The Hanging by Angela Betzien

Friday 31 August, 2018

Room to Play presents a staged reading of The Hanging. The Hanging is a gripping thriller that questions the frequently-occurring spectre of the missing girl in the Australian bush. Its mystery is a postmodern study of social panic and what lies hidden, just out of reach.

When: 31 August, 6.30pm

Where: Playlab, 30 Herschel St, Brisbane

Hosted by: Playlab and Hotlines

Directed by Heidi Manche’

Actors: Zoe Houghton, Marcus Oborn, Melanie Bolovan

Dramaturg: Rhumer Diball

Design Concept: Chelsea Jewell

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The Eisteddfod by Lally Katz

17 March – 24 March, 2018

Metro Arts, Brisbane CBD

The game is on and acting out is key. Enjoy the curious and darkly comic ride of one of Australia’ hottest playwrights, Lally Katz.

The Eisteddfod by Lally Katz, a contemporary Australian work, has won a Green Room Award for Best Independent Production and has since had seasons in Sydney, New York and London.

A stimulating, unpredictable piece of theatre.

Room to Play presents this suburban absurdist piece, both comic and disturbing. Role playing takes centre stage as the orphaned siblings try and make sense of their world.

Directed by Heidi Manche’

Creatives: Production Design: Chelsea Jewell, Lighting Design: David Walters, Sound Design: Amy Holley

Actors: Madison Kennedy-Tucker and Matthew James French

 

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Red Sky Morning by Tom Holloway

29 March – 1 April, 2017

Taylor King Gallery

A Family. Australian. It could be yours.

Many voices, one desire.

What happens when we keep misfiring?

Up, close and personal with an Aussie family. A theatrical experience you won’t forget.

Lauded Australian playwright, Tom Holloway’s, beautiful work is given grace by Brisbane actors, Wayne Bassett, Maddi Kennedy – Tucker and Heidi Manche’.

Directed by Beth Child

 

 

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One Was Nude and One Wore Tails by Dario Fo

May 5 – May 14, 2016

The Substation

What happens when a council worker discovers an ambassador naked in a wheelie bin?

Room to Play returns with a one-act farce on society’s foolish pretensions around identity, class and status. Two council workers pass time conversing about divinity, while an ambassador is caught in the act of love affair and winds up in a wheelie bin naked. Finding clothes is full of clowning, slapstick and vaudeville-style song and dance. Where do we wear our clothing? How does our ‘uniform’ define how we are treated? Outrageous, outlandish and out of control!

Directed by Heidi Manche’

Cast: Colin Smith, Elise Greig, Matthew Filkins, Ben Warren, Jack Henry

 

 

 

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Afterplay by Brian Friel

8- 12 September, 2015

Theatre 505, Sydney

Room to Play presents award-winning Irish dramatist’s Brian Friel’s poetic one act play, Afterplay at this year’s Sydney Fringe Festival 8-12 September at Old 505 Theatre. Friel is widely celebrated for his portrayal of social and political life in Ireland, his theatrical masterpiece Dancing at Lughnasa and translations of famed Russian playwright and author Anton Chekhov.

Afterplay revisits the lives of two characters: Sonya, Uncle Vanya’s dutiful niece and Andrey, the downtrodden intellectual brother of The Three Sisters created by Chekhov 100 years ago.

Twenty years after their original plays and in their middle age they find a comfortable anticipation in their encounter.  There is promise in their meeting until their stories unfold and the glow of their fantasies makes way for reality to reclaim the tragic identities of these cherished characters.

Directed by Heidi Manchė

Cast: Emma Skelton and Wayne Bassett

 

 

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The Virtuous Burglar by Dario Fo

14 – 24 May, 2015 

Taylor King Gallery

The Virtuous Burglar takes place one night when a burglar is caught mid-robbery by the owner of the apartment who unexpectedly returns with his mistress. The night gets worse when owner’s wife arrives and the burglar is forced to pretend the mistress is his wife. The apartment becomes more crowed and the deceit and web of lies continues to become more complicated with the arrival of more characters.

The Italian farce by Nobel Prize winning Dario Fo.

Directed by Heidi Manchė

Cast: Matthew Filkins, Luisa Prosser, Crystal Arons , Reuben Witsenhuysen, Matteo Melzi, Christina Youhanna

 

 

 

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The Bald Primadonna by Eugene Ionesco

15- 18 May, 2014 

Paddington Substation

An absurd play for absurd times, this 1950’s play remains an enduring staple of the dramatic genre known as theatre of the absurd and highlights the quirky, candid and exquisitely bizarre nature of communication.

Directed by Heidi Manchė

Cast: Jane Barry, Robert Horton, Crystal Aarons, Iain Gardiner, Lizzie Ballinger, Alistair Tomkins