Season - Civic Theatre Newcastle
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Season
Backbone by Gravity & Other Myths.
Photographer: Darcy Grant
Contents
A message from the Lord Mayor of Newcastle 5
Welcome 6
Subscribe to Season 2020 7
Bennelong 8
Mixed Bill 10
Grace Under Pressure 12
Gordon Koang Presents Unity 14
Echoes of the Jazz Age 16
Backbone 18
The Gospel According to Paul 20
The Gruffalo’s Child 22
The Sapphires 24
Melbourne International Comedy Festival Roadshow 26
The 91-Storey Treehouse 28
Man with the Iron Neck 30
Mother & Son 32
Do Your Parents Know You’re Straight 34
The Wharf Revue 2020: Good Night and Good Luck 36
Animal Farm 38
Bizet’s Carmen 40
Sydney Comedy Festival Showcase 42
Being Sellers 44
Planning Your Visit 48
Beyond the Stage 49
Booking Form 53
Civic Theatre Newcastle acknowledges
the Season 2020 program takes
place on the traditional country of the
Awabakal people. We recognise and
respect their cultural heritage, beliefs,
continuing relationship with the land and
their Elders, past, present and future.
A message from the
Lord Mayor of Newcastle
Local Government plays a vital role in Season utilises both destinations to
preserving, shaping and delivering cultural present an outstanding body of work.
assets and services to our wonderful city.
Live theatre in our vibrant city is vital as Season 2020 is as diverse as our
our city reshapes and evolves. Our cultural ever-growing theatre audiences and is
identity – long appreciated by our visitors sure to be a highlight of the 2020 cultural
and locals alike is integral to the city’s calendar. My thanks go to the dedicated
social fabric and economic future. Civic Theatre team who work so hard to
curate these quality offerings year after year.
The City of Newcastle boasts an enviable
array of outstanding cultural facilities and The City of Newcastle is proud to support
the magnificent Civic Theatre has proudly and develop our thriving creative culture –
held its place at the heart of the city for it is how we tell our story and share our
90 years. In fact, today’s launch marks 90 identity. Whether a creator or audience
years to the day since this superb theatre member, the opportunity to participate
was opened on 12 December 1929. We are in live performance is one of life’s great
grateful for the vision of our forebears to joys. I look forward to seeing you at shows
invest in such a remarkable facility. It is one throughout the coming year.
of Australia’s great, iconic theatres and
serves as a major drawcard for national
and international performers.
Man With The Iron Neck
by Legs On The Wall.
This grand dame’s little sister, the
Photographer: Aaron Walker Playhouse, continues to provide
an invaluable platform, particularly for Nuatali Nelmes
thriving local companies to present their LORD MAYOR
original works. The 2020 Subscription OF NEWCASTLE
Welcome to Season 2020 How to subscribe
It gives me great pleasure to welcome you We’re particularly proud to showcase local CHOOSE FOUR OR MORE SHOWS TO ACCESS:
to the Civic Theatre Subscription Season drama companies Stray Dogs and Bearfoot
2020. Since starting in the role of Theatre Theatre, as well as contemporary Newcastle
Manager in August, time has flown as I’ve dance company, Catapult. After two decades
Big Savings
got to know our team at the Civic and the of keeping audiences entertained and Significant ticket discounts for subscribers plus you pay
remarkably dynamic Newcastle theatre politicians nervous, in 2020 we bid farewell only one booking fee when you choose a minimum
community. Thanks to all for the warmest to the magic that is The Wharf Revue. of four or more Season 2020 shows.
of welcomes to this vibrant hub of cultural We’re delighted to announce the return of
activity. With the support of both our team The Gospel According to Paul and welcome Hospitality
and the greater creative community, I’m back Melbourne and Sydney Comedy
Receive discounted drinks pre-show at the
hugely enthusiastic about the future for Festivals, and Bangarra Dance Theatre, to
performing arts in this city. name just a few. We are excited to bring you
Civic Bar. You can also bring family members
a program packed with talent and diversity, and friends to see shows at discounted prices.
