Scenes | Edition 1 - 2018

EDITION 1 – 2018

Adrian Sutton The music in maths

Lucy Kirkwood Changing behaviour

Eryn Jean Norvill Life of the party

Andrew Bailey Suspending disbelief

Jean Tong Lost and found

Welcome Summer’s here and as we bid farewell to 2017 and look back on the year that was, I’d like to thank you all for being part of another wonderful season at MTC. I hope 2017 brought you many laughs, passionate discussions post-show and moments of joy, excitement and reflection.

Now, a new season awaits. And what a year it’s set to be!

We begin with one of the most anticipated Australian premieres on the national calendar – The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. It is guaranteed to blow you away with its inventive staging and heartfelt story of family and acceptance, plus a tale of mystery and detective work to boot.

It has taken four years of negotiation and planning to get Curious Incident to Melbourne so we’re especially excited to be sharing it with you in its exclusive Australian premiere, co-presented with Arts Centre Melbourne.

This edition of Scenes includes interviews with Curious Incident composer Adrian Sutton about the significance of prime number patterns in his compositions, and lead actor Josh Jenkins about performing the role of Christopher Boone and touring to Melbourne.

Also coming up are two other Australian premieres – The Children starring MTC favourite Pamela Rabe alongside Sarah Peirse and William Zappa; and Wild, an incredible play taking inspiration from the Edward Snowden story that will leave you questioning what’s real and who we can really trust. Plus our revival of Mike Leigh’s cult classic Abigail’s Party and the world premiere of Hungry Ghosts, a new play by Jean Tong developed through our Cybec Electric play reading series in 2017.

You’ll read about all this and more within this bumper edition of Scenes. It’s the perfect preparation for all the exciting theatre ahead.

The start of the year always flies by and it’s an action packed few months on our stages, so make sure you’ve got your MTC dates in your diary as you won’t want to miss a moment.

See you at the theatre.

There’s also a wonderful Q&A with director Marianne Elliott available now on MTC Backstage along with an ever-growing array of interesting articles, videos and podcasts giving you further insight into our shows and the Company. I love hearing directly from artists and always learn something new, so I encourage you to take a look at what’s on offer at mtc.com.au/Backstage.

Prompt Corner

There is a world of stories to explore at MTC Backstage, taking you further into the realm of live performance. Lose yourself in our videos, podcasts and interviews with Australia’s best theatre makers.

Learn more about Season 2018 with backstage videos featuring Geoffrey Rush, Gina Riley, Pamela Rabe and more. mtc.com.au/2018

Cover: Joshua Jenkins (Christopher) in The Curious Incident of the the Dog in the Night-Time Photo by Brinkhoff&Mogenberg The Curious Incident of the the Dog in the Night-Time article reprinted courtesy of the National Theatre.

Production Photography throughout: Justin Ridler Scenes 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.

Hear from stage luminaries like John Bell in our MTC Talks podcast series. mtc.com.au/MTCTalks

Read more about our 2018 plays in extended interviews with playwrights, directors, actors, designers and other theatre makers at MTC. mtc.com.au/backstage

MTC Headquarters 252 Sturt St, Southbank Vic 3006 T 03 8688 0900 F 03 8688 0901 info@mtc.com.au mtc.com.au Southbank Theatre 140 Southbank Blvd, Southbank Vic 3006 BOX OFFICE 03 8688 0800

EDITOR and WRITER Sarah Corridon ART DIRECTOR Emma Wagstaff GRAPHIC DESIGNER Helena Turinski Melbourne Theatre Company is a department of the University of Melbourne.

MTC acknowledges the Yalukit Willam Peoples of the Boon Wurrung, the Traditional Owners of the land on which Southbank Theatre and MTC HQ stand, and we pay our respects to Melbourne’s First Peoples, to their ancestors past and present, and to our shared future.

STAY IN THE LOOP MelbourneTheatreCompany melbtheatreco melbtheatreco Sign-up to receive our eNews at mtc.com.au or email info@mtc.com.au Buy a $2 programme at your next show – they are filled with great articles and useful show information.

The music in maths Adrian Sutton discusses the thrills of composing by numbers for the acclaimed production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.

SIX QUESTIONS WITH JOSH JENKINS Josh Jenkins is the seventh actor to play Christopher John Francis Boone in the National Theatre's production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. He was the first actor to take the character on tour in the UK and will be the first actor to perform this now iconic role in Australia.

What are you most looking forward to about the Melbourne season of Curious Incident?

Joshua Jenkins (Christopher Boone), Amanda Posener, Matt Wilman and Oliver Boot. Photo by Brinkhoff & Mögenburg

Sutton is a classically trained musician, so the blips and beeps of Curious Incident should have taken him way out of his comfort zone. Yet, the unconventional style harks back to his ambient work on soundtracks for Chris Morris’ darkly comedic shows Blue Jam on BBC Radio One and Jam on Channel Four. It also took the composer further back, to the days of his youth, as Sutton explains, ‘I was quite a geek when I was a teenager, learning to program computers and write software. I actually wrote a couple of software programs specifically for this show.’

Adrian Sutton and Josh Jenkins (right) Josh Jenkins on stage

When Adrian Sutton was asked to write the musical score for the National Theatre's The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time he was elated. Here was a project a world away from the big, cinematic sound and orchestral flourishes of War Horse – his last production – so stylistically opposed in fact, that it required a completely different approach.

Sutton explains, ‘It’s one of the nation’s favourite books, so we knew there was going to be some pressure. A lot of prep work would be required before I started putting together some musical ideas.’

After consultation with Director Marianne Elliott, things quickly clicked into place. Adrian continues, ‘It soon became apparent that Christopher, the principal character, [was] obsessed with the cold logic of computers and mathematics. [He] finds the world of real human emotions very confusing, so he retreats into himself. What seemed to be an in to all of this, from a musical point of view, was to try to get into Christopher’s head.’

This idea immediately became the springboard for what the composer wanted to do with the music. ‘Marianne and I talked,’ says Adrian, ‘I said, he loves music and computers, these are things he knows he can control and feels safe with, so it made perfect sense to have a soundtrack with a computer generated, electronic feel.’

One of the show’s most popular pieces, Maths Appendix, represents Christopher’s gleeful joy of mathematics.

‘In many ways, that’s a perfect example of how life can be really spontaneous. It was written in the rehearsal room, during a tea break. Sometimes the best ideas can come from not over-thinking things too much,’ he laughs.

The score is littered with mathematical references.

For example, the opening track starts off on a rhythm that’s based on the counting of prime numbers. Such was the power of the play that at one point the creative process completely took over him and Sutton became obsessive.

‘I wondered what it would be like if Christopher wanted to make his own sounds using prime numbers; so I used a text only sound programming language called SuperCollider to generate the first 7,000 prime numbers and use them as frequencies to make a combination of sounds.’

Influenced by contemporary artists such as Aphex Twin, Autechre and early Kraftwerk, Sutton has crafted a soundtrack that is emotive, powerful, and groundbreaking.

The squelchy Intro piece bounds into life as Christopher makes a startling discovery: it’s designed to replicate the ‘pulsing, horrendous confusion and uncontrollable panic that goes on inside a brain,’ says Adrian.

The beautiful and melodic track Sleepwalking, is one of the few musical pieces in the show that appears to exist outside Christopher’s head and it is one of Sutton’s favourite moments on stage. ‘Visually it’s very arresting,’ he says. ‘On the back wall there’s a wonderful, slowly turning overhead view of suburban London. It feels as if Christopher is asking us, through conversations with his school teacher, Siobhan, to think about what’s important in our lives. It’s an emotional moment.’

The score, rather than seeking to control the dramatic temperature, succeeds by subtly existing within the framework of the story and helps us to not only understand what is going on in Christopher’s head, but also, perhaps, inside our own minds. n

The National Theatre's The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time plays at Arts Centre Melbourne, Playhouse from 11 January – 18 February.

Well it’s my first time in Australia so I’m excited to see a bit of the country and do some touristy things. I’m also looking forward to the lovely weather which is somewhat of a rarity in the UK. I’ve seen photos of the theatre as well and it looks absolutely beautiful so I'm very much looking forward to playing in that space.

What are the biggest challenges of playing the role of Christopher?

One of the biggest challenges of playing Christopher is the fact you never leave the stage. If things go wrong or not according to plan, you can’t come off and compose yourself, you have to forget about it immediately and move on to the next scene. Then you also have the physical demands of the show which for the whole company are very high, so we all need to maintain our fitness throughout the duration of the job.

Having said that, it’s parts like Christopher that [made me want] to become an actor. I feel privileged to have that opportunity and it’s not something I take for granted.

What’s the most rewarding part of performing in this production?

Knowing how important this book and play is to so many people across the world. The response we receive from audience members after the show is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. People can see aspects of their own lives in Curious Incident so it goes beyond being just a play and people have an immediate emotional response to the show.

Do you have any rituals or habits before you go on stage each night?

I do a 40-minute vocal and physical warm up before every show and then I just listen to music very loudly to get pumped up. Bands like The Jam or The Super Furry Animals are a personal favourite at the moment.

What do you think the biggest message or lesson is in Curious Incident?

There are so many! I think how problems can be an opportunity to learn and grow, and how you can turn weakness into strength is one of the biggest messages in the story. But also how acceptance of others can help you find self-acceptance as well. It’s an incredibly layered story and I'm sure everyone will take something different out of it.

You’ll be here for Australian summer. How do you plan on spending your time in Melbourne when not performing?

At the beach trying not to get sunburnt, I expect. Or maybe taking day excursions to explore the outdoors.

Everyone I’ve spoken to who has been to Melbourne before has told me that it’s a wonderful city and that I'm going to love my time there, so I can’t wait to get out there now and share the show with everyone! n

Changing behaviour Lucy Kirkwood picks at the seams of our social and environmental consciousness.

Lucy Kirkwood

British playwright Lucy Kirkwood tackles far-reaching themes in her latest play, The Children. With several award-winning works behind her, and still in her early thirties, Kirkwood tells us about the impetus behind writing this bold and heroic new work.

Where did the first seed for The Children come from?

I had been trying to find a form for a long time to write about climate change in a way that was emotionally rather than intellectually driven. What is important and theatrical to me is not the facts of climate change – we all know the facts now, and most of the average left leaning theatre audience will believe in them too. What is interesting is this: if we know the facts, why are we failing so catastrophically to change our behaviours? Well, for one thing, it’s because those changes are enormous and frightening and demand that we give up things we have all come to feel we are entitled to. The scale of such a change can only feel like a death of sorts, and as Hazel says [in the play], who would consciously want to move towards their own death?

