Year: 2019

INTERSECTION 20—19: ARRIVAL, is the manifestation of the ATYP Summer Program that has worked with a group of young writers of the 2018 National Studio, to develop some short plays dealing with the seminal arrival at the age of 17, and rehearsing the outcome with a group of young actors. It is an annual event. The writers for 2019 were: Grace Chapple – SOMEDAY; Meg Goodfellow – DEAD THINGS; Emma Skalicky – PANOPTICON; Jasper Lee – THE ICEBURG; Joshua Allen – TWO HOURS AHEAD; Georgie Adamson – REAL DRY; Brooke Murray – PINK SOAP; Flynn Hall – FISH FINGERS; Sasha…

The ILLIAD – OUT LOUD, adapted from Homer’s poem, began as an ABC Radio Drama commission seven years ago. William Zappa, using seventeen translations – from that of Alexander Pope’s of 1720 to a more recent from Caroline Alexander – and advice from experts in this contentious field of study, has developed a three part preparation as an oral presentation. Its tradition is that of an oral poem (sung), not a literary work, stemming from, most experts believe, from the 8th Century BC. Zappa was determined to find the Australian voice for this telling – its musical rhythms and sounds,…

ARE YOU LISTENING NOW? is a new one act play from Xavier Coy (approximately 60 minutes). Last year at Old 505, we were introduced to other of his works BURIED: TWO PLAYS – SANDPIPER AND SMOKIN’ JOE. Mr Coy seems to be motivated as a writer to bring to discussion from life observation, ‘philosophical’ appreciation of the value of every kind of life no matter the difficulties encountered by that life force or the resultant actions of his characters that we are exposed to. He seems intent for us not to swiftly judge but rather he intervenes to coax us…

HERRINGBONE – A Vaudeville Ghost Story, is a work by Tom Cone. With Music by Skip Kennon and Lyrics by Ellen Fitzhugh. It first appeared in 1981 and this is its Australian Premiere. It is a one man performance. Jay James-Moody takes on its mantle. For ninety minutes he sings – 14 songs – and dances everything. He gets to create and play and sustain 11 characters. SYBIL (1976), may pop into your mind. Or even the recent SPLIT (2017), may do, too, such are the amazing number of ‘possessions’ that Mr James-Moody delivers in this production. A ghost wearing…

THE BIG TIME is a new play by David Williamson. It focuses on the world of the entertainment industry. The struggle of the actor. The struggle of the writer. All of them trying to reach The Big Time. For, as Mr Williamson tells us in his Writer’s Note in the program: In the entertainment industry there’s only one place all hopefuls want to be. The Big Time. If they make it, they become wealthy, but perhaps even more importantly they are finally treated with respect. … That’s why the competition to make The Big Time is so fierce. … He…

UNGEDULD DES HERZENS (THE HEART’S IMPATIENCE), the only novel by Stefan Zweig (1939) has been devised for performance, by two of the leading avant grade theatre explorers of Europe: Schaubuhne Berlin and Theatre Complicite of the UK, under the title, BEWARE OF PITY. It was first seen in Berlin in 2015, at the Barbican in 2017 and now, in Sydney, in 2019. Simon McBurney of Complicite, working with the Schaubuhne for the first time, has led a team of seven actors: Robert Beyer, Marie Burchard, Johannes Flaschberger, Christoph Gawenda, Moritz Gottwald, Laurenz Laufenberg and Eva Meckbach into deconstructing the novel…