As Newcastle grows and becomes a leading there truly is something for every theatre lover!
lifestyle city, it is crucial the Civic Theatre Best Seats
continues its key role in the city as a cultural This season would not have been possible
You have the opportunity to book early
focal point, showcasing the best of local without our dedicated sponsors and I’d
talent and national and international like to thank them for their invaluable
and secure the best seats in the house.
touring product. The Civic Theatre, City Hall, commitment to live performance. The Civic
Playhouse and Wheeler Place are owned Theatre would simply not exist without the Free Parking
by the City of Newcastle for the people ongoing support of the City of Newcastle Subscribers receive free parking in the
of Newcastle. They form a key destination and they should be commended for
Civic West Parking Station for all Season
where everyone is welcome and new recognising the major significance of
2020 evening and weekend performances.
connections and lifelong memories are performance in the evolution of our city.
Further details and carpark access codes
formed. In 2020, we look forward to evolving And finally, the season would have no
will be sent with your Subscriber Card.
the precinct as an even more integral reason to be if it weren’t for our valued
Parking must be booked online.
component of the cultural fabric of the city, subscribers. Thank you for your ongoing
as we deliver a program “Beyond the Stage” faith in the product we present, I look
to further increase accessibility for all. forward to welcoming you to our wonderful Deferred Payment
season of shows and extend our sincere First show plus booking fee will be
Programming a successful subscription thanks for your support from everyone here deducted at time of subscription. Payment
season requires a monumental team effort at the Civic Theatre. for additional shows can be deferred
and I am grateful for the dedicated team until three weeks before each show.
we have here at the Civic and proud of the
season we present to you today.
Flexibility
In 2020, we are delighted to offer a diverse Plans change; pending ticket availability
range of shows which we hope will challenge, Leonie Wallace you can swap performance times and
entertain and delight our audiences. shows at no charge.
THEATRE MANAGER
BANGARRA DANCE THEATRE
8
an extraordinarily
C I V I C T H E AT R E
powerful work …
a benchmark in
Australian dance
creativity 2019 WINNER
Sydney Morning Herald Best Regional Touring
Production
2018 WINNER
Best Dance Production
Best Choreography
Best Male Dancer
Best Lighting Design
Fri 28 Feb Bennelong is Bangarra at its best. Best New Australian Work
7.30pm Best Scenic Design
Created by Artistic Director Stephen Page, Bennelong explores
Sat 29 Feb
the life of one of history’s most iconic Aboriginal figures.
7.30pm
Woollarawarre Bennelong was a senior man of the Eora,
who led his community to survive a clash of cultures.
Through striking dance language, soul-stirring
soundscapes and exquisite design, Bangarra unpacks
Bennelong’s legacy and its reverberation through
contemporary Australian life.
Duration
75mins (no interval)
Suitable for ages 12+ Bennelong will leave you in awe of Australia’s history –
Contains haze and theatrical smoke
Lockout applies and its power to repeat. Don’t miss this extraordinary work.
BROUGHT TO NEWCASTLE BY
PHOTO BY VISHAL PANDEY
CATAPULT DANCE CHOREOGRAPHIC HUB
10
C I V I C T H E AT R E
Fri 6 Mar Anyone who says sunshine brings
7.30pm happiness has never danced in the rain.
Sat 7 Mar
7.30pm Australia’s hottest contemporary dance company,
Newcastle’s Catapult, showcases some of the nation’s
most sought-after contemporary choreographers.
Curator Under the curation of visionary choreographic artist,
CADI MCCARTHY Cadi McCarthy, comes the world-premiere of four
powerful and evocative new works.
Choreographers
KRISTINA CHAN
OMER BACKLEY-ASTRACHAN Experience an evening that promises bold, refreshing,
CRAIG BARY original dance which is poetic, provocative, thoughtful,
ADAM BLANCH wild, joyous, sexy and very, very human. Contemporary
Composers
dance at its best.
JAMES HAZEL
ZACKARI WATT
Duration
100mins (inc. interval)
PHOTO BY ASHLEY DE PRAZER
AN ALTERNATIVE FACTS PRODUCTION
12
A deeply
moving work
C I V I C T H E AT R E
that is both
hopeful and
compelling
Arts Review
Fri 13 Mar The hidden stories of our health care
7.30pm professionals.
Sat 14 Mar
2pm & 7.30pm Health professionals are with us when we’re born and
they’re with us when we die. They devote their lives to
caring for us, but how do we care for them? Can a doctor
or nurse give a patient the best possible care if he or she
hasn’t slept for days? What if they are also being bullied
or sexually harassed at work? What if they complain
Writers
DAVID WILLIAMS about having to work excessive hours but are told to
PAUL DWYER stop whinging and suck it up? How do they cope with
the pressure?
