27.08.20
How long has it been since David Williamson’s Family Values was playing at the Stables? Six months? Six weeks? Two minutes? Like everyone else in Australia, we at the Griffin office have been stuck in COVID-time—which feels either excruciatingly slow or terrifyingly fast depending where you are on the spectrum of Panicked<—->Bored. On our office calendar, things have been moving forward, moving backwards, dropping off altogether—but, at last, this week, a certainty has arrived…
Superheroes is going ahead! And we are RE-OPENING!
On Monday this week, I joined the stellar cast and creatives of Mark Rogers’s Griffin Award-winning play in the rehearsal room. It was a (socially-distanced) breath of fresh air, making theatre again—and also to sit in a story about hope, and human capacity for change.
Moving ahead with Superheroes has not come without a cost… Some financial (though we were helped out a great deal by our generous End of Financial Year donors), and some emotional. Because right now, we can’t return to our beloved Stables theatre. Instead, Superheroes will be playing at the Reginald, at the Seymour Centre in Chippendale, in a new set of dates, from 25 September – 24 October.
Myself and the Griffin team didn’t make this decision lightly. But our first priority has to be for the safety of our artists and audiences, and our squishy, loveably-wonky Stables just doesn’t have the space and the facilities required at a time of social distancing.
At the Seymour Centre, we’ll be allocating seats, spacing out audience members, and implementing our new COVID-Safe plan. And you can also enjoy other things normally unfamiliar to the Griffin experience, like parking your car within a 50km radius of the theatre.
Pre-existing ticket holders for Superheroes will have received an email about their purchase, but if you’re still unsure what this means for you, feel free to reach out to our Box Office team (who have been working so hard over the past few months—they’re the best!).
There’s so much I haven’t said because things are way too busy around here (it’s either famine or feast in the theatre world!), but here’s a few other important notes:
- Devastatingly, due to border restrictions, we’ve had to cancel the return season of Suzie Miller’s Prima Facie. It breaks our heart that we can’t revive this important, invigorating play at this time, but we’re already looking ahead for future opportunities. It’s one of those works that needs to, and will be, told at all costs. Pre-existing ticket holders will have been contacted by the Griffin or Seymour Centre Box Office team, but if you’re still unsure about your tickets, get in touch.
- Wicked Sisters by Alma De Groen is still moving ahead, and will also be relocating to the Seymour Centre. More on this to come!
I’d like to personally thank every single one of our Grif-friends, followers and subscribers for offering us messages of support over the past few trying months. Your patience and love as we’ve tried our best to navigate this bizarre situation has been deeply, deeply appreciated.
Much love,
Declan x