Capitalism has instilled a set of desires in us that are very difficult to de-program. I wanted to write something that didn’t harangue or nag an audience, but was generous, honest and unsentimental about how difficult it will be to make the changes that we need to, about how overwhelming that might feel – an awakening perhaps, but a terrifying one.

The idea you can do nothing because the disaster is already too large is an infantilising one (one of the many reasons for the title), and the play is about three people growing up into active agents. And of course the way in which they do that was very much inspired by what happened at Fukushima. When I heard about the heroism of the retired work-force returning to the plant to help with the clean up, lots of different and long gestating ideas started to finally come together for me.

This play has a strong message of generational responsibility, is this something you feel passionately about?

I do, but my hope is that audiences will not feel that the play is about a single generation – it is not a satire on baby-boomers, it’s about all of us. In 35 years I will be Hazel’s age and I am certain that the next generations will be asking the same questions of me as mine ask of hers.

Your play is entirely set inside a coastal home; however, we get this great sense of the landscape outside the front door. Where did your inspiration for this setting come from?

I am wary of telling you because one of the things I enjoyed about the UK production was that everyone was convinced they knew where it was and most of them were wrong! But that sense of ownership meant that they had emotionally connected with the setting. I wouldn’t want to rob anyone of such a lovely misconception.

Pamela Rabe and Sarah Peirse (pictured above) star alongside William Zappa star in The Children.

‘The idea that you can do nothing because the disaster is already too large is an infantilising one [and] one of the many reasons for the play’s title.’

You’ve woven politics into many of your works, do you set out to create theatre that challenges its audience, or does this happen organically for you?

To write a play takes a long time. This means that whatever I chose to write about has to sustain my interest for at least a couple of years, sometimes much longer.

So I find myself drawn to writing about things where the roots of the emotions and ideas go deep and the branches go high. This isn’t consciously political, it’s just about what holds me. Hopefully if something can hold me for three years it will hold an audience for two hours. And I do believe that most theatre is an inherently political act because it demands we step outside of ourselves and imagine others. And it demands that we do that communally.

Sexual politics and the power of sex are central to this narrative. Can you tell us about this as a narrative choice?

An answer of two halves: 1) the play is an attempt to look at a crisis of desire on a political level – Hazel’s line, ‘I don’t know how to want less’ is perhaps the most crucial line in the play. Capitalism depends on growth. Our entire economic system depends on us wanting more and more, on boundless desire – and if we continue to pursue those desires they will destroy us. And I wanted this ache of desires that couldn’t be fulfilled, or which in being fulfilled would simply cause more pain, and no satisfaction, to pulse between the characters too. So that’s what’s burning in Rose, this irresolvable desire. And we watch her battle and to some extent subdue it. 2) In some sense it wasn’t a choice at all, the moment I started writing, and I knew Rose had been hit in the face, it was clear to me that Rose was in Hazel’s territory and that she had

been in her territory before. Often writing is intuitive not conscious. Those women told me sex was important to them through bloody noses and passive aggression.

Do you have any writing habits or rituals you could share with us?

Coffee, walking, rinse, repeat.

What is your favourite part of the theatre-making process?

Spending so much time alone at a desk, I always love finally getting into rehearsal. I think we all want to be part of something bigger than ourselves, I find myself returning to that idea a lot, and that’s also what I find exhilarating about making work in the theatre, the collaboration of it. n

Read about MTC Associate Director Sarah Goodes’ approach to directing Lucy Kirkwood’s intimate new drama. mtc.com.au/backstage

The Children by Lucy Kirkwood plays at Southbank Theatre, The Sumner 3 February – 10 March.

Life of the party In 1977, Mike Leigh wrote a pitch-perfect neighbourhood drinks-party from hell.

Forty years on, Eryn Jean Norvill steps into the now iconic role of the party’s host, Beverly Moss.

Eryn Jean Norvill

British writer Mike Leigh was dedicating all his energy to film in 1977, when then Artistic Director of the Hampstead Theatre, Michael Rudman, offered him a free lunch and an opportunity too good to refuse.

A run of successful shows meant Leigh was offered a 10-week rehearsal period to create an improvised play with a cast of five. While it took some convincing, Leigh’s wife, actor Alison Steadman, accepted the lead role in what would become Abigail’s Party. Steadman didn’t know at the time she would be creating one of England’s quintessential characters of the 20th Century – Beverly Moss.

Abigail’s Party was a smash hit when it opened in April 1977 and gained a cult following almost immediately.

Crackling vinyl from the Queen of Disco, Donna Summer, echoed on stages across London in back-to-back seasons of sold out shows. Leigh was credited with creating a new genre for the stage – social horror, which delighted and mortified theatregoers in equal measure. The cheesypineapple sticks, shag-pile carpets, chain smoking and binge drinking provided a social commentary on life in the suburbs and the tension between respectability and anarchy, freedom and responsibility.

Forty years later, Abigail’s Party remains acutely relevant, universally appealing and wickedly funny. Playing the iconic role of Beverly in MTC’s production is Eryn Jean Norvill, who describes her character as a ‘starved peacock’.

‘She would say she’s the life of the party, the hostess with the mostess and a terrific lover,’ Norvill says. ‘Others might not agree, but she didn’t ask for their opinion.’

Beverly and her husband Laurence provide a bottomless bar and serve up copious insults throughout the evening, which still have a sting today. ‘Leigh ogles at the strange and dysfunctional side of societal norms that induce cultural anxiety and prejudice,’ Norvill says. ‘His stories and characters are often hilarious but also hard to watch, as they expose small pieces of our own crippled humanity.’

Norvill believes it’s through characters like Beverly that Abigail’s Party leans into, and thrashes against, the structures of gender, class and hierarchy. Beverly is a clear representation of what happens to identity and sexuality when it is repressed, she says. ‘She’s a woman who knows what she wants and pursues it, without apology. She’s ugly and feminine. That’s a rare thing to see on our stages and screens, even today.’

Eryn Jean Norvill stars in Abigail's Party.

Directing MTC’s production of Abigail’s Party is Stephen Nicolazzo, recognised for his bold, brash and innovative productions, which challenge social norms. Nicolazzo’s directing style is famed for energising texts through a queer or camp lens, making Abigail’s Party the perfect springboard for his Melbourne Theatre Company mainstage debut. According to Norvill, Nicolazzo’s visual style illuminates the joyous and the grotesque. ‘He takes exquisite risks and follows them through to the end.

He is daring and he is generous in his direction.’

Hear from director Stephen Nicolazzo in our MTC Talks podcast series about his love for Mike Leigh’s classic play. mtc.com.au/MTCTalks

Abigail’s Party is both a celebration and lamentation on fitting in, or doing the done thing. For Norvill, this British narrative has similar tones to Australia’s definitive underdog story – Muriel’s Wedding. Just as P. J. Hogan made his characters grotesquely likeable, Leigh develops a sympathy for his characters, to the point where audiences find them charming.

‘Beverly is more than likeable, she’s delectable,’ Norvill explains. ‘Deeply troubled but delicious. It’s her context [and] her reality that has shaped her to be who she is, that is [what’s] unlikeable. She’s just surviving as best as she can in that reality, which is our reality too.’ n

Abigail’s Party by Mike Leigh plays at Southbank Theatre, The Sumner 17 March – 21 April.

Suspending disbelief Andrew Bailey is a creative problem solver.

Andrew Bailey

Andrew Bailey, Melbourne Theatre Company’s Production Design Co-ordinator, found his job at MTC by ‘hanging around’ to the point of making himself invaluable. After graduating from a Production Design degree at VCA, Bailey started filling in casually before creating a now crucial role at the Company.

Unlike most theatre designers who work on a freelance basis, Bailey is embedded in MTC’s production team and works on plays throughout the Company’s full season.

‘We have moments of incredible stress and busyness as everything comes together towards production week,’ Bailey says. ‘But when everything works, there’s not much like it in terms of a live experience.’

Bailey’s first role as a set designer at MTC was on an Education Production of Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire, at a time when education plays were built on the sets of existing mainstage shows. ‘It was a play called Rockabye, which was a Joanna Murray-Smith play, and we were doing Streetcar on top of that!’ Consequently, the adaption required an inventive approach – a set that could be bumped in during the day and bumped out easily before Rockabye that evening.

Creating work for a student audience is a particularly rewarding aspect of Bailey’s job. ‘It’s a different space to work in and it can be really great to engage an audience who may not have seen a piece of theatre before. It’s also really interesting to see how they react in different ways.

In ways that adults don’t generally react. For an education audience, you just want something that kids can talk about, and write about, and discuss.’

This ethos has seen Bailey develop a knack for employing stage trickery into his set designs. ‘Certainly with younger audiences there’s a huge amount of liberty to have fun and just play around. You can do things you wouldn’t usually get away with for adults.’

The 2017 Education production of Melbourne Talam required three actors to recreate a frantic Flagstaff Station in peak hour. To achieve this, Bailey installed a series of treadmills into the set to stretch the space out and give the actors room to move in a studio-sized theatre. In his 2016 set design of Lungs, Bailey incorporated a 360-degree revolving set, literally turning the on-stage couple's life upside down as they debated love, children and climate change.

In 2012, working on a Lawler Studio Season of On the Production of Monsters, Bailey installed a number of surprise elements that popped out of the stage. ‘There was one trick we did where we built a toast canon into the floor and it would fire a piece of toast into the air for the actor [Virginia Gay] to catch in every show.’

Anna Lise Phillips stars in Wild.

‘We have moments of incredible stress … but when everything works, there’s not much like it.’

Bailey clearly remembers the moment when Production Electrician Allan Hirons and he were installing the toaster.

'We were kind of just playing and firing toast in the air, and we stopped and looked at each other and said, "We’re getting paid to do this." It was a real moment of acknowledging the fact that often we get to do some really interesting and weird things, and it’s our job.

It’s not just a hobby.’

In 2018, Bailey will be designing the set for the Australian première of Mike Bartlett’s Wild. Inspired by the story of Edward Snowden, the play deals with the notion of leaking state secrets, surveillance, and the consequences of whistleblowing.

Wild presents difficult questions about the integrity and reality of each of its three characters. Eventually the reality of the physical space is also brought into question. This presents a particularly interesting challenge for the set designer – a coup de théâtre that’s too good to be spoiled.

‘The play, at its core, just asks for a hotel room [as a set].

It takes place in the room that the central character escapes to (notionally in Russia), and he’s there to meet the people who are meant to keep him safe … we think.

It’s very much about: is there safety? Is there ever safety?

Are you ever not being watched? Is there any truth? It’s got a lot of resonance now with the Trump post-truth era we live in. You’re never quite sure where you stand.’