In collaboration with
SYDNEY ARTS &
HEALTH COLLECTIVE
Based on hours of in-depth interviews with doctors and
nurses about their experiences of training and working in
Director hospitals, Grace Under Pressure is a surprising, intimate,
DAVID WILLIAMS
and deeply moving theatre experience that reveals these
Dramaturg hidden stories of health professionals in their own words.
PAUL DWYER Ranging from wildly funny to utterly heartbreaking, the
stories within Grace Under Pressure will leave no audience
Duration
member unaffected. Beautifully staged and disarmingly
85mins (no interval)
Suitable for ages 14+ performed, Grace Under Pressure is a truly unique
Occasional coarse language
Challenging content warning theatrical experience.
MUSIC IN EXILE
14
C I V I C P L AY H O U S E
Fri 27 Mar South Sudan’s ‘king of music’ finds his
8pm voice again in Australia.
In 2014, blind pop star Gordon Koang and his cousin
Paul Biel fled ongoing civil war violence in South Sudan,
seeking asylum in Australia.
Once superstars of their local music scene, the pair faced
resettlement in a foreign country where no-one knew of
their achievements. Now the story is out. Gordon brings
Featuring
GORDON KOANG DUOTH
his message of peace, love and unity to The Playhouse,
PAUL BIEL KUETH backed by his new band and guaranteed to bring a smile
to any face.
With
FULL LIVE BAND
This heart-warming and genuine performer, once known
Duration as the ‘king of music’, makes his first appearance in
50mins (no interval) Newcastle, showcasing his new album, Unity.
Music in Exile is a new initiative aimed at creating space
for artists working in culturally or linguistically diverse
communities in Australia. It is very much an artist-driven
I just tell people to love each other.
initiative that firmly believes in the principle of ‘nothing If you are a community, you can
about us without us’. love another community.
One hand cannot clap, but
two hands can clap together.
Gordon Koang
PHOTO BY LUKE BYRNE
CINQUE ARTIST MANAGEMENT
16
It is story-telling
C I V I C T H E AT R E
for adults,
heart-rending
and sophisticated
... Bell drives the tale
with unbelievable
pace ... a virtuoso
performance
Stage Whispers
Sat 18 Apr The 1920’s Jazz Age was one of the
7.30pm most thrilling decades in history.
In the words of F. Scott Fitzgerald, who invented the term,
it was an age of miracles, an age of art, an age of excess
and an age of satire. The dazzling events of the era lasted
for ten years until, as he put it so evocatively, they leaped
to a spectacular death with the Wall Street Crash.
Nowhere is this period better described than in Echoes of the
Jazz Age, Fitzgerald’s famous essay on the Roaring Twenties.
And nowhere is the decade’s remarkable aura more brilliantly
evoked than in John Bell and Simon Tedeschi’s performance
of the same title, in words and music.
Director
JOHN BELL Centred around Fitzgerald’s essay, with sizzling quotes
from Mae West, Groucho Marx and Dorothy Parker, and
Starring
poetry by T.S Eliot, the performance features the irresistible
JOHN BELL
SIMON TEDESCHI piano music of Scott Joplin, Louis Armstrong and James P
Johnson, and songs by George Gershwin, Ray Henderson
Lighting and Fats Waller.
MATT COX
Music Revered actor and director John Bell and renowned
SIMON TEDESCHI pianist Simon Tedeschi are two of Australia’s best-loved
PHILLIP JOHNSTON artists. In this, their third remarkable collaboration, they
unite to present a magical, entertaining show to take
Duration
100mins (inc. interval)
audiences back to all the brilliance and bedazzlement
Suitable for ages 12+ of the Jazz Age.
PHOTO BY STEVE POLYDOROU
GRAVITY & OTHER MYTHS
18
C I V I C T H E AT R E
A glorious flow of
action and reaction
... the acrobats
are eloquent and
sensational, full of
original twists that
spell out a new
language
The Advertiser
Fri 24 Apr Pushing the boundaries of
2pm & 7.30pm contemporary circus.
Backbone is a new work by Gravity & Other Myths, an
internationally renowned Australian company pushing
the boundary of contemporary circus.
A frenetic celebration of human interconnectedness,
Backbone examines the various perceptions of what
strength is, where it comes from and how it is measured.
