MTC
scenes Autumn 2013
Richard Bean Brighton Rock Pacharo Mzembe Out of Africa Joanna Murray-Smith The In-laws BROCHURE INSIDE: NEON Festival of Independent Theatre
Hello! Inside information
Welcome to my first Scenes as Executive Director. The new team have well and truly settled and we are excited to have the challenge of building on the prestigious history of MTC. Having been born and bred in Melbourne, MTC has been very much a part of my theatre-going vocabulary
NEON
FESTIVAL OF INDEPENDENT THEATRE MTC showcases new works by five of Melbourne’s most exciting and innovative theatre companies. Menagerie Daniel Schlusser Ensemble 16 May to 26 May 2013 Forum: Wednesday 22 May On the Bodily Education of Young Girls Fraught Outfit 30 May to 9 June 2013 Forum: Wednesday 5 June By Their Own Hands The Hayloft Project 13 June to 23 June 2013 Forum: Wednesday 19 June
Cover: Owain Arthur stars in One Man, Two Guvnors Scenes is produced quarterly and is a publication of Melbourne Theatre Company. All information was correct at the time of printing. Melbourne Theatre Company reserves the right to make changes.
for over twenty-five years. One of my first theatre moments was seeing Angels in America at the old Russell St Theatre. This play was a revelation, so powerful, so exciting and such contemporary story telling – it changed how I viewed theatre.
at where MTC sits as a cultural tourism destination to interstate, international and regional visitors; our presence in the new digital media landscape and making Southbank Theatre come to life more often with talks, music and discussion for all audiences.
We’ve had a terrific start to the season with the first three plays, The Other Place, Constellations and Other Desert Cities, receiving widespread critical acclaim. The rest of the year is going to be a cracker.
We want MTC to excite, to entertain, to fire the imagination and to make you think. I look forward to your feedback on how we are travelling throughout the year.
Brett and I have a shared vision of audience engagement and I am looking forward to leading the Company in creating a deeper dialogue with the city, nationally and internationally. We are working on a number of strategies to open the doors to new audiences and deepen the connection with current audiences. We will look Story of O THE RABBLE 27 June to 7 July 2013 Forum: Wednesday 3 July The Sovereign Wife Sisters Grimm 11 July to 21 July 2013 Forum: Wednesday 17 July Southbank Theatre, The Lawler All tickets $25 NEON pass $100 (5 plays)
NEON Extra Free and open to all. Open Up An expert panel publically answer as many of your questions about the Melbourne theatre scene as they can get through in sixty minutes. Southbank Theatre, The Sumner Sunday 7 July 1.30pm
EDITOR Paul Galloway GRAPHIC DESIGN Helena Turinski COVER IMAGE Johan Persson MAIN PHOTOS Jeff Busby, Johan Persson Melbourne Theatre Company is a department of the University of Melbourne
Virginia Lovett Executive Director
NEON Conversations Spread over the course of the festival, NEON Conversations are thoughtprovoking panel discussion between industry commentators, journalists and leading theatre makers, shedding light on the contemporary independent theatre scene. Innovation & Interdependence Independent theatre and the mainstage, friend or foe? Southbank Theatre, The Sumner Sunday 19 May, 1.30pm Leading the Way What can other art forms offer our stages? Southbank Theatre, The Sumner Sunday 2 June, 1.30pm The Art of Adaptation Is adapting the easy way out? Southbank Theatre, The Sumner Sunday 21 July, 1.30pm For bookings and more information visit mtc.com.au
MTC Headquarters 252 Sturt St, Southbank Vic 3006 TELEPHONE 03 8688 0900 FACSIMILE 03 8688 0901 E-MAIL info@mtc.com.au WEBSITE mtc.com.au Southbank Theatre 140 Southbank Blvd, Southbank Vic 3006 BOX OFFICE 03 8688 0800
Beside the seaside Richard Bean does a renovation job on a comedy classic A week before One Man, Two Guvnors opened at the National Theatre in London in May 2011, Richard Bean, writer of The Heretic, described the process of turning an eighteenth-century farce into a skiffle-era seaside romp. How does writing an adaptation compare to writing an original play? The pain of doing original work is it’s up to you to decide where the plot goes. With an adaptation, you just have to make the plot work in the context you’ve decided on. So in One Man, Two Guvnors, it’s set in 1963, Brighton. Then all I have to worry about is making it funny. It’s a great pleasure to do adaptations. I’m not saying it’s easier, but it’s more pleasurable, because someone’s already written the ending. Deciding how to end a play is a writer’s torture. Were there any specific problems adapting and updating Carlo Goldoni’s A Servant of Two Masters, which is very much of its period? The main problem to solve is that the plot revolves around arranged marriage and that doesn’t exist in contemporary society, except within certain cultures. But we wanted to set the play in the 1960s, so it would have been a very different play if I’d explored immigrant marriages in that decade. The solution we came up with was a marriage of convenience, because one of the parties was gay and wanted to hide that fact by marrying a woman. That was my first big breakthrough. Why did you choose to move the setting to 1960s Brighton? I remember having many early discussions with Nick [Hytner, the production’s director] about where to set it. Because food is such a main motivating factor for the central character, my original idea was to set it just after WWII, because food was still being rationed. I thought the kind of period music and clothes we could incorporate would be very stylish. But Nick wasn’t very keen on that, as he thought the colours would be too muted: browns and greys and military
colours. Nick was set on having more primary colours in the mix, so we settled on 1963.
could watch the show. There’s only one use of the f-word in the play now, right at the end.
You’ve retained many elements of commedia dell’arte. Was this important to you?
You’ve been sitting in on rehearsals quite a lot. How do you find handing over the play to a director and actors?
I certainly wanted to keep most of the stock characters from the genre. Nick and I sat around a lot and talked about how those characters fitted into British comedy, music hall, variety, even Monty Python – you can imagine John Cleese playing a pretentious middle-class gent spouting Latin [like the character of Harry Dangle in One Man, Two Guvnors]. We wanted to put a bit of a 1963 spin on the stock characters. So, for example, the birth of feminism gave us the character of Dolly.
I would normally only be in the room for the first week of rehearsals, but with this there’s been a lot more work, partly because of how all the physical business that’s being created affects the script. Nick has wanted me around much more than I usually am – which I’m very happy to do – but usually I’m only too happy to get out of the way and let the director and actors get on with it. Nick and I have worked on three plays together now and my involvement really depends on the project.
The physical stuff was quite a challenge and also it’s not fashionable in contemporary theatre to have asides to the audience. The physical gags and business we’re doing is a risk. But Nick and I wanted to make an accessible, popular comedy that would find a new audience for the National Theatre. The first draft had quite a lot of swearing in it, because that’s how East End gangsters speak. But Nick felt very strongly that we should take all the swearing out so that family audiences Owain Arthur and Jodie Prenger in One Man, Two Guvnors (Haymarket, 2012)
One Man, Two Guvnors opens on 17 May at the Playhouse. This is an edited version of an interview from the National Theatre website: nationaltheatre.co.uk. One Man, Two Guvnors is a co-presentation with Arts Centre Melbourne
Change of plan Prompt corner Gillian Jones and Ben Mendelsohn in The Glass Menagerie (2004)
If you could invest in actors’ careers, you’d surely buy shares in Jacki Weaver right now. After two Oscar nominations in three years, Weaver is enjoying boom times in her performing life, with film and TV offers rolling in from around the world. Which is wonderful for her and well-deserved, but a scheduling crush means that she has had to pull out of Solomon and Marion. While director Pamela Rabe begins rehearsals in Melbourne in May, Weaver will be filming a new comedy series in Boston. Pulling out was a wrenching decision for Weaver who had initiated the project, discovering Lara Foot’s prize-winning play and bringing it to the attention of MTC Artistic Director Brett Sheehy. But this brilliant two-hander is still going ahead, with the original co-star Pacharo Mzembe (previously seen in Rockabye) now matched with Gillian Jones, who many will remember for her astringent Amanda Wingfield in The Glass Menagerie in our 2004 season. Joanna Murray-Smith’s new marital farce True Minds is in the hands of an accomplished comedy director in Peter Houghton (Hinterland) and some serious comic talent, including Nikki Shiels (pictured above left, hysterical in two senses of the word in Don Parties On), Adam Murphy (above right, who’d forget his caped lothario Adolpho in The Drowsy Chaperone), Louise Siversen (below left, spikily funny in The Joy of Text), and MTC favourite Alex Menglet (of many comedies, including The Madwoman of Chaillot). Making her first MTC appearance since The Recruit in 2002, Genevieve Morris (bottom right) is best known from television comedy and her regular gig in Spontaneous Broadway. Musical theatre star,
Matthew MacFarlane makes his MTC debut. The best value theatre tickets in town must be for One Man, Two Guvnors, since, until recently, you had to fly to London to see the award-winning National Theatre production. In May the entire show comes to Melbourne under MTC’s banner, running at the Playhouse with the full British cast led by Owain Arthur and directed by Nicholas Hytner. Arrive in plenty of time for the special pre-show concert, especially if you are a connoisseur of that joyous and enduring British musical art form Skiffle.