Bailey says he wants the space to be homogeneous and generic, with the patina of an international airport lounge.

‘The idea is that it could be located anywhere or nowhere.

Because the central character, is nowhere. He’s trapped in limbo. So it’s really a space of confusion for him.’

It’s a play that Bailey can’t wait to dive into. ‘The best thing about [set designing] is problem solving,’ he says, and there are certainly a series of problems to solve with Wild.

‘You’re given a set of constraints and then you’ve got to find an interesting way, or something that sings to you, to solve that particular problem. It’s collaborative in that fashion because you’re relying on the builders around you, or the director you’re working with, who has to do that thing, their part. You use the history of theatre at any given point. You’re always writing on what’s come before.

But you’re all working towards this product that you hope – ultimately – is a little bit different from what other people are doing.’ n

Read an interview with Anna Lise Phillips about her role in this much-anticipated Australian première. mtc.com.au/backstage

Wild by Mike Bartlett plays at Southbank Theatre, The Sumner 5 May – 9 June.

Lost and found Jean Tong explores what it means to belong in a world where we can all go missing.

Jean Tong

When Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 vanished, the world’s media went into overdrive. There remains no definite explanation for what happened to the Boeing 777, which was carrying 239 passengers and crew when its signal disappeared over the South China Sea. The following year, when over 2.67 billion Malaysian Ringgit, roughly 800 million Australian dollars, found its way from a government organisation (1MDB) into the personal bank account of the Prime Minister, the Malaysian people demanded answers.

For young Malaysian playwright Jean Tong, both of these crises, as well as her own migration to Australia, instigated the beginning of her quest to understand loss and identity, and ultimately resulted in the development of her new play, Hungry Ghosts.

As a Malaysian national living and studying in Australia from the age of 16, Tong experienced what it meant to arrive in a new city with no family, feeling both lost and found. This became one of the major themes driving her narrative in Hungry Ghosts. ‘It’s about belonging and non-belonging, the terse relationship between desire (wanting something) and greed (wanting everything) [and] collective group identity – family and nationhood,’ she says.

Emina Ashman and Jing-Xuan Chan star in Hungry Ghosts.

While Tong was settling into Melbourne life, her birth country was devastated by the Malaysia Airlines tragedy and then by the apparent corruption of her government’s leadership.

The writing, first shown in an early form at MTC’s Cybec Electric readings, unfolded from there. For Tong it was a process of listing the tangible – coinciding dates of the three topics – with the intangible – distance and absence.

‘I’d been interested in 1MDB and MH370 for a while, but couldn’t quite pinpoint what it was about those events that interested me,’ Tong says. ‘Then in early 2016 I came across a conspiracy theory about how some individuals involved in 1MDB might have instigated the disappearance of MH370 due to certain passengers’ knowledge about the financial scandal.’

Tong was compelled to write about Malaysia’s sociopolitical climate to engage with her home country and participate in conversations from which she had been disengaged.

Tong recognised the improbability of this conspiracy, but it set something in motion that tied the missing plane, the missing money and her own absence from her birth country, together. ‘I noticed that the common thread seemed to be a sense of loss, or an inability to speak due to either the suppression or lack of knowledge.’

Hungry Ghosts comments on how we respond in the face of disaster, a subject that had long intrigued Tong. ‘I think crises are a great indicator for who people are and what they value,’ she says. ‘We’re increasingly able to watch major events unfold live, often from a great distance where we can only offer limited assistance, if any.’

The gap between what we understand about a disaster and how we can help is immense, she says. ‘I wanted to pick at that ugly but understandable voyeurism and make that helpless grasping at answers that don’t exist more apparent.’

Hungry Ghosts is a play told in multiple languages, something that Tong describes as both chaotic and rewarding. ‘There’s something about being able to find the limits of what each language can best encapsulate… that feels really hopeful in terms of being able to [verbalise] a variety of experiences.’ n

Hear more from Jean Tong in our MTC Talks podcast series. mtc.com.au/MTCTalks

Hungry Ghosts by Jean Tong plays at Southbank Theatre, The Lawler 3 – 19 May.

Meet our NEXT STAGE Writers-in-Residence Introducing MTC’s newest recruits in conversation with MTC’s Literary Associate Jennifer Medway.

Jennifer Medway

Jennifer Medway is MTC's Literary Associate. Prior to this she was Resident Dramaturg at Australian Theatre for Young People, running national and international programs to support and develop young playwrights.

She was a Griffin Studio Artist in 2014, Co-Artistic Director of the Crack Theatre Festival in 2013, Associate Artist-Dramaturgy at Belvoir in 2012, Literary Assistant at Belvoir in 2011 and also an alumna of MTC's Women in Theatre program. Medway spoke to Dan Giovannoni, Kylie Trounson and Natesha Somasundaram about their new positions as NEXT STAGE Writers-in-Residence.

Dan Giovannoni, Natesha Somasundaram and Kylie Trounson at MTC HQ.

Jennifer Medway: When did your relationship with Melbourne Theatre Company begin? Tell us a bit about your touchpoints with MTC in the past?

Dan Giovannoni: I worked on a NEON show (Arthur’s The Myth Project: Twin) in 2014, which I think was my first connection with MTC. That was an independent project but we were very much made to feel like part of the family.

I’ve known lots of people who have worked in and around the Company over the years so it’s always felt welcoming.