Staged with a deceptively simple aesthetic and
Composers dispensing of trickery and distraction, Backbone is
ELLIOT ZOERNER a circus that goes straight for the jugular and leaves
SHENTON GREGORY no viewer unmoved.
Director
DARCY GRANT The intensely beautiful live musical accompaniment
composed by Elliot Zoerner and Shenton Gregory, and
Stage & Lighting Designer the utterly remarkable lighting design, by Helpmann
GEOFF COBHAM
award-winner Geoff Cobham, beautifully enhance the
Creative Associate physical narrative.
TRITON TUNIS-MITCHELL
Sexy but sincere, raw yet utterly disciplined, Backbone
Duration
80mins (no interval)
is proof you can’t do the impossible without spending
Haze effect and loud music a little sweat.
PHOTO BY DARCY GRANTSOFT TREAD ENTERPRISES
20
C I V I C T H E AT R E
A hilariously
funny, astute,
inspiring
show
Limelight
Sat 9 May Back by popular demand after sold out,
7.30pm critically acclaimed seasons across
the country.
One of Australia’s favourite performers, Jonathan Biggins,
is Paul Keating – visionary, reformer and rabble-rouser – in
the return of the 2019 smash hit, The Gospel According
to Paul. Full of intelligence and wit, it’s a funny, insightful
Written & Starring
JONATHAN BIGGINS and occasionally poignant portrait of Paul Keating,
the man who – as he tells it – single-handedly shaped
Director contemporary Australia.
AARNE NEEME
Designer Like so many Australians, Jonathan has long been
MARK THOMPSON fascinated by Keating and what he means to Australia.
Showcasing his eviscerating wit, rich rhetoric and ego
Lighting Designer
the size of Everest, The Gospel According to Paul distils
VERITY HAMPSON
Keating’s essence into 90 minutes, focusing on key
Sound & Video Designer biographical milestones, landmark political achievements
DAVID BERGMAN and personal obsessions. It shows the man who grew up
in the tribe of the Labor Party and gained an education
Duration
90mins (no interval) at the knee of Jack Lang, who treated economics as an
+ Post-show Q&A artform and demanded we confront the wrongs of our
Suitable for ages 15+
Coarse language colonial past.
PHOTO BY BRETT BOARDMANCDP PRESENTS TALL STORIES’ MAGICAL MUSICAL ADAPTATION OF
22
C I V I C T H E AT R E
winningly
played
Sydney
Morning Herald
Tue 19 May The Gruffalo said that no gruffalo should
12.30pm & 6.30pm ever set foot in the deep dark wood…
Wed 20 May
10.30am & 12.30pm If you loved The Gruffalo, don’t miss the sequel, which
returns following sell-out Australian tours. Join the
Gruffalo’s Child on her adventurous mission in this magical
musical adaptation of the much-loved picture book.
One wild and windy night, the Gruffalo’s Child ignores her
father’s warnings about the Big Bad Mouse and tiptoes
out into the deep dark wood. After all, the Big Bad Mouse
doesn’t really exist ... does he?
The Gruffalo’s Child
NOW ALSO A WEST END The team behind The Gruffalo, Room on the Broom and
PRODUCTION! The 13-, 26-, 52-, 78- & 91-Storey Treehouses return with
The Gruffalo’s Child. Bringing together physical theatre,
Duration
music and puppetry to deliver songs, laughs and scary
55mins (no interval)
Suitable for 3+ fun for children aged 3 and up, and their adults.
This dramatisation of THE GRUFFALO’S CHILD is based on the picture
book THE GRUFFALO’S CHILD © illustrations. 2004 Axel Scheffler and
© text 2004 Julia Donaldson published by Macmillan Children’s BooksHIT PRODUCTIONS
24
C I V I C T H E AT R E
Sheer
enjoyment
The Age
Fri 29 May The Sapphires is one of Australia’s
11am & 7.30pm best-loved stories.
Sat 30 May
2pm & 7.30pm The multiple award-winning musical play, which inspired
the film, is coming to the Civic Theatre stage in May.
Four young country music-loving Aboriginal women from
regional Australia suddenly get the chance to change
their tune and their lives. Wearing sequins and armed only
Producer with microphones, they set off to spread joy in the hell that
CHRISTINE HARRIS is the Vietnam War.