Discounted single tickets
If you are now kicking yourself for not putting One Man, Two Guvnors on your subscription, or are perhaps thinking of buying some additional seats for family or friends (Mothers Day is fast approaching), you can still save money. Single tickets for all shows in MTC’s 2013 Season are now on sale and offered at a reduced rate for Subscribers. The discounts apply whether you book online or in person at the MTC Box Office. Just have your subscription number handy.
Subscriber Briefings
Staying on the subject of One Man, Two Guvnors for a little longer – please note that there is no Subscriber Briefing for this show. (Although the regular Forum performance will go ahead on 27 May.) However, both True Minds and Solomon and Marion will have Subscriber Briefings as usual on the Monday evening before first preview. If you have never been to a briefing before, it is a good way to prime the intellectual pump before seeing the show. Listen to the director and members of the cast and creative team discuss the play and the production, with a Q&A session afterwards. These events are free to MTC Subscribers and anyone else you would like to bring along. The next dates are: True Minds by Joanna Murray-Smith Southbank Theatre, the Sumner Monday 22 April, 6pm Solomon and Marion by Lara Foot Arts Centre Melbourne, Fairfax Studio Monday 3 June, 6pm
Sharp and snappy Life moves fast on-stage and off for Joanna Murray-Smith Joanna MurraySmith is having a busy year. The hotly-anticipated premiere of her new romantic comedy True Minds at our own Sumner Theatre notwithstanding, she is also premiering new work at Sydney Theatre Company and a new adaptation of Hedda Gabler over at STCSA. Three premieres back-to-back this April. How on earth does she find time to write, I wonder? Well, sometimes, she doesn’t. ‘I’m in a particularly dynamic period right now,’ she explains to me over the phone. ‘There’s very little time for writing because I’m busily fixing, dealing with casting issues and preparations for the different rehearsal periods. Last year was more about writing, but even then every day is different.’ I am always interested in hearing about other writers’ creative processes. ‘Could you talk me through a typical writing day for you?’ I ask. She laughs. ‘There is no typical writing day for me,’ she says. ‘It’s an absolutely crazy mix of domestic demands, panic, exhaustion, exhilaration, travel, children, rehearsals. So that’s not to say there aren’t stretches of time where I’m getting up in the morning and distilling down and writing, but generally speaking there’s no real pattern to my day. And that’s especially true of the next six months.’ Her overseas success continues unabated, too. The Gift which MTC premiered in 2011, opened at the Geffen Theatre in the United States in January. But this isn’t something she thinks about when she sits down to write. ‘The more that my plays have been done overseas the more aware I guess I am of the potential for the plays to go offshore,’ she says. ‘But I can’t say that I ever skew a play to try and satisfy a foreign market.’ The universal appeal of a play, she suggests, is the humanity of it. ‘If the plays are about classic aspects of what it is to be human – about love, competition, envy, regret, mortality, suffering, desire – all those fundamental elements of what it is to be human, then I think you can do a play anywhere.’
Surely though, I think, cultural differences must have some influence on how an audience receives a play. ‘Have you had any experiences of audiences reacting unexpectedly?’ I ask. Murray-Smith pauses and considers for a moment. ‘I wrote a play called Rapture,’ she says finally, ‘which was first produced at the Malthouse – the Playbox back then. It has been done in two big productions in Tokyo and I sort of thought, God! – once is kind of unusual, but twice? And I realised there was something about that play that particularly struck a chord with Japanese contemporary life. Now, how and why, I’m not altogether sure.’ There’s a flipside to that strong sociocultural connection, though, she explains. ‘That same play was going to be done in England but eventually the director – even though he really liked it – decided not to do it. He felt that it wouldn’t work in a British environment because the British would never articulate their spiritual journeying like that – they would find that repugnant, to express one’s very private spiritual adventuring.’ True Minds, however, far from being about one’s spiritual adventuring, is much more light-hearted fare: a romantic comedy inspired in many ways by Preston Sturges-type screwball movies from the 1930s and 40s. ‘I love those very quick-witted, quick-spoken, not particularly profane – and perhaps
not even profound – but delightful entertainments. You can see which two are going to end up together, but the pleasure is in seeing what they have to go through in order to reach that ending.’ Part of the pleasure of Murray-Smith’s script is indeed the sharp, snappy dialogue between two old political foes. However, the role that politics plays in her work, she suggests, is more unconscious than anything. ‘Anyone who argues any position too strenuously always seems to me to be ripe for parody,’ she muses. ‘The extremes of the right and left to me are equally ridiculous. My parents were very political in their early lives – in fact, their early lives were completely dominated by it. But by the time I was born, they were extremely cynical about hard-line politics and that was the context in which I grew up. ‘[The politics] is, of course, extremely comedic in True Minds,’ she says ‘but I think the theme of human willingness to believe in a particular ideology at the expense of truth – particularly at the expense of emotional truth – is something that comes up again and again in my work.’ True Minds runs at the Sumner from 25 April to 8 June. Joanna Murray-Smith spoke to Stephanie Convery.
Elizabeth Debicki, Richard Piper, Matt Dyktynski and Heather Bolton in The Gift (2011)
Declaration of independents NEON The Rabble presents Story of O
recognised experience in creating works of scale, and that they come from a text-based perspective, meaning these are theatre companies, not contemporary dance or music companies.’ NEON is far from being a moneymaking exercise for MTC, which will take nothing from the box office and will charge the companies nothing for theatre hire, ticketing, administration and marketing costs. In fact, MTC has provided each with a production grant and allowed free access to our store of props and costumes. It is a sweetheart deal that shows MTC’s commitment to creating a vibrant theatre ecology in Melbourne.
For the artshungry citizenry of Melbourne, there’s always room for one more arts festival. So block in some evenings on your calendars for NEON, MTC’s Festival of Independent Theatre. Beginning in May and running through to July, NEON opens the doors of the Lawler Studio to five of the city’s best independent theatre companies, each of which will present a two week season of an original work. Describing it as ‘a celebration of Melbourne’s thriving independent theatre sector’, the Managing Producer of NEON Martina Murray says the festival is the key event in the wider range of activities called Open Door, our program for increasing access to the Company for both audiences and theatre practitioners. ‘For independent theatre companies, I suppose it’s about playing to new audiences who might not be familiar with their work, as well as the development opportunity that comes with access to MTC’s resources.’ At the 2013 MTC Season launch last year, Artistic Director Brett Sheehy announced the names of the companies invited to present work in the inaugural NEON festival, and recently he was pleased to release full details of the five projects. First up, Daniel Schlusser
Ensemble (16 to 26 May) will present Menagerie, an inventive exploration of the life and work of Tennessee Williams. From 30 May to 9 June, On the Bodily Education of Young Girls from Fraught Outfit takes on Frank Wedekind’s 1903 shocking novella of adolescence and power. The Hayloft Project (13 to 23 June) delves into Greek mythology for By Their Own Hands. Another scandalous fiction, Story of O will be the starting point for a fresh interpretation by THE RABBLE (27 June to 7 July),
As producer, Martina Murray plays gobetween on behalf of MTC and the companies. ‘In a way, my job has been almost like being a mentor to them,’ Murray says. ‘I help them to use the resources of MTC most efficiently. I am also in charge of building all the additional activity, called NEON Extra, which is a combination of forums, niche boutique activities for independent artists and theatre-makers, and networking events.’ In the end, as with any festival, NEON will be for audiences, presenting a wide range of work to as many people as possible. Murray stresses that the festival is not just to attract new audiences to Southbank Theatre, but to expose MTC’s existing audiences to new theatrical experiences.
they come from a text-based perspective, ‘meaning these are theatre companies, not contemporary dance or music companies ’ and, closing the festival from 11 to 21 July, Sisters Grimm will present The Sovereign Wife, about a woman struggling for survival in the harsh Australian outback. All the companies while working under the NEON banner retain their independence. ‘We made absolutely no stipulations on the shows they do,’ Murray says. ‘We are literally handing over the Lawler Theatre for two weeks and allowing them to create any work they wish, in any way they wish. Our only restrictions were that all the companies had to be from Melbourne, that they have some prior and
‘Many Subscribers, who might only go to mainstream productions, will not know these companies and the brilliant work they have been doing for years,’ she says. ‘NEON will give audiences exposure to other types of work and the companies’ exposure to new audiences. And I think it’s important for our audience to see MTC’s next generation of mainstage artists emerge.’
For full details of the NEON Festival see the brochure in this edition of Scenes, or go to our website: mtc.com.au.
