25.07.24
Dear Grif-friend,
As a life-long Grif-fan and Grif-friend, I am honoured to be taking my place amongst the esteemed catalogue of staff members that have gone before me and penned an eNewsletter intro. I took over the role of Senior Producer from the legendary Leila Enright in May and though it has been barely three months (and I mean this in the best way possible) it feels like a lifetime. Things at Griffin move fast, more happens in a day than there are minutes to accommodate them. We jam pack it in and then we get one of those bags that you suck the air out of to fit even more in and, as you and I know, the flavours of that packed jam are bold, fresh, exciting and often like nothing you’ve ever tasted before. Did I lose you with my jam metaphor? Hang tight because once I latch onto something, I don’t let go and I lay it on thick. So on to the jam that we’re currently packing and spreading:
Our marmalade, swim by Mununjali poet Ellen van Neerven, is flying off the shelves during its Sydney run at Carriageworks. Full of colour, some bitter notes, lots of sweetness and a full rich flavour, swim is approaching the finish line for its Sydney season, selling out its final shows and is heading up to BLEACH* Festival in Queensland. Audiences and critics have been full of praise for this beautiful, lyrical play saying that it is “Devotional, liquidine, crushing” and “unequivocally beautiful” ★★★★ Suzy Goes See. If you find yourself up on Yugambeh Country on the Gold Coast across the first few days of August, do yourself a flavour favour and book to see this spectacular production.
This weekend we’re getting round the pot to stir our OG raspberry jam with the Griffin Award. The Griffin Award is where all the jams start, and for the first time we’re opening the doors to the kitchen and inviting you to join us as we unveil this year’s winner and allow you to dip your spoon in the jar and taste the recipes from the finalists. This event will also feature a Keynote address from previous winner Angus Cerini (The Bleeding Tree, Into the Shimmering World) who promises to surprise our tastebuds with some punchy fruits we might not be expecting. You can only taste this jam if you’re at this jam, do you know what I’m jamming? There are only a few tickets left so I urge you to get in quick.
And finally our strawberry-balsamic jam, Golden Blood 黄金血液 by Merlynn Tong is now on sale. Is it sweet? Is it savoury? Can I pair it with a goat’s cheese? Yes to all of the above. It has flavours you weren’t expecting and lots of bite. After a smash-hit premiere at the SBW Stables Theatre in 2022, this play is back, gracing Sydney Theatre Company and Melbourne Theatre Company stages. This wild, action packed tale feels like a big-screen thriller, even though it’s only got a cast of two. It will enthral and thrill Sydney and Melbourne audiences, don’t miss it.
So that’s it, that’s my jam. Will marketing ever invite me to jam with them again on the eNews intro after my inexplicable perseverance with a jam metaphor? Only time will tell. I’m off to make some scones to go with all the jam. Jam first, cream second, anything else is a crime.
Keep jammin’
Emma
