Year: 2017

Photo by Anna Kucera Belvoir presents, THE ROVER, by Aphra Behn, in the Upstairs Theatre, Belvoir St, Surry Hills. July 5 – 6 August. THE ROVER, is a play by Aphra Behn, written in 1677. It is part of the playwriting literature emanating from the Restoration of Charles II to the throne and power, after the Puritanical leadership of Oliver Cromwell as the Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland. The play, in verse, is a swash-buckling exuberance of Carnival time in the city of Naples, invaded by some English sea-dog exiles, roving the Mediterranean, some 20 years…

Photo by Brook Mitchell The National Theatre of Parramatta, presents, THE INCREDIBLE HERE AND NOW, written for the stage by the novel writer, Felicity Castagna, at the Riverside Theatres, Parramatta. 13-22 July. THE INCREDIBLE HERE AND NOW, is a 2013 novel by Felicity Castagna, and has been adapted for the stage by Ms Castagna, herself. Set in Parramatta and written in brief vignettes, it tells the story of 15 year old Michael, during a year when a car accident creates an intense year of sorting out the repercussions on the family, friends and community around him. Adjusting to new circumstances…

Canberra Youth Theatre in association with the Australian Theatre For Young People (ATYP) THE VERBATIM PROJECT, AT ATYP THEATRE, Wharf 4, Hickson Rd., Walsh Bay. 19-22 July. Canberra Youth Theatre under the Direction of Katie Cawthorne has developed a Verbatim work: THE VERBATIM PROJECT, with sixteen participants – ten 14-16 year olds and six 65-80 year olds – and brought it to Sydney for a short season, hosted by the Australian Theatre for Young People (ATYP). It is in the typical verbatim theatre staging formula – physical ‘choreography’ to illustrate and demarcate the issue segments with direct vocal communication to…

Photo by Sundstrom Images Sure Foot Productions in association with New Theatre, by arrangement with ORiGiN Theatrical, on behalf of Samuel French Inc. present MAURITIUS, by Theresa Rebeck, at the New Theatre, King St, Newtown, 12th – 29th July. MAURITIUS is an American play written by Theresa Rebeck in 2007. Ms Rebeck has quite a catalogue of plays and a history of writing for television and the winner of many awards, including the Mystery Writers of America’s Edgar Award (that is the ‘Edgar’ of Edgar Allen Poe). So, with the Edgar Award given to Ms Rebeck, it is no surprise that…

Seymour Centre presents, SHIT, by Patricia Cornelius, in the Reginald Theatre, at the Seymour Centre, City Rd., Chippendale. 18-29 July. SHIT, is a play from Patricia Cornelius, that was seen, briefly, as part of the Sydney Festival, in January, this year, brought back to Sydney, for a short season, by the Seymour Centre. From the program notes: Ten vital female theatre makers with vast work histories have come together to bring a cast of three into a daring and powerful theatrical experiment with female characters whom we rarely see. These are women who defy gender demarcations, who transgress the boundaries…

LITTLE BORDERS by Phillip Kavanagh, presented at The Old 505, Eliza St, Newtown 5th July – 15 July. LITTLE BORDERS is a new Australian play by Phillip Kavanagh and was the winner of the 2011 Patrick White Award. This production at The Old 505 was wonderfully good. Director Dominic Mercer have with his Designers: Charlie Edward Davis and Jeremy Allen, a clean dropped cyclorama unrolled onto the stage floor forward towards us, decorated only with a small circle collection of ‘toy’ model houses that can be (magically!) lit from the inside. This space was brought to eerie life with an…