Starting to click Another role, another accent for Pacharo Mzembe Pacharo Mzembe reckons he has an ear for accents, and it’s a good thing he does. Since leaving NIDA a few years ago and working across a range of theatre, film and television, he has only used his natural accent once. ‘Just once, in the film Summer Coda a couple of years ago,’ he says. ‘I went for the audition while I was working on Rockabye [at MTC] and did all the lines with an African accent, which is what I thought they wanted. As I was leaving I said thank-you very much, and they heard the Aussie accent. Then did the whole thing again in my natural accent and got the role.’ Although he so rarely plays Australians, Mzembe calls himself an Australian actor. And down the phone he certainly sounds like one, with a standard Aussie accent and a youthful, relaxed manner. Now in his mid-twenties, he was just five years-old when his family arrived here as political refugees from Malawi. His father opposed the interminable, erratic and bloody dictatorship of Hastings Banda and the family fled to Zimbabwe, where Pacharo was born. The Mzembes eventually settled in south-east Queensland. At Ipswich Boys Grammar, where he also excelled in sport, Mzembe found he had a taste and aptitude for acting. A scholarship in his final year to the Australian Acting Academy made him think seriously about it as a career. Acting seemed a cool thing to do: ‘The role models were around, you know. There was Denzel [Washington], Wesley Snipes, Eddie Murphy, a lot of these guys.’ But those guys were American. One thing Mzembe’s tutors drummed into him at NIDA, where he had been accepted straight out of school, was that jobs for Australian actors were scarce, but jobs for African-Australians would be rare. But he’s done all right so far. Although he took the precaution of flying to LA to get an agent and plant a foot in the door, the good roles here have landed with pleasing regularity. On top of recurring characters in Underbelly Razor and Terra Nova on television, he has played on stage a British journalist in Joanna MurraySmith’s Rockabye at MTC and a Nigerian priest in Gwen in Purgatory for Belvoir and Malthouse. He is currently gearing
up to play a young South African man in Solomon and Marion. To our ears, this might seem to require some sort of standard ‘African accent’, but Mzembe knows how distinct each African accent really is. He’ll have to do his research.
Although he took ‘the precaution of
flying to LA to get an agent and plant a foot in the door, the good roles here have landed with pleasing regularity
’
‘Oh, yeah, there are differences within countries,’ he says about the myriad forms of African English. ‘Africa is tribal and, although they will unite and call themselves Africans when they have to, on the ground there are massive cultural differences between peoples. South Africa is a particular case in that respect, because there are Zulu and Xhosa, and these tribes see themselves as very different.’ When speaking English, Malawians and Xhosa have distinct accents. ‘There is an influence of the Dutch that you can hear. But mainly the accent is more sing-song, because the Zulu and Xhosa languages are more rhythmic Pacharo Mzembe and Zahra Newman in Rockabye (2009)
compared to the short, sharp sounds you get in the north.’ On top of that, his character speaks a fair number of lines in Xhosa, a completely foreign language to Mzembe. ‘Yeah, that’s going to be intense for me, because it includes those clicks,’ he says, demonstrating the characteristic Xhosa tongue on palate snap. ‘People where I’m from don’t have those clicks and don’t speak from the throat as much as the Xhosa guys do. My mum helped me out with a bit of it, because she’d picked some of it up. But I’ll need a coach, or some sort of native speaker to get it right.’ Most of the time, Mzembe takes a pragmatic view of having to play so many Africans. ‘That’s good for me,’ he says. ‘I am African and obviously I can easily play African characters. That’s my advantage. But there comes a point where you feel that the people who are casting are not looking too far out of the box. They have pretty narrow vision. They work in stereotypes a bit and leave me out. That gets a bit frustrating. Obviously that happens in America, too; you get it everywhere. I just have to understand that as an actor and make it work for me.’
Solomon and Marion opens on 7 June at the Fairfax Studio. Pacharo Mzembe spoke to Paul Galloway.