Musical Director The Sapphires is a funny, heart-warming tale inspired
NATHANIEL ANDREW
by the true story of Tony Briggs’ mother. It is the incredible
Duration journey of four Yorta Yorta women, who sing classic
2hrs 10mins (inc. interval) soul hits against the backdrop of personal change and
Suitable for ages 7+
Some adult themes massive social upheaval. An energetic, fun and engaging
Simulated warfare
Some coarse language play that affirms life and the realisation of dreams.MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL
26
Side-splitting
MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL
C I V I C T H E AT R E
fun, razor-sharp,
COMEDY FESTIVAL high velocity wit
Pelican Magazine
ROADSHOW
Fri 5 Jun Australia’s favourite comedy convoy is
8pm locked, loaded and hitting every corner
Sat 6 Jun of the country!
8pm
Join our diverse line-up of the hottest acts direct from the
Melbourne International Comedy Festival for a very special
show that is sure to tickle everyone’s funny bone. Featuring
a cast of Australian stars, talented newcomers and special
international guest performers, we’re home-delivering
Australia’s largest comedy festival in one jam-packed night
of the biggest and best belly laughs you’ll have all year.
For more than 20 years, the Melbourne International
Comedy Festival Roadshow has presented an all killer,
no filler night of stand-up, sketch, satire, silliness and song
Duration to towns and cities across Australia. From Mandurah to
2hrs 15mins (inc. interval) Mackay, Devonport to Darwin and 80 destinations in
Recommended for mature audiences 15+
Smoke machine/haze between, this really is the rip-roaring road trip of a life time!
BROUGHT TO NEWCASTLE BYCDP KIDS
28
C I V I C T H E AT R E
Tue 9 Jun Andy and Terry’s Treehouse has reached
12.30pm & 6.30pm an amazing 91 Stories!
Wed 10 Jun
10.30am & 12.30pm The treehouse is now more fantastically dangerous than ever,
with a deserted desert island, a whirlpool and a giant spider!
But Andy, Terry and Jill have no idea they’re about to
face their biggest challenge yet! Mr Big Nose has sent his
Director grandchildren to the Treehouse and they don’t want to
LIESEL BADORREK just sit quietly. Can Andy, Terry and Jill master this extreme
Artistic Director babysitting challenge? What does mysterious fortune teller
JULIAN LOUIS Madam Know-It-All really want? And will the Big Red Button
really destroy the world?
Set & Costume Designer
MARK THOMPSON
The team behind the 13-, 26-, 52- and 78-Storey Treehouses
Duration Live on Stage return with a fantastical trip through this wild,
60mins (no interval) weird and wonderful world for children 6-12 and their adults.
Suitable for ages 6-12
Theatrical haze Just beware of the fortune teller ...LEGS ON THE WALL
30
C I V I C T H E AT R E
2019 FINALIST
Best Physical and
Visual Theatre
Thu 2 Jul A powerful new work about finding hope
7.30pm and embracing life after grief.
Fri 3 Jul
2pm & 7.30pm More than a theatre show, Man With The Iron Neck tackles
the growing rate of suicide amongst young Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islanders and provides an eye-opening yet
transformative physical theatre experience full of hope
for audiences.
Co-director &
When Ash loses his best friend Bear to suicide, he starts
Original Concept
JOSH BOND
to idolise Vaudevillian stuntman The Great Peters, and
Peters’ ability to jump from bridges with a rope around his
Co-director neck and survive. Ultimately the fabled stuntman’s death
GAVIN ROBINS
proves to Ash the trick is just that - an impossible dream
Writer to follow, waking him from a haze of grief to find his own
URSULA YOVICH path to survival.
Duration
Written by leading Australian actor Ursula Yovich and
80mins (no interval)
This work contains adult themes and featuring Legs On The Wall’s awe-inspiring aerial wizardry,
references to suicide that may be
distressing to some audience members this bold and tender portrait of survival melds text with
Strong language
Fog/smoke effects daring physicality, and moving sound, set and video design. A visually
stunning, utterly
heartbreaking
and incredibly
important piece
of theatre
Glam Adelaide
PHOTO BY AARON WALKER;
TIBIAN WYLES AS ASHJALLY ENTERTAINMENT
32
C I V I C T H E AT R E
Fri 17 Jul She’s back! Everyone’s favourite forgetful
7.30pm mum is headed to the Civic Theatre.
Sat 18 Jul
2pm & 7.30pm Geoffrey Atherden penned the first TV episodes of
Mother & Son in 1984, creating an instant classic and
award-winning TV series. Now he revisits his famous
characters for the stage.
