark re-imagining of L. Frank Baum’s narrative masterpiece (1900) is an abstract theatrical poem about innocence, grief and the terror of growing up. The production is not a stage adaption of the novel, rather Jacobs…

  The Seymour Centre and Sport For Jove present, THE MERCHANT OF VENICE, by William Shakespeare, in the York Theatre, at the Seymour Centre, Chippendale. 22 May – 30 May. Sport For Jove present Shakespeare’s THE MERCHANT OF VENICE, at the Seymour Centre, Directed by Richard Cottrell. This play, once a popular choice, is rarely played, professionally, today in Australia – as with THE TAMING OF THE SHREW – and so I looked forward to this production with much curiosity. To prepare myself, I re-read the play, and pulled out of my book collection, John Gross’ SHYLOCK – Four Hundred…

Photo by Brett Boardman Sydney Theatre Company (STC) presents, CYRANO DE BERGERAC, by Edmond Rostand. Adapted by Andrew Upton. Translated by Marion Potts. At the Sydney Theatre, Hickson Rd. Walsh Bay, 11 Nov – 20 Dec, 2014. This is a catch-up blog. This production of Edmond Rostand’s famous, CYRANO DE BERGERAC, has been adapted, a second time by Andrew Upton, who also happens to be the Director of this production, (the first adaptation being from a translation from the French, by Marion Potts), assisted according to the program notes, by Kip Williams. Both, recently, collaborated on CHILDREN OF THE SUN,…

Photograph by Phyllis Wong Lace Balloon presents, DEAD TIME, Written and Directed by Fleur Beaupert, at 107 Projects, 107 Redfern Street, Redfern, 20 – 29 May, Wednesday to Friday (8pm). DEAD TIME, is a new Australian play, by Fleur Beaupert, Devised by Paul Armstrong, (Kailah Cabanas), Lara lightfoot, Abi Rayment, Robert Rhode, Melissa Kathryn Rose, Eleni Schumacher and Barton Williams. DEAD TIME has been built from verbatim and interview transcripts concerning the case of Dr Mohamed Haneef, wrongly accused, arrested and held without charge for the longest period on record in this country under the ‘dead time’ provisions in the Commonwealth…

Photo by Brett Boardman Griffin Theatre Company presents, THE HOUSE ON THE LAKE, by Aidan Fennessey, at the SBW Stables Theatre, Kings Cross. 15 May – 20 June. THE HOUSE ON THE LAKE, written by Aiden Fennessey, is presented by the  Griffin Theatre Company, after its premiere, a year ago, at the Black Swan State Theatre Company, in Perth. A new Australian play. THE HOUSE ON THE LAKE is a 90 minute, one act play. A psychological thriller, where David (Huw Higginson) seemingly suffering from anterograde amnesia, is coaxed back to health through a series of interviews by a forensic…

Photography by Heidrun Lohr A Monkey Baa Theatre Company production, THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER, by Sandra Eldridge, at the Lend Lease Darling Quarter Theatre. Terrace 3 / 1-25 Harbour Street, Sydney, 18 May – 22 May. THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER, is a new Australian play, to honour the Centenary of WW1, written by Monkey Baa Co-Creative Director Sandra Eldridge. Monkey Baa Theatre Company, founded in 1997, has been adapting Australia’s most well-loved stories for young people (aged 3-18), staging and touring them around the country, working with schools, arts and children’s organisations across remote, regional, rural and metropolitan Australia. THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER, is…