All dressed up and somewhere to go Patrons Fashion has been in the Dowd family for four generations, with an association with brands such as Hickory, Maggie T, and the Clothing Company, and as major suppliers of corporate apparel over many years. From speaking to Carl and Wendy Dowd it is obvious they have built their success on thorough research, treating customers
Carl and Wendy haven’t always been regular theatregoers, their business commitments once limited their free time. They first planned their subscription as a way of catching up with their children and enjoying a meal and a show together. As their children’s lives have gathered pace, had children of their own or moved overseas, Carl
Wendy and Carl Dowd with an antique dressmaker’s mannequin
‘What I like is a point of difference, not too much in the one box. Because it makes you think. It’s good to be pushed a bit – otherwise it’s pointless, even though we go to enjoy it.’ They often find that the ‘gems’ are things they might not have chosen initially. While Carl prefers the more humorous pieces, he also ‘enjoys to be tested a bit.’ He appreciates themes that are topical and have resonance for his own life, such as the season opener The Other Place. Wendy and Carl are generous philanthropists in other areas, having set up a family foundation. ‘We felt we have been fortunate in life and if you are lucky you should spread your luck,’ Carl says. They are particularly keen to focus on giving a leg up to talented young people. ‘[The Dowd Foundation] is mainly directed at younger Australians who have got potential and could do a lot more. People who we think could go a bit further.’
with respect and understanding, providing excellent customer service and by appreciating their staff and building terrific teams. It is therefore no surprise, as MTC Patrons, that they have chosen to be Supporters of Costume and Design. They take an interest in all the costuming, understanding the difficulty of doing it well and the research and skill required. Wendy said she can’t remember being disappointed by the costumes she has seen onstage.
and Wendy found the theatre is also a great place to catch up with friends. ‘The good thing about MTC is that it has got us going on a regular basis and understanding and enjoying, being part of it. And a lot of our friends go. We tend to see some people only there,’ Carl explains. Their tastes often vary, with Wendy having a passion for Shakespeare, which Carl admits isn’t his piece of cake. They do agree, Wendy says, on the benefit of buying the whole season.
The Foundation has allowed each member of the family to bring their particular skills, strengths and interests to play across a range of activities in the arts, medicine and education. MTC has appreciated the support of the Dowd Foundation for over ten years.
Just a reminder of the new team in Philanthropy at MTC: Adrienne Conway (03) 8688 0959 Mandy Jones (03) 8688 0958 Ryan Nicolussi (03) 8688 0953
Everything’s coming up roses Business Development Leon Ford and Alison Bell received roses on the Opening Night of Constellations
MTC is delighted to welcome Roses Only as a sponsor for the 2013 Season. The partnership brings together two leading organisations focused on high quality and a celebration of the arts. Opening Night is a time-honored occasion to give flowers to actors. There are volumes written on the etiquette of the theatre: what to wear, where to sit, when to applaud and when to be silent. One area that’s not so wellpublicised deals with the protocol of giving flowers to the actors. During Elizabethan times, as theatre and performing started becoming popular, flowers became part of many traditions and superstitions. Presenting flowers to an actor after the performance was believed to generate good luck for future performances. In a return to this age old tradition, Roses Only will be delivering romance back into the theatre going experience in Melbourne, with the presentation of stunning South American roses to MTC casts on Opening Nights. Leading up to Mother’s Day, the tradition of giving flowers will continue during previews of True Minds, where a Row of Roses will grace the seats in the Sumner for one lucky group of audience members at each performance. The tradition of giving flowers on
Mother’s Day began in the USA with Anna Jarvis in 1907. She passed out 500 white carnations to all the mothers in her Church on the anniversary of the passing of her own beloved mother. The following year, the Church held the first Mother’s Day service and celebration. Over the years to follow, Anna sent more than 10,000 flowers as a personal gift to the church every Mother’s Day. MTC is very grateful for the support Roses Only is providing. It helps with the finances, of course, but it has a different quality to it when organisations take a genuine interest and the benefits add value to the audience experience. Roses Only has a long history of supporting the arts, including engaging as a key partner of the Sydney Symphony for many years. Roses Only’s CEO and Founder James Stevens is
thrilled to replicate this level of support in Melbourne through the new MTC partnership. ‘Performances, such as those presented by the MTC, are an essential part of our cultural fabric. Roses Only is a strong believer in engaging with the community through the arts, and rewarding those whose performances inspire us,’ he says. ‘It is also fantastic to help bring some of the romance back to theatre with a presentation to the actors of a signature box of Roses Only roses at the end of each Opening Night performance.’ Roses Only is proud to source the finest roses from Australia and across the globe, and we are now delighted to bring these premium quality roses to our partnership with MTC.
Living in a satirical world Education ‘I think teenagers live in satire,’ says Petra Kalive, director of Beached. ‘It’s the way they occupy the space in the world they live in. They’re always standing outside themselves; they have that ability to take an ironic stance. They are completely hip to irony and comedy, especially black humour. They get all that completely.’