Kylie Trounson: The first MTC show I remember seeing was Twelfth Night in 1998. I was so struck by Alison Whyte’s Viola and Kim Gyngell’s yellow tights. My first work with MTC as a writer was in 2014 when my play, The Waiting Room, was part of Cybec Electric. This was particularly memorable as I went into labour on the day of the performance of my play about conception and babies.

Chris Mead explained to the audience that my absence on the night was due to the birth of my first child – this was the first that many of my friends and family heard of the news. I’m still convinced that Chris’ directive to cut 30 pages from the script the night before, and my mad scramble to do so, induced labour. The Waiting Room was performed in the 2015 MTC Season. I learnt so much about writing and making theatre from that production.

Natesha Somasundaram: My relationship with MTC started last year, when Chris Mead came to a reading of the first play I’d ever written (Entomology) at the 2016 National Play Festival. I was terrified but he laughed a whole bunch and somehow convinced the big guns at MTC HQ to slide me into the 2017 Cybec Electric program.

JM: What excites you most about this NEXT STAGE residency opportunity?

DG: That it exists! What an incredible program and investment in playwrights. I’m excited to get to know Kylie and Natesha better, learn about their work and how they work, and tap into some of the excellent brains that work at MTC. I’m excited that the residency is not entirely outcome based – I’ll be working on a new play while I’m here, but I’ll also be working on a bunch of other projects, and that’s a real gift, to be given time and space to work at being a full-time writer, not just on a specific project.

KT: I think the opportunity to be part of the company for a period of time. Writing can be a very lonely pursuit. I love

the fact that a few days a week I put on nice clothes, brush my hair and turn up to the office to write. I am so much more productive writing at MTC HQ than at home – there’s no laundry, dishes or other procastinatory measures. It’s such a luxury to have all these great brains around to pick – from Brett [Sheehy] to the Literary Department to the Associate Directors, Producer, Marketing, Production and Casting. It makes the prospect of crafting a bespoke play for the company a pleasurable and wieldy task.

NS: Being able to write whatever I want. Strange as it sounds, it can be really intimidating to take artistic risks in the current climate of the Australian arts. Funding is tight, everything has become ultra-competitive – and it can be really disheartening as an emerging artist, when attempting to create work that is unconventional and challenging. I am excited to have the encouragement and belief from MTC’s Artistic Team; and to be able to create works that are bold and daring.

JM: Why do you think opportunities like this are important for writers at all stages of their career?

DG: I think the great gift of opportunities like this for me is the chance to just work, properly – not in between part-time jobs, or on weekends, but day-to-day. It feels a bit like going back to study, with access to great brains and a great library and other artists, sharing scripts and hiccups and long lazy conversations about what we’re reading and watching. I think it’s also been useful for me so far to see how the company ticks – how the pieces fit together, what its priorities are, how decisions are made.

Big companies can sometimes feel impenetrable when you’re working solo.

KT: An opportunity like this really legitimises writing for theatre as a pursuit and a profession. It allows a symbiotic relationship to develop between the writer and the company that ultimately benefits the work, the writer and the audience. It takes the pressure off the writer’s interactions with key people in the Company. The hierarchy is flattened and we become colleagues who collaborate, share ideas, provoke each other, learn from each other and hopefully create great work together.

NS: Having a dedicated place to write and grow as an artist has been so inspiring and nourishing. I come from a background that is less than supportive of the arts, in addition to having to work to support myself – it can be really physically and mentally difficult to dedicate time and attention to an artistic practice. Being surrounded by so many incredible, passionate and energetic theatremakers on a daily basis is renewing and joyous; it has really given me a sense of belonging – and has lit a fire under me that often keeps me hunkered down at MTC HQ for 12 hours at a time. I think it’s so vital to any artist’s development to be given the support and time to take risks, to fail, and to try again.

JM: What are you working on and what are you hoping to achieve through this residency?

DG: I’m working on a few things at the moment. Mostly while I’m here I’ll be working on a play that doesn’t have a title (at the moment anyway), but is a multi-generational black comedy about inheritance and war and MH17.

My plan is to have written most of that play by the end of the residency, so check back in 12 months!

KT: I am working on a detective story with a difference – the key players are all women and the murder is solved early on in the piece, the real mystery is who the characters really are and how they affect and change each other in the circumstances they find themselves in.

I hope to get a good final draft of this piece completed by the end of the residency, and also to collaborate with some of the brilliant people who work here.

NS: I’m working on a new play at the moment – about three people, about climate change, about a baby, and about the comedy of the mundane, and the comedy of horror. I’m interested in crafting a world imbued by minutiae and detail. It’s quite stylistically different to what I usually write, but the characters and themes really excite me – and it’s very structurally challenging. Being a fairly new writer, I’m hoping to rigorously refine my craft – by writing as much as possible. n

Learn more about our NEXT STAGE Writers’ Program at mtc.com.au/nextstage

Philanthropy

The gift of lifelong learning MTC’s Education Giving Circle helps MTC bring young people together to explore the complexities of our society through the most human and ancient of traditions – storytelling.

This year, MTC launched the Education Giving Circle to support the work of the Education Department and ensure a sustainable future for vital education programming. Over the course of this year, MTC has made theatre accessible to over 9,500 young Victorians through affordable school tickets to mainstage productions.

MTC also stages an annual Education Production which tours regionally and is seen by over 4,000 young people.

Students visit Southbank Theatre

The Education Department also develops the talent and skills of aspiring young theatremakers through workshops, scholarship programs, regional enrichment, work experience, and subsidised access. Some members of MTC's Education community who have benefited from our programs share their stories here.

Teacher Lenore Davison Wanganui Park Secondary College ‘The school feels incredibly humbled to be granted such an experience through your outreach program. Travelling to and paying for the experience in Melbourne would not be an option for the majority of these students. We send many thanks to those who donate to the MTC Education and outreach programs and enable arts-passionate kids in regional areas the opportunity to feel included and in-touch with Melbourne’s fantastic arts culture.’

Vinhara Goonesekera 2017 Work Experience student ‘My personal goal for my time spent at MTC was to observe rehearsals and gain an understanding of the type of professional standards the industry demands...I quickly came to realise that MTC would involve [me in] far more than that, and that the people I met and the expertise I was given far exceeded my expectations. What was most memorable was being surrounded by creative people who love their work, with their dedication and passion shining through in the show.’

Emma Jaeger-Pound 2017 Work Experience student

2017 Youth Ambassadors with Kerry Saxby in MTC's Electrics Workshop

Mia Walters 2017 Youth Ambassador

‘The MTC Ambassador Program has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. Through our conversations with some truly talented people from MTC, we’ve really received an insight into the ins and outs of the theatre world. Some of these truly talented people include costume designer Esther Marie Hayes, Technical Manager Kerry Saxby, and the marvellous cast of Macbeth, just to name a few.’

‘My work experience week at MTC was extremely enriching and allowed me an insight into the world of professional theatre; this time has inspired me to continue to explore possibilities in my journey within the industry. It was wonderful being able to spend the week being surrounded by such inspiring creatives, and in a professional setting removed from a school environment.’

With your support we can develop the next generation of theatre makers. If you are interested in learning more about the MTC Education Giving Circle or how to support MTC through a donation, please contact Chris Walters, MTC Annual Giving Manager, on 03 8688 0938 or c.walters@mtc.com.au

Corporate Entertainment

Let us entertain you

Corporate Entertaining Did you know that MTC offers amazing experiences for corporate entertaining?

If you or your business want to show your clients you truly value them and share their interests, consider offering them an unforgettable night of hospitality at Melbourne’s home of theatre.

At MTC we offer events tailored to your needs – it’s your event, your way.

Entertain your guests in a private function room before the show and enjoy a special introduction to the production from a member of MTC’s Artistic Team. Take in the show from the best seats in the house, then invite the cast to join your guests for a drink after the performance. For a truly exceptional event, upgrade your event to a Backstage Experience. After the show, you’ll enjoy drinks and canapés with the cast followed by a private tour of the set and a two-course dinner in a private space.

Entertaining at MTC is the perfect opportunity for networking and developing relationships with your clients over a unique shared experience.

Guests on stage at MTC's production of Death and the Maiden

At MTC we offer extraordinary experiences. Make this experience yours.

‘Our firm does lots of entertaining and this was certainly an unforgettable event. Our clients have been talking about it for months.’

Nick Nichola, Managing Partner, K&L Gates

Corporate Workshops Need your staff to shine under the spotlight? MTC offers unique presentation workshops hosted by experienced actors and theatre practitioners – the perfect option for your next corporate training or team-building day.

MTC’s Corporate Workshops will provide your executive and sales teams with the skills needed to give passionate and inspirational presentations with confidence. Participants learn skills used by Australia’s best live performers every day, including how to connect with an audience, present persuasively, and overcome nerves. Hosted in the heart of Melbourne’s Arts Precinct, MTC workshops provide an intimate session with an industry professional, and the unique opportunity to present on a Southbank Theatre stage.

Private dinner on the set of Skylight

For further information, please contact the team at corporateevents@mtc.com.au

Described as ‘the next generation of marketing for luxury brands’, The Luxury Network is the world’s leading luxury affinity marketing, partnerships and events group.

Our Australian Members include Qatar Airways, Abercrombie & Kent Travel, Mossgreen, Unique Estates, Silversea Cruises and many more.

The Luxury Network is a proud partner of the MTC. To enquire about membership please contact Michelle Santoro on (03) 9998 1980 or michelle@theluxurynetwork.com.au

If you would like to sharpen your team’s skills with our presentation workshops, please contact us at workshops@mtc.com.au

Corporate Partnerships

Audi Forum Nights What did we learn from 2017 Audi Forum Nights?

Proudly supported by Audi Australia, MTC’s Audi Forum Nights are a chance to hear from the cast and creative teams. Sharing what happens behind the scenes, the actors give first hand insights into the process of bringing the play to life.

'I take a t-shirt out of the oven. There are things in the fridge, you’ve got no idea.

It’s a circus back there.' – Nadine Garner – Di and Viv and Rose Audi Forum Nights extend the experience on stage and leave the audience with a deeper understanding about theatre-making that will stay with them long after the final curtain has fallen.

‘I was attracted to the role because I did see reflections of my life. No one goes away without being able to relate to this play in some way.

We shared some stories in the rehearsal room and it was really lovely.‘ - Mandy McElhinney, Di and Viv and Rose

Chris Mead, Paul Blackwell, Alison Whyte and Colin Friels on stage at the Faith Healer Audi Forum Night.

Audi Australia has been a major supporter of Australian theatre for over a decade.

