Category: Jo Turner

Darlinghurst Theatre Company presents THE HYPOCHONDRIAC, a new version by Hilary Bell of Molieres’ play, at the Eternity Playhouse, Burton St, Darlinghurst. 9 Jun – 1 July. Moliere’s LA MALADE IMAGINAIRE, retitled as THE HYPOCHONDRIAC, in a new Australian version by Hilary Bell. Moliere is regarded as the greatest playwright in the French language. His acting company gained the favour of Louis XIV (The Sun King) and was protected from censorship and threat of closure as the Theatre du Roi (The King’s Troupe), for Moliere had an unsparing eye to the major pillars of his community and revealed with scolding…

Photo by Prudence Upton Bell Shakespeare present THE MERCHANT OF VENICE, by William Shakespeare, in the Playhouse Theatre, at the Sydney Opera House. Until 26 November. I went to see this Bell Shakespeare production of THE MERCHANT OF VENICE, Directed by Anne-Louise Sarks, on the favourable ‘word-of-mouth’ I had, mostly, received from friends, who, like me, had had a very dispiriting experience with their production of OTHELLO***, last year, and, of course, because of my continuing interest in this very vexing play. Vexing? Says Norrie Epstein in his book THE FRIENDLY SHAKESPEARE: THE MERCHANT OF VENICE  is a troubling play.…

Photo by Robert Catto Darlinghurst Theatre Company, present HYSTERIA, by Terry Johnson, in the Eternity Playhouse, Burton St, Darlinghurst. 31 March – 30 April. The official title of this play, written in 1993, by Terry Johnson is: “HYSTERIA, or Fragments of an Analysis of an Obsessional Neurosis”. The play treats the last days of Sigmund Freud, in his London refuge from Nazi Germany, dying of cancer of the jaw, hallucinating on morphine injections, given by his friend Abraham Yahuda, dealing with a visit of Jessica, his anima, (i.e. the psychological equivalent of his denied female self), who reveals herself as the…

Photo by Helen White Darlinghurst Theatre Co. presents, DEATHTRAP, by Ira Levin, at the Eternity Playhouse, Darlinghurst. 10 April – 10 May. On a Thursday night, after watching the anti-war, TESTAMENT OF YOUTH, at the movies, as a pre-ANZAC antidote to the coming weekend of commemoration inundation, I had an early dinner, and since I had a family obligation free night, thought: “Maybe I should go to the theatre?” What’s On? 1. ENDGAME, by Samuel Beckett. Mmmm? In my Oxford Dictionary of Plays, I remembered reading: “… Beckett succeeds in creating a beautifully written, tense drama in which almost nothing…

Photo by Steven Siewert MAKEbeLIVE Productions in association with Belvoir presents RUBY’S WISH written by Holly Austin, Adriano Cappelletta and Jo Turner in the Belvoir Downstairs Theatre, Surry Hills, 27th June – 2nd July. This is a new Australian work from MAKEbeLIVE Productions. We last saw Holly Austin and Adriano Cappelletta in CuBBYHOuSE a few years ago, which like this show, RUBY’S WISH, was directed, by Jo Turner. Add Kate Sherman, and we have a performance team that tell a story inspired by a little girl in a hospital bed, that demonstrates the importance of play and imagination. A little girl,…

TRUE WEST THEATRE PRESENTS THE GRIEF PARLOUR by Clockfire Theatre at the Riverside Theatres, Parramatta. THE GRIEF PARLOUR is a new work devised by Clockfire Theatre Company – a creative ensemble – this work includes the three core members of the group, who have been producing work over the past  year or so, and last year had a residency at the Old 505 Theatre in Surry Hills: Emily Ayoub, Gareth Rickards and Kate Worsley. For this project, exceptionally, they invited two other actors in: Roderic Byrnes and Anna Martin; a Writer: Jessica Bellamy; a Director, Jo Turner; and a Composer,…