Swiftian kick of exaggeration. The central character is Arty, a teenager trapped in a massive body, Rabelaisian in its obesity. He’s a couch potato who has outgrown the couch. (In fact, one of the exaggerated design ideas for the show is that he is the couch, an immobile mountain of plump upholstery.) Imprisoned in his body, his mind runs free in fantasies of lithe and muscular adventure. Meanwhile, the reality television series Shocking Fat Stories! plans to make his tragedy into light entertainment for the tuttutting masses.
Written by Melissa Bubnic, Beached is for an audience who like that satisfying
‘Obviously, Melissa has written a play about our obsession with fat and our demonization of fat people,’ Kalive says. ‘But it’s a strong satirical take on that. The satire allows an audience to put themselves at arms length, so they can reflect on their own behaviour and attitudes when it comes to how we treat those who have an addiction to food.’ Another key aspect of young people’s lives is their blasé acceptance of modern technological life. As Kalive reminds me, every new-fangled invention from Facebook to the iPhone is old hat to them, around for as long as they can remember. Worrisome innovations, such as reality television, are a mundane aspect of the contemporary teenager’s moral universe. This is where satire becomes valuable, because it questions the commonplace. Fighting fire with fire, Kalive will send up our media-saturated world by saturating her production with multi-media. Working with the designer Andrew Bailey, Kalive plans to involve the live action with filmed sections, pre-recorded inserts, video screens and puppetry.
‘The play exists in three worlds,’ Kalive explains. ‘We’ve got Arty’s home life, we’ve got the world of Artie’s mind as he imagines an alternate reality, and we’ve got the world constructed by reality television. To tell the story, we will flip between media and realities. What I’m envisaging at this point is that Arty’s imaginary world is animated. The world of reality television and the manipulation that that involves will be projected on screens, and this will contrast with the actual reality of Arty’s life. The idea is that modern reality is layered, and the production design will expose those layers, to show how artificial much of it is.’ Kalive, who is still a jobbing actor and came to directing out of creating her own independent theatre projects, doesn’t think that directing a show for youth is any different from any other directing gig. ‘I don’t think there is any need to make allowances for young people, no’, she says. ‘I’m just going to make a really good piece of theatre with the expectation that they will follow. As with any other piece of theatre, whether we are adults or are children, some things we miss, some things we get. It is the impression that stays with us having seen the whole piece that matters, I think. It’s never a good thing to pander. I expect a lot of them, and I hope they come expecting a lot of me.’
Beached by Melissa Bubnic opens on 22 April at the Lawler. Petra Kalive spoke to Paul Galloway.
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Browse the range of gift and fashion boutiques. $8 parking at Southgate from 4pm onwards on week days and all weekend.
There’s always something new to discover at Southgate.
Biddy: still centre stage CentreStage In the lead up to celebrations for MTC’s sixtieth anniversary in August, we have been thinking about some of the passionate individuals who have been part of the MTC family since the early days. Having regularly attended the Company’s productions, Biddy Ponsford joined the MTC Society in 1984 at the invitation of Society President, Ursula Whiteside. Biddy’s love of theatre was born out of performing plays at school, was confirmed during the years she worked at Melbourne Little Theatre, and was indulged when she spent a year in England with her husband Murn soon after they were married. ‘I saw seventytwo productions that year,’ Biddy remembers. ‘I made a note of all of them. There was a bit of ballet and a concert or two, but it was mainly theatre. We would finish one play and then get straight back into the queue for another.’ But MTC has always felt like home to Biddy. Recalling her time volunteering on the MTC Society Committee, Biddy’s eyes light up. ‘I have so many wonderful memories. It was a most enriching time for me. The work was enjoyable, I loved the contact and seeing people darting in and out of the office or going to rehearsals. And I adored having lunch in the canteen and meeting the actors.’ Biddy may not get to shows as often now, but she remains a loyal Leading Member of CentreStage and loves to stay up to date with all the MTC news.
So what’s Biddy’s advice for the Company in our sixtieth year? ‘Keep up the high standards, stay in touch with world theatre and keep encouraging local playwrights like Joanna Murray-Smith. What a girl! A great sense of humour and a great success.’ Thank you, Biddy, for your sixty years of support.
Dress Rehearsals
The next two CentreStage Dress Rehearsals for Season 2013 have now been scheduled. Note that there will not be a Dress Rehearsal for One Man, Two Guvnors. The dates to put in your diaries are: True Minds by Joanna Murray-Smith 2pm, Thursday 25 April, Southbank Theatre, The Sumner Please note, there may be road closures and changes to Public Transport schedules around the CBD due to ANZAC Day commemorations. Solomon and Marion by Lara Foot 2pm, Friday 7 June, Arts Centre Melbourne, Fairfax Studio To book for Dress Rehearsals, please phone Ryan Nicolussi on 8688 0953 or email membership@mtc.com.au. Remember, bookings are essential and Dress Rehearsals are subject to change or cancellation.