Arthur is at his wit’s end and desperate for some time
away with his new girlfriend. But who will look after
Maggie? While Arthur’s dentist brother Robert and his wife
Liz claim they’d love to help, Liz has bigger fish to fry.
Writer Is Robert having an affair with his hygienist? Will Arthur
GEOFFREY ATHERDEN get away to pop the question? Will Maggie go on a trip
of her own?
Director
AARNE NEEME
Vague but vicious and more arsenic than old lace, Maggie A fabulously humble
Starring would have Arthur tied to her apron strings for life – if she stage show that lets the
JULIE MCGREGOR
CHRISTOPHER TRUSWELL
could just remember where she put that apron! story and characters
shine! True to the TV
Starring Julie McGregor as Maggie and Christopher
Duration series, it’s cleverly written
2hrs 10mins (inc. interval) Truswell as Arthur.
to stand up to today’s
pace, with all of the
charm. Loved it!
Audience member
PHOTO BY TYSON LLOYD FILMSBEARFOOT THEATRE
34
An excellent
C I V I C P L AY H O U S E
portrayal,
mind-opening for
straight people.
Very healing and
excruciatingly
revealing.
Audience member
Wed 19 Aug A deep insight into the prejudice faced
7.30pm by the LGBTQI+ community and the
Thu 20 Aug internal turmoil of queer youth.
7.30pm
In many ways, Casey Miller is a regular teenager with
Fri 21 Aug a passion for writing stories. But Casey has a secret ...
8pm he’s straight.
Sat 22 Aug
Feeling isolated, the aspiring author creates a friend – Riley,
2pm & 8pm
a lesbian girl who lives in an opposite world (not unlike our
own) where heterosexuality is normality.
Writer, Producer & Director Riley operates as a reflection of Casey, as he documents
RILEY MCLEAN twisted versions of his reality through her eyes. But Riley
Technical Manager
can’t always be happy – not when Casey’s not ... because
LYNDON BUCKLEY that’s not fair.
Duration
2hrs 20mins (inc. interval)
Suitable for ages 13+
Mature themes
Strong language
Sexual assault and suicidal references
PHOTO BY RILEY MCLEAN (2017 CAST)A SYDNEY THEATRE COMPANY PRODUCTION
36
Its best material
is so hysterical
C I V I C T H E AT R E
that twice I was
brought to tears
– an activity
usually reserved for
funerals, Puccini
and hitting my
By Jonathan Biggins, Drew Forsythe & Phillip Scott thumb with a
hammer.
Sydney Morning Herald
Wed 26 Aug After 20 years, the comedy institution
7.30pm bids farewell.
Thu 27 Aug
7.30pm Don’t miss out on this one last hurrah, as the indefatigable
trio of Jonathan Biggins, Drew Forsythe and Phillip Scott
Co-directors reunite with dazzling accomplice Mandy Bishop for one
JONATHAN BIGGINS final victory lap of The Wharf Revue.
DREW FORSYTHE
It’s good night and good luck to the comedy juggernaut
Musical Director
PHILLIP SCOTT
that’s been keeping the bastards honest since 2000.
Cast The bad news is, the planet is on fire and our world leaders
JONATHAN BIGGINS are barely qualified to run a chook raffle. And the good?
MANDY BISHOP
The Wharf Revue has fake news, fake hair and real laughs
DREW FORSYTHE
PHILLIP SCOTT in abundance. No one is safe and no topic too taboo in
this night of sketches, songs and side-splitting satire.
Lighting Designer You’ll laugh! You’ll cry! You’ll want to move to New Zealand!
MATT COX
Duration
90mins (no interval)
PHOTO BY RENE VAILECREATED BY SHAKE & STIR THEATRE CO
38
A vigorously
C I V I C T H E AT R E
physical and
impressive
theatrical
rendering
The Canberra Times
Thu 3 Sep Shocking, relevant and wickedly funny.
7.30pm Pig in now to avoid disappointment.
Fri 4 Sep
11am & 7.30pm Animal Farm, one of the most enduring political
commentaries, returns in a multi-award winning, critically
acclaimed theatre production. George Orwell’s intensely
Adaptor
powerful fairytale allegorises and satirises communist
NICK SKUBIJ governments while illustrating, with stunning simplicity,
how greed and power corrupts with devastating
Director consequences to all who yield.
