It has been an amazing week at Griffin Theatre with the Festival of New writing – the Playwright’s muster, The Griffin Award announcement, even a series of 24 hour play generators – but the event I was most keen to see was on Wednesday night. Whilst my usual reviewing colleagues set out for the opening of the star-studded Seagull, I pulled on my gloves, wrapped myself in scarf and coat and ventured to Heartbreak Hotel – dateless and desperate for a good time. more…
You may have noticed I’ve not been out and about as much as usual. The reason is because I have been observing for The National Play Festival. more…
Every now and then it happens. Like shooting stars, but rarer. Illuminating like chain lightning. Like finding love and knowing how to declare it, and keep it. And when it happens, you have no choice but to surrender to the beauty and the cruelty, the devastation of seeing a truly great work of art and knowing that you feel differently now. You are different, now. Forever.
Going to the theatre, as much as I do, can be difficult. The wear and tear on your heart can be difficult. For us foyer-dwellers we are forever optimistic that we will have those experiences which make the treasure hunt for great art, for great theatre, worthwhile.There’s a lot of kissing frogs in play going. There’s a lot of dates that just don’t work out. But I try to find the merit, provide context and offer encouragement to all the makers of this very demanding art form in the hope that somehow, somewhere, someday it translates into one of the great plays. And Speaking in Tongues is such a play. And Sam Strong’s production is such a production. more…
A fading August afternoon. Wednesday. I’m in my coat. It’s cold. Hands in gloves. Waiting. Standing in the terrace of Nimrod Street.
It’s been a big day. meeting with directors, potential directors, reading scripts submitted by aspiring playwrights, thinking about the Griffin Award.
I had just finished talking to an emerging writer about the director who is interested in working with her on her script, when I arrived for a coffee at the Tropicana. I ring another playwright. She’s lovely and I tell her I love her script. I’ve been reading for three weeks solid. I have started to get emails from playwrights assuming bad news- I delay them with a kind “not yet”. There have been lists of to-do’s. I’ve been spending all my time thinking about playwrights, producing playwrights, directing, dramaturgy. These thoughts swarm. I am simultaneously inspired and honoured by the hugeness of what I don’t know- what I haven’t seen- what I haven’t read of Australian playwriting. And Australia is only two hundred years or so old- at times like these I’m glad I am not Greek. Three thousand years of catching up of playwriting- sheesh! more…
Photo: Leah McGirr
A huge congratulations to Sam Strong for scoring the Artistic Directorship of Griffin Theatre, at the SBW Stables!
I struggled through the door of my apartment today with a wad of window envelopes from my mail box in my mouth, brief case in one hand, my keys in the other, mobile phone wedged in the gap between my ear and my shoulder. I was on a whimsical spontaneous phone call to my parentals who are in their beach-side town 8 hours drive north from here- as my mother asks me if I knew this “fellow”who got the job at Griffith… I am puzzled. I have just come from an OFF THE SHELF rehearsal- I am hungry. Tired. Listing the things I have to do today. “Griffin” she corrects herself. “No” I said. I hadn’t heard. My throat tightens. (I thought I was so in the loop- clearly not- my mother with a newspaper in a tiny north coast NSW town proves yet again she knows more than me). “Sam Strong?” She said, as though it was the weirdest name in the world. (which is funny when you consider her daughter’s name). My throat unclenches. “Awesome” I say… and it’s a genuine relief. “He’s a great guy.” After the phonecall I open my mail- a letter inside announcing his appointment. I check my email there’s an email from James Waites with the press release attached. “Cool” I think to myself as I relax… “Griffin is is safe, strong hands.” more…