To find out more about CentreStage membership, please contact me, Mandy Jones on 8688 0958 or m.jones@mtc.com.au. See you soon. Mandy Jones Fundraising and Events Manager
BOOKING FORM SEND TO: CENTRESTAGE, MTC, 252 Sturt ST SOUTHBANK 3006 FAX: 03 8688 0901 EMAIL: membership@mtc.com.au ENQUIRIES ONLY: 03 8688 0953
CentreStage Membership
Price
Leading Member Joint/Family
$330
Leading Member Individual
$270
Name
Supporting Member Joint/Family
$175
Address
Supporting Member Individual
$125
Postcode
Supporting Member Joint/Concession*
$145
Ph (BH)
Supporting Member Individual/Concession*
$95
Ph (AH)
E-mail Cheque enclosed payable to Melbourne Theatre Company or charge my credit card
Tax Deductible Donation
$
I wish to remain an anonymous donor EVENT
Total
Subtotal $ No.
Card number
Dress Rehearsal: True Minds
Pay on Day
Expiry date
Dress Rehearsal: Solomon and Marion
Pay on Day
* Concession entitlement numbers: Signature I want to know more about providing a gift to MTC in my will
TOTAL $ * Full-time Student, Pensioner or Seniors (prices per annum & inclusive of GST)
Special offers Autumn 2013 DVD Offer
Movie Preview
Movie Offer
Movie Offer
The Intouchables Based on a true story of friendship between a handicapped millionaire and his streetsmart ex-con caretaker, The Intouchables depicts an unlikely camaraderie rooted in honesty and humour between two individuals who, on the surface, would seem to have nothing in common. An irreverent, uplifting comedy about friendship, trust and human possibility, The Intouchables has broken box office records in its native France and across Europe.
For your chance to win one of thirty copies of The Intouchables on DVD, email your name and subscriber details to offers@ mtc.com.au with TOUCH in the subject line, or call 8688 0900 from 20 March.
Rust and Bone
27 March
Two characters on the margins of society are thrust into an unlikely relationship in Rust and Bone. Stephanie is a trainer of killer whales recovering from a tragic accident at a local marine park, and Ali is a penniless drifter trying to make a new start with his five year-old son. Each plagued by their inner demons, they find solace in the other’s company. Marion Cotillard stars in this unique and powerful love story that delivers a deeply dramatic punch.
For your chance to attend an exclusive preview screening at Palace Brighton Bay cinemas on Wednesday 27 March at 6.30pm, visit rsvp.hopscotchfilms.com. au/RSVP/mtcrb
Kon-Tiki
From 11 April
Recounting one of the great real-life explorations of the twentieth century, Kon-Tiki chronicles Thor Heyerdahl’s astonishing 8,000km expedition across the Pacific Ocean from Peru to Polynesia on a balsa wood raft in 1947. In spite of ridicule from the scientific community, a motley, inexperienced crew and his own inability to swim, Heyerdahl completed his quest in an epic three month adventure. This mesmerising film will restore your sense of wonder at the world around us.
For your chance to win one of one hundred double in-season passes to Kon-Tiki, email your name and subscriber details to offers@mtc.com.au with KONTIKI in the subject line, or call 8688 0900 from 20 March.
The Company You Keep
From 18 April
When a former member of the radical organisation the Weather Underground turns herself in to the FBI, an aggressive young journalist starts searching for leads on the other members. He soon uncovers a fugitive wanted for murder, who has lived for more than thirty years under an assumed identity in New York. Directed by Robert Redford, and starring Redford and Susan Sarandon, The Company You Keep explores how far you would go to protect the ones you love.
For your chance to win one of one hundred double in-season passes to The Company You Keep, email your name and subscriber details to offers@mtc.com.au with COMPANY in the subject line.
DROP THE HINT THIS MOTHER’S DAY Don’t risk yet another recipe book or kitchen accessory disaster this year – let your loved ones know what you really want! MTC Gift Vouchers are the Mother’s Day gift that keeps on giving. Vouchers can be redeemed for additional tickets, so you can bring your friends and family to the next MTC show. Vouchers can even be put towards your 2014 subscription renewal in September. Go to mtc.com.au or call 8688 0800 for more info.