MICHAEL FUTCHER
Designer Revolution has taken place at Manor Farm. The pigs have
JOSH MCINTOSH assumed control and all the animals, fueled by enthusiastic
camaraderie and guided by a set of self-imposed rules, are
Duration
90mins (no interval)
promised a better life, free from the self-serving greed of
Suitable for ages 12+ humans. However, it is not long until the rules that promised
Haze
Smoke equality and freedom become the shackles that bind the
Strobe effects
Loud music animals once again.
PHOTO BY JUSTINE WALPOLEOPERA AUSTRALIA
40
C I V I C T H E AT R E
Tue 8 Sep Caught between her desire for love and
7.30pm a longing for freedom, Carmen faces an
impossible choice.
Enigmatic and elusive – Carmen is a femme fatale you
can’t forget. She captivates Don José with her sensual
Habanera and he abandons everything to possess her.
But Carmen won’t be owned and finds herself a new
lover – the dashing bullfighter, Escamillo.
Conductor Don José’s jealousy is untameable, Escamillo’s appeal
LUKE SPICER is strong, and in a gripping finale, Carmen is destined to
fight for her life.
Director
MATTHEW BARCLAY
This new production highlights the colour and vibrancy of
Orchestration postcard Spain. With vintage-inspired costumes, it evokes
ROBERT ANDREW GREENE
an era of bikers and shady police, in a post-war setting of
Set & Costume Designer teen angst and rebellion.
ANNA CORDINGLEY
A cast of some of Australia’s finest opera singers assemble
Lighting Designer
with a chamber orchestra and a local children’s chorus
PAUL JACKSON
to perform one of the world’s most popular operas.
Duration Hear some of opera’s most famous tunes, including the
2hrs 35min (inc. interval) Habanera and the Toreador Song, when you join us for
Sung in French with English surtitles
Performed with a chamber orchestra Opera Australia’s 25th Anniversary tour of Bizet’s Carmen.SYDNEY COMEDY FESTIVAL
42 The comedians all knew
what they had to do to
get a laugh and had the
C I V I C T H E AT R E
crowd in constant stitches
... the talent on show
definitely left the crowd
wanting more.
AU Review
Sat 3 Oct The festival’s funniest in one
8pm hilarious night.
The Sydney Comedy Festival Showcase tour will be
tearing up the freeways of Australia for the eighth year,
to bring the crème de la crème of the 2020 Festival
to Newcastle!
Expertly curated and lovingly presented, the Sydney
Comedy Festival Showcase will feature some of the
festival’s hottest acts live on stage for an incredible two
hours of hard-hitting laughter. Boasting a line-up of
veteran favourites, international stars and some of the
freshest emerging talents, this jam-packed night of pure
entertainment will leave you sore from belly laughs!
Call your pals and grab your tickets to the funniest night
Duration
of entertainment you will see all year – don’t miss out on
2hrs (inc. interval)
Recommended for mature audiences 15+ a huge night of laughs!STRAY DOGS THEATRE
44
Engrossing and
C I V I C P L AY H O U S E
entertaining
Ken Longworth
Newcastle Herald
Wed 25 Nov There used to be a real me, but I had it
8pm surgically removed.
Thu 26 Nov
On the 40th anniversary of the untimely death of the
8pm
comic genius Peter Sellers, Stray Dogs Theatre Co. reprises
Fri 27 Nov its greatest hit, Carl Caulfield’s one-man tour de force
8pm Being Sellers.
Sat 28 Nov Sellers was renowned for his ability to completely transform
2pm & 8pm into his film roles, from Inspector Clouseau to Chance the
Gardener. But his talent came at a great personal cost.
Caulfield’s one-man play exploits the theatricality of
Sellers’ chameleon art, to unmask the man through a
gallery of his most memorable characters, including
favourite voices from The Goons.