As a brand, Audi defines itself by its culture. It is a universal language they use to communicate worldwide – with employees, customers and people everywhere who are interested in the arts. Audi continue to support those in creative industries who share its passion for progress, dedication to craft, and the pursuit of perfection. We hope to see you at our Audi Forum Nights throughout our 2018 Season.

Audi Forum Nights offer an amazing insight into the effect that theatre has on both performers and audience.

For more information visit mtc.com.au/audi-forum-nights

'It’s always unexpected the way that plays can sink into you, the way it may influence real life and vice versa.' – Katherine Tonkin, Three Little Words

For more information on MTC partnerships, please visit mtc.com.au/partnerships or contact partnerships@mtc.com.au

International Connections with Qatar Airways Season 2018 offers MTC audiences a truly international selection of works, from classic comedy masterpieces to contemporary dramas that push the boundaries and question the way we live today. Whether it’s the fast-paced New York magazine office featured in Gloria, the stately London drawing rooms of An Ideal Husband, or the exotic coastline of Illyria (modern day Albania) in Twelfth Night, Season 2018 is sure to give you a taste for exploration.

Like our 2018 Season, MTC Major Partner Qatar Airways also has a sense of adventure and an international focus. Since launching in 1997, Qatar Airways now flies to over 150 destinations worldwide, including 43 European cities. Season 2018 features some of their international gateways, such as New York, London and Moscow. Qatar Airways is one of an elite group of airlines to have a 5-star rating from the international air transport rating organisation, Skytrax, which in 2017 awarded it Airline of the Year for the fourth time.

Westminster Bridge, London.

Closer to home, Qatar Airways continues to grow its base in Australia, with services from Canberra commencing in February 2018 following the introduction of flights from Sydney and Adelaide in 2016.

MTC is proud to have Qatar Airways as a Major Partner, and looks forward to continuing the partnership in years to come.

Join MTC in 2018 for our series of Audi Forum Nights, proudly presented by Audi Australia.

Book your tickets and join the conversation mtc.com.au/audi-forum-nights #AlwaysAudi @melbtheatreco @AudiAustralia

Special offers DVD Offer

Subscriber Discount

MADIBA

CLAIRE HEALEY: IMPURE THOUGHTS

Madiba is a six-part event series that tells the heroic tale of anti-apartheid revolutionary Nelson Mandela. As well as many other leaders of the African National Congress Party – Oliver Tambo and Walter Sisulu – who fought alongside Mandela in the multi-racial, multi-national movement to end South African apartheid.

An event series of epic proportions, Madiba delivers gravitas, emotion, drama, and undying hope. With an all-star cast led by Academy Award nominee Laurence Fishburne, this character driven story portrays true events of exceptional scale and scope.

For your chance to win a copy of Mabida on DVD, email offers@mtc.com.au with MADIBA in the subject line.

Partner Offer

Do you have thoughts that lie beneath the surface? That you can’t say out loud?

Thoughts that might be a little… impure? Claire does. And she’s going to sing about it.

The ‘hobbit sized and burning with energy’ (Great Scott) gin soaked anti-diva has removed what little of her internal filter she had left, dispensed with any lady-like notions remaining and is ready to get it all out there in front of a room full of strangers.

In the most impure way she could think of. Through song.

MTC Subscribers can access $25 tickets to Claire Healey: Impure Thoughts, playing at Melba Spiegeltent 7 – 9 December. Simply use the promo code MTCSUBS when booking online at trybooking.com.au.

2-for-1 Offer

✁

WONDER WHEEL

30% OFF PREMIUM SKINCARE The skin experts at Billie Goat have put together an online-only offer exclusive to MTC subscribers. You can enjoy 30% off their entire range of goats milk soaps, body washes, sunscreen, facial products, body moisturisers and much more, plus enjoy free shipping.

Billie Goat is a goats milk skincare brand that is 100% made in Victoria, and has been proven to help sensitive or irritated skin, as well as treat serious skin concerns. The products contain high concentrations of olive oil, goats milk and other nourishing oils and natural extracts to nourish, heal, repair and protect your skin.

Simply use the promo code MTC30 when you checkout online at billiegoatsoap.com.au before 30 November 2017.

One use per customer, full priced items only. $40 minimum spend.

In cinemas December 7, the poetically photographed Wonder Wheel, a dramatic tale of passion, violence and betrayal, tells the story of four characters whose lives intertwine amid the hustle and bustle of the 1950’s Coney Island amusement park.

The emotionally volatile Ginny (Kate Winslet), a former actress now working as a waitress in a clam house; her rough-hewn carousel operator husband Humpty (Jim Belushi); Mickey (Justin Timberlake), a handsome young lifeguard who dreams of becoming a playwright; and Carolina (Juno Temple), Humpty’s long-estranged daughter, who is now hiding out from gangsters at her father’s apartment.

Present this 2-FOR-1 coupon at a screening of Wonder Wheel at any participating cinema and receive two tickets for the price of one full-priced adult ticket.

Valid Monday to Fridays inclusive from 7 December 2017 until 22 December at all participating cinemas including selected independents. Excludes public holidays and discount days. Excludes public holidays, discount days and after 5pm on Saturdays. This coupon does not guarantee admission and is subject to seating availability at individual sessions. This coupon is for single use and must be surrendered upon redemption. Not valid at HOYTS LUX, Village Gold Class, Reading Cinemas Gold Lounge, Nova Deluxe or Special Event screenings.