After completing what has been a extremely trying contract, an opportunity has arisen for a ten day autumn break before a new contract begins. 
So, the little SAJ team will not be blogging, will not be anywhere near the internet, will leave electronic devices switched off and will be back in about ten days.
In the meantime there are a couple of shows that are opening next week that I strongly recommend;
Theatre Kantanka are presenting Fearless N which is "inspired by the true story of Bollywood stuntwoman and cinema icon Fearless Nadia." It's on at Sydney Olympic Park (which has a notoriously awful ticketing system where you ring in, leave your email, they send you a booking form which you then have to fax in) but persevere, as I think this show will be a corker.
Wildfire Theatre Company are opening their much anticipated production of The Beauty Queen of Leenane by the brilliant Irish playwright Martin McDonagh. Directed by the Australian authority on all things Irish, Maeliosa Stafford (who should be made to direct all McDonagh plays by the the major theatre companies), this is a show that could be a highlight of the 2008 season.
And I also encourage any of you to go and see Kate Gaul's Twelfth Night which is on until March 15. My review still hasn't been published in the Daily Telegraph yet, but here is a small extract from the copy I filed earlier this week - 'This is one of the most exciting and enjoyable nights of Shakespeare that I have seen in the past twelve months. With brilliant performances across the ensemble, it honours the beautiful text, it is magical and you can’t help but feel your heart lift as you leave the loved-up world of Illyria.'
See you all when I get back...
Friday, 29 February 2008
A delicious autumn break
Posted by Nicholas Pickard at 10:13 am
Labels: Australian Plays, Irish Plays, News, Theatre
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16 comments:
not be anywhere NEAR the internet.
No woder thay haven't published your 12th nite review yet. There probably still subbng it.
Have wonderful brake.
May I add to your list? The new Neil LaBute at Darlinghurst Theatre.
Yes, I agree st genesius. This La Bute is a good one. Have you seen Twelfth Night? It is the most wonderful production I have seen in ages - clear, witty, anarchic, funny, touching, beautiful to look at. The music is delightful and the actors superb. And I thought at $25 a ticket damn cheap! Avid Theatre Go-er.
Thanks for that Avid, I've heard good things about it and will go. have never seen any of Kate Gaul's work but she is clearly a force for the future.
Come on everyone, while Pickard's away--seize the blog! name the plays you've seen in venues large and small that you think are worth the time and the dosh!
Seize the blog. That's funny.
Go see Twelfth Night - I caught a matinee today - with a school group an' all. Lovin' it up in Illyria. Way to go guys!!! Shakespeare is groovy. What?!!?
It is a really cool production.
At least one good thing about the author of this blog being away is that we don't have to keep reading about the Sydney Theatre Company. It's almost like it was before he started this thing: invisible.
Mmmmmmmm, I went to "Twelfth Night" on this recommendation. They had your Tele review posted up so it must have been published by now. Not sure if I am as enthusiastic about the production as you are, though there was much to commend about it and plenty of others in audience weemed to be. Maybe I am just not theatre buff enuff.
weemed = seemed, obviously
Bravo (Bravi?) the most recent Anon. A wonderful observation. The barnyard's had more chooks scratching around for whatever coverage they could get since arts journo's inhealthy obsession with the STC took flight. We who dare to have a different opinion about the worth of subsidised theatre (whatever the % of their operational budget comes from the taxpayers' purse) are labelled and dismissed as unworthy observers of the whole artless affair.
Viva la independence!
True words Mr Webster, and now that he's away, let's talk behind his back!...It seems somewhat childish to proudly display in the SAJ masthead a critical comment from the STC general manager, and then write sycophantic pieces about the incoming duo. A bit like making faces from the back of the class at the teacher but sucking up to the prettiest girl in school. The mainstage companies all have generous media and publicity budgets of their own, a blog like this is a good chance to give some oxygen to the smaller companies that can't afford half page ads (or full page if you are the Ensemble) in the Herald.
Anonymous - Brookman and the 'incoming duo' are one and the same person are they?
Anonymouse, anonymouse, anonymouse! No, no, no! Said "Brookman" is the General Manager. Said "incoming duo" (who are actually income ... I mean, in the building ... is that incame?)
No, Income. With a capital I.
I digress. Much like ...
Said incame duo are Cate and Andrew.
And don't, whatever you do, dare to have an unpopular opinion about any aspect of the secret theatre business by the water or you'll be labelled an STC-hater too ... as constructive or otherwise as that may be.
It's a theatre company - not a cure for cancer! Get over it!
It's NOT a cure for cancer? I thought Armani, SKII, IWC watches and Audi were all in the business of curing terminal illness...isn't that why they are funding a theatre company??
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