04.07.19
Hello from Brisbane,
I’m up here for the first Opening Night of Meyne Wyatt’s City of Gold. The team have been rehearsing the play up here at Queensland Theatre for five weeks now. It is always exciting collaborating with other companies, with other cities, with other audiences, in making a new work. The previews have gone really well and tonight the season opens officially. In a few weeks the play will arrive at Griffin and we will get to see the visions of Meyne Wyatt the playwright. Of course he will also be standing onstage as Meyne Wyatt the actor.
There are a handful of theatre people that dare to be slashies: actor/director, actor/playwright, director/playwright. We have had Ian Meadows performing in his own work in Between Two Waves, Nakkiah Lui’s performances in the centre of her plays have been breathtaking…and of course there was always Sylvester Stallone in Rocky! It is a rare experience to see the courage it takes for a playwright to act their own words…I can’t wait. And I can’t wait for Meyne to be speaking his words on the Griffin stage.
But before that happens, there are two extra special works in the Stables for a short time. The Happy Prince is a treat of elegant simplicity and then close on its heels will be the raucous, shameless giggle of a night with Glittery Clittery: A Consensual Party…the perfect sparkly sizzler for a cold winter night.
You will be happy to know that Prima Facie had a great Opening Night at Riverside Theatres last night—it will be playing there until Saturday. And the season in Canberra was a great success. Suzie Miller has created a play that is really, really connecting with audiences. Every time I see the glorious Sheridan Harbridge perform the play, the pain inside the work is balanced by the sound of complex, engaged and passionate conversations in the foyer afterwards. Thank you to everyone who has shared their reactions to the play. You are such a great audience for new works. We love making them for you.
Finally, thank you from the bottom of our Griffin hearts to all the people who contributed to our End of Financial Year campaign. Your donations are the difference between a play like Prima Facie coming to life and it staying in the bottom of a playwright’s drawer. Your financial support ensures that new Australian stories find a home on our stage.
Stay warm,
Love,
Lee
Lee Lewis
Artistic Director
