Because The Night / Program (2021)

AN IMMERSIVE THEATRE ADVENTURE

BY MALTHOUSE THEATRE

MALTHOUSE THEATRE ACKNOWLEDGES THE LAND AND SONGLINES OF THE BOON WURRUNG AND WURUNDJERI PEOPLES OF THE KULIN NATION.

MALTHOUSETHEATRE.COM.AU #MALTHOUSETHEATRE #BECAUSETHENIGHT

INTRODUCTION In the depths of winter 2020, we spent a lot of time talking on the phone, or via Zoom, trying to make sense of how to create theatre in a pandemic. It was hard to get beyond the hopelessness of cancelling shows and seeing livelihoods vanish and we struggled with the injustice of it. Initially we tried to keep pushing our reality into the COVID-19 paradigm. From every angle, it didn’t fit.

Our conversation shifted to what kinds of shows we wanted to experience in a COVID-normal world—what would entice people from the butt-mould comfort of the couch and long form TV narrative out into the world again.

During lockdown, Melbourne nights became a soulless place of cruising police cars and possums with attitude. We longed for the lure of the night and its promise. How could we design a show that embraces the thrill of adventure as well as the changing rules of capacities and bubbles and snap lockdowns and safety? How could we design a show that reduced the soul-destroying process of cancellation? We needed to own all these contradictions to depart the state of denial and enter a new age of theatre.

Why? Because the night is full of possibilities. Because the night is for live performance. And as Patti says, it belongs to lovers, it belongs to us.

We were listening to this song a lot during lockdown when the night was about domestic spaces, dreaming of when the night would be alive again.

And the working title has somehow stuck.

Because The Night offers a fantasy for you to explore. The timber town of Elsinore is a collage of histories, politics, and dreams, woven into an alternate reality. It’s a community on the brink of upheaval—political leaders act radically, workers revolt, a forest fights back. Everyone is calling for change, but all for different reasons.

There is no correct way to explore Elsinore. You can choose any path, follow any character, investigate any hidden room. Every choice offers a larger perspective of the whole. Shadow the actors and journey with them or investigate the evidence to uncover more about the characters and ghosts that inhabit Elsinore. The more you investigate, the deeper the story goes.

Tonight, is a carnival of change, in a place called Elsinore.

MATTHEW LUