Theatre In Illawarra

Sheila and Bridie meet after their ships have been sunk while fleeing from Singapore in 1942. They form a friendship which survives three and a half years of captivity as prisoners of the Japanese Emperor in camps in Malaya and Sumatra.

After being separated for half a century, the filming of a television documentary forces them to relive the past, contact the present and question the future.

Woven into their 50 years of separation are a shoe-horn and the threads of loyalty and love which form their uncommon bond.

"...this is a story that must be told and retold, especially when the performances and production are as fine and emotionally resonant as this a deeply touching tale." Sydney Morning Herald

Australia Remembers National Play Competition 1995

NSW Premier's Literary Award 1996

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Through the Wire

A Racing Pulse Production produced by Performing Lines

5 & 6 April

Written & directed by Ros Horin Set design by Seijuk Feruu lighting design by Stephen Hawker Costume design by Genevieve Dugard Sound design by Max Lyandvert Video projection design by Heidi Riederer and Nick Meyers

Who are these '.queue-jumpers" and "illegals"? And what can one individual do to make a difference?

Through the Wire presents gripping true stories - and what stories they are! These are tales of repression and exile, dangerous escapes, powerful friendships and resilience and survival inside Australian detention.

A sell-out hit at the 2004 Sydney Festival, Through the Wire is a play about three ordinary Australians, four refugees and the extraordinary life-changing relationships that have developed between them.

All are unable to return to the land of their birth. Most are finally recognised as bonafide refugees by the Australian Government but only after being made to spend soul - destroying years locked up in Australian detention centres.

,...urgent, passionate and coherently crafted.' Sydney Morning Herald

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Minefields and Miniskirts

Malthouse Theatre

3 - 7 May

Adapted by Terence O'Connell from Siobhán McHugh's book

Directed by Terence O'Connell

Design by Catherine Raven Lighting Design Phil Lethlean

Sound Design by Rod Davies Choreography by Alana Scanlan

Director's Associate Ken Moffat

No bomb ever killed the Australian sense of humour!

Nearly a thousand Australian women played a part in the Vietnam War. Their experiences were extraordinary but you should also come to Minefields and Miniskirts prepared to laugh.

Some of Australia's best loved performers take on the roles of a volunteer, a journalist, a nurse, the wife of a Vietnam vet and an entertainer who cross paths at an ANZAC Day march in the early 80s. As a helicopter hovers over them, the now middle-aged women are transported back to the 1960s and early 1970s to their youthful experiences in Vietnam where rice paddies, paper lanterns and ancient temples team with G.1s, orphaned children and constant bombardment.

Minefields and Miniskirts is full of surprises. Woven into the script are performances of many iconic songs written by singers/songwriters including Joan Baez and Carole King along with Peter, Paul and Mary's Leaving On a let Plane and Joni Mitchell's The Circle Came.

"(four stars) The biggest compliment you could give Minefields and Miniskirts is that it is a fitting tribute to the women who went to Vietnam, many of whom still live the war to this day." Sunday Herald Sun

"...this is the performance to catch for 2004. laugh, cry, reflect - or all of the above. But don't miss this magnificent socially focused musical theatre piece." The Age

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Quartet

Agelink Theatre

24 & 25 May

Written by Ronald Harwood

Directed by Jenny Davis

Set design by Jake Newby

Lighting design by lan Boase

Starring Rosemary Barr, Jenny McNae, Edgar Metcalfe, Matthew O'Sullivan,

They're old, they're crazy and they're ready to sing .....

Cissy, Reggie and Wilf are in a home for retired opera singers. Years ago they all took leading roles in a performance of Verdi's Rigoletto, which has just been re- released on CD. Each year, on the 10 October there is a concert at the home to celebrate Verdi's birthday. jean, who used to be married to Reggie, arrives at the home and disrupts their equilibrium. She still acts like a diva but refuses to sing.

But the show must go on.

Written by Ronald Harwood (The Dresser) this hilarious production was a sell out in London's West End.

..... it is so wittily and lovingly presented by everyone from director Jenny Davis to her team that it is

difficult to deny its feel good qualities. It's the kind of play that ultimately makes us feel better about

humanity." The West Australian

"...A lusty comedy from London's West End ... fun with three old goats and one out of tune ram." Daily Telegraph London

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La Boheme-The Ballet

West Australian Ballet

27 - 30 July
Music by Giacomo Puccini as arranged by Kevin Hocking Choreography by Simon Dow Costume design by Anna French Scenic design by Andrew Carter Lighting design by Jon Buswell
You've seen the Opera, now be blown away by the ballet!

Last year West Australian Ballet made history with the world premiere, sell-out success of La Bohéme - the ballet

West Australian Ballet tells the story not as an opera but in the fervent and dynamic art form that is ballet. A passionate, three-act story of love and tragedy, La Boh6me tells the tale of young bohemian artists living in the city of lights. The gloriously romantic Puccini score will be coupled with dynamic dancers and breathtaking sets to evoke raw emotion and heartfelt passion

'Dow's Boheme is simply told, mesmerisingly beautiful, and excels in its production values. It's a diamond." The Australian

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TWO BROTHERS

Sydney Theatre Company and Melbourne Theatre Company

17 - 20 August

Written by Hannie Rayson

Directed by Simon Phillips

Set Design Stephen Curtis

'You know when you think of ruthless bastards and wonder how they can sleep at night? Well I can't. `-'Eggs' Benedict

The Benedict brothers have gone down different paths in their adult lives. 'Eggs' Benedict is a pillar of the establishment; graceful home, pinstripe suits, conservative opinions. He is also a senior cabinet minister in the government.

Eggs' brother Tom is cut from different cloth; his sympathies are left-wing and he works for a pittance at a foreign-aid organisation.

Somehow they have managed to find equilibrium over the years, tolerant of their differences. But when the balance starts to wobble, the two brothers must decide if blood is thicker than politics.

From the award-winning writer of Inheritance and Life After George, Two Brothers is a riveting contemporary play that explores the minds of the men that lead us - and the secrets they hide.

'Hannie Rayson confirms her status as Australia's most essential writer' The Daily Telegraph

"Thank goodness for Hannie Rayson. She combines wit, verve and theatricality with a candid, documentary-style scrutiny of Australian society."

The Sun-Herald

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Birdbrain

Australian Dance Theatre

13 - 15 September

Choreography by Garry Stewart and the ADT dancers Dramaturgy by David Bonney Set and costume design by Gaelle Mellis Sound design by Luke Smiles Video by Tim Grunchy Lighting design by Damien Cooper

Swan Lake as you've never seen it before!

Driven by dramatic visuals and pulsating rhythms, dancers literally take flight as they propel themselves through space in Birdbrain. In Australian Dance Theatre's wry deconstruction of Swan Lake, classical ballet, gymnastics, breakdance and astounding airborne athleticism inform the vigorous choreography of Artistic Director Garry Stewart.

First performed at the 2000 Adelaide Festival, award-winning Birdbrain quickly became a 'hot ticket' of the Festival, with its blend of stunning soundscapes, surreal video art and virtuosic dance. Birdbrain has gone on to delight audiences around the world with its combination of remarkably acrobatic choreography.

"Birdbrain is without a doubt a first class production that's awe-inspiring and gravity defying. A must for any lover of dance." BBC 2003

'stewart has created an exciting and visceral dance vocabulary. Gone are the mincing princes and soppy-eyed ballerinas of classical ballet. The dancers rocket through space, twisting and tumbling with grace. The Advertiser, Adelaide

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Skin Tight

Perth Theatre Company

27 September - 1 October

By Gary Henderson with original music composed by Chris Ward

Directed by Alan Becher

Lighting by Graham Walne

Starring Stuart Halusz and Karen Roberts

On the day that Elizabeth leaves, there is time enough for her and her husband to speak their last secrets...

Skin Tight tells the intimate story of a rural marriage, through an exhilarating feast of fights, lovemaking and tenderness. The characters strip themselves, literally, to explore the heart of an enduring love.

Featuring non-stop, no-holds-barred, forever young performances, Skin Tight captures all the ecstasy and pain of a passionate love affair. This beautiful play, choreographed with electrifying sensuality, will leave you breathless.

Skin Tight enjoyed packed houses and critical acclaim in its 2003 Perth season, and has been acclaimed all over the world.

"not to be missed" Sarah McNeil, Post Newspapers, March 2003

..a little gem of a play, sensitive sensual and moving, wonderfully played by two talented actors" The West Australian, March 2003

Fringe First Award at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 1998 Best Production - I.F.A.C. Equity Guild Awards 2003 Best Director - I.F.A.C. Equity Guild Awards 2003

Contains male and female nudity

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Theatre In Illawarra

Theatre In Illawarra

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Merrigong Theatre Co.2005 Season

CONTENTS

Merrigong Theatre Co.
2005 Season