This was a funny review to write- mainly because I am knee deep in New Australian work at the moment with Brand Spanking New- Which opens in 4 weeks- or it could be because I spend alot of time reading about th Australian film Industry- about audiences, about marketing of Australian product. So I am naturally geared to look at programming choice. I am naturally scanning the field to see what is on right now in Sydney- If a tourist came to this city looking for Australian theatre- could they find it? Coudl they find it easilly? Perhaps at some stage I will either accept or not care about the programming choices- maybe one day I will give up, embrace a life of stoic predicatbility in a law firm or even a corner shop… or perhaps my long standing fantasy of becoming a florist…. but until that time I will ask about the programming choice. Read more

“One Week” a film by Michael McGowan is the Opening night film for the 4th Possible Worlds Canadian Film Festival. It was introduced by Festival director Mathieu Ravier as a “love letter to Canada”… littered with unique Canadianisms, “roll up the rim” promotions of Tim Horton’s coffee cup, the granduer and mystique of the Stanley cup, Canada’s obsession with statues of big things (which is only equalled to Australia’s – see the Big Banana and Big Cow as our examples) and the bronze statue of Terry Fox which stands proudly as the symbol of determination and passion which is a steadfast fixture in the minds of all Canadians. Read more

It’s no secret. I don’t see Shakespeare if I can help it: two notable exceptions in the last two of the last ten years- Macbeth by Wildfire Theatre Company (2008) and Pericles by the Bell Shakespeare Company (2009) . Both were social occasions- one in support of the very energetic and intelligent Sandra Stockley and the other as the guest of James Waites. Read more

After the success of the inaugural Off The Shelf in May, Queen Street Studio presents the second Off the Shelf residency for writers and directors. Off the Shelf is an opportunity for writers and directors to hothouse a script that is in the early stages of development. Off the Shelf is supported by the City of Sydney and aims to focus the skills of theatre practitioners on a previously unproduced script of their choice, whilst strengthening relationships between emerging writers and directors. This is a unique opportunity to explore a script which may have been “shelved”, or may be in a seed stage and needs a little bit of time, space and feedback to get to the next phase. Read more

We are looking for brave, bright, bold actors to help bring to life works by some of Australia’s bravest, brightest and boldest playwrights!

Bring your headshot, a CV and prepare a brief monologue to perform for the directors. There are approx 50 roles to fill: all ages, looks, levels of experience and backgrounds are encouraged to audition. We have roles for those between 18 years and 70! So why wait? Make an audition time!

Be a part of this amazing celebration- with some of the best emerging and established artists!

Brand Spanking New: A Celebration of New Australian Writing
New Theatre
Season Dates: 30th September – 10th October

Returning to New Theatre for its second exciting season, Brand Spanking New aims to encourage Australian writing for theatre by providing a collaborative environment where both emerging and established writers can develop new projects.

With monologues, short plays and excerpts from a wide variety of styles and genres, Brand Spanking New has around 50 roles for male and female actors of all ages written by some of Australia’s most impressive emerging playwrights Maxine Mellor, Tamara Asmar, Kit Brookman, Phil Spencer, Jessica Bellamy, Sonal Moore, Patrick Lenton and Ari Lander and established award-winning writers including Mary Rachel Brown, Timothy Daly, Rick Viede, Verity Laughton, Vanessa Bates, Ross Mueller and Jonathan Gavin.

Brand Spanking New plays: tender, hauntingly poignant and brutally funny this is the festival which celebrates theatre in all it’s glory!

Including the bravest and boldest emerging directors of the Sydney fringe scene including: Ian Zammit, Jane Eakin, Sarah Vickery, Tanya Dickson, Augusta Supple, Jennifer Monk, Anne-Maree Magi, Scarlet McGlynn, Danielle O’Keefe, Louise Fischer, Nick Curnow, Travis Green, Mark Pritchard, Scott Selkirk

Auditions will be held 12-2pm on Sunday 16th August and 12-5pm on Sunday 23rd August at Fraser Street Studio in Chippendale. Please contact Julia Lenton at julia_newtheatre@y7mail.com to arrange a time!

This is the longest I have taken to write a review. I have a 48 hour deadline.. but I usually stay up until 2am to write a first draft while it is fresh in my mind: but this one, for several reasons, has taken me a little longer. One of the reasons is I really liked the plays and another was because I felt a strange sense of longing about the production: and I had to turn the problems in my mind over for a day or so , so I could make sense of my reaction. The major thoughts are influenced by two Platform Papers: Cross Racial Casting: Changing the Face of Australian Theatre by Lee Lewis and What IS an Australian Play: Have we Failed our Ethnic Writers? by Chris Mead. Read more