Writer & Performer
CARL CAULFIELD Being Sellers premiered at The Playhouse in 1998, before
going on to seasons in Geelong and at the Edinburgh
Director Fringe, where it was spotted for a London transfer. It was
JONATHAN BIGGINS
produced in London in 2010, in a production starring British
Duration actor David Boyle, which transferred to New York at the
70mins (no interval) 59E59 Theater as part of Brits Off Broadway.Touring Partners
Man With The Iron Neck Mother & Son
46
Bennelong Do Your Parents Know You’re Straight? The Wharf Revue
Production Patron
The Petre
Foundation
Grace Under Pressure Animal Farm
shake&s
theatrecot
ir
Grace Under Pressure was co-commissioned by Seymour Centre and The Big Anxiety, and developed with the support of the Department of Theatre
and Performance Studies, University of Sydney. The Big Anxiety was assisted by the Australian government through the Department of Communication This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council for the Arts, its arts funding and advisory body.
and the Arts’ Catalyst—Australian Arts and Culture Fund. This tour of Grace Under Pressure has been assisted by the Australian Government through the Tour supported by arTour an initiative of the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland.
Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body, and the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria.
Mixed Bill Gordon Koang: Unity Echoes of the Jazz Age Bizet’s Carmen
NATIONAL TOUR PARTNERS
LEADING PRODUCTION SUPPORTING PROUDLY PATRON-IN-CHIEF GOVERNMENT OPERA
PARTNER PARTNER PARTNER SUPPORTED BY DR HARUHISA HANDA PARTNERS CONFERENCE
Backbone Sydney Comedy Festival Showcase Being Sellers
Gospel According to Paul
Season 2020
Sponsors
The Gruffalo’s Child The Sapphires
Season 2020 is brought
to Newcastle with the
generous assistance of
our season sponsors.
Melbourne Comedy Festival Roadshow The 91-Storey Treehouse48 Planning your visit Beyond the stage 49
For those arriving by car, the best parking for the Civic Theatre is the Civic West
Free Lunchtime Concerts
Parking Station on King St (access via Gibson St). Subscribe to our Season to
receive free parking on Season show nights! Special promotion codes to allow
access to the parking station will be mailed to all subscribers.
If arriving by light rail, please use Civic Station. The nearest bus stops are on in Newcastle City Hall
King Street and Darby Street.
Come along to the beautiful Concert Hall and enjoy a lunch time concert
Accessibility from our local artists. Enjoy a different free concert each week including
Jazz, Classical, Piano, Mezzo-Soprano, Flute, Violin and more.
Accessible seating, bathrooms, wheelchair access and hearing loop are available
on the ground floor (stalls) of the Civic Theatre. Please discuss your requirements See civictheatrenewcastle.com.au for more information.
with the box office staff when booking.
Civic Cinema
Onsite Food & Drinks
Civic Bar is located on the ground-floor and offers a selection of premium
beverages and theatre snacks. Subscribers can access discounted drinks pre-show
at all Season 2020 shows. in The Playhouse
Civic Digest is our onsite café and bar. Enjoy a glass of wine, delicious coffee and The Playhouse theatre will screen a selection of the most
cake or tasty light meal pre-show. Open two hours prior to each performance. acclaimed past productions from London’s National Theatre
For bookings call 4927 8552.
Live. With state-of-the-art filming techniques tailored to
every play, see each performance in all its theatrical glory.
Ticketek Box Office
Tickets $15-$20
OPEN Mon – Fri 9am – 5pm
Sat 9am – 12.30pm Buy tickets at civictheatrenewcastle.com.au
Plus one hour prior to all performances.
CALL 4929 1977
Civic Theatre Newcastle
Civic Bar Beats
375 Hunter Street Happy hour 4–6pm
Newcastle NSW 2300
civictheatrenewcastle.com.au
Live music from 5pm
Civic Theatre Newcastle
Wine down on Friday afternoon and discover your new favourite local
artist. Drinks, music, tapas and more.
See civictheatrenewcastle.com.au for more information.Passionate
about the arts.
Dedicated
to the law.
Committed
to the Hunter.
Crosbie Wealth combines
forward-thinking advice with
the verve and commitment
to deliver a financial edge.
With energy, performance and possibility.
Call 1800 234 000 or visit crosbiewealth.com.au
to learn more about our private wealth services
and highly personalised approach.PROUD SPONSOR OF THE CIVIC THEATRE
BEST PARKING FOR CIVIC THEATRE
24/7 Security Monitored & Ticketless Parking
huntercarparks.com.au
CIVIC WEST BOLTON
STREET Booking Form
Free Parking for Subscribers
291 King St Newcastle 50 Bolton St
(access via Gibson St) NewcastleBooking Form
Front Cover: Bennelong
by Bangarra Dance Theatre
Dancer: Beau Dean Riley Smith
Photographer: Edward Mulvihill
Printed by Jennings Print Group.
Program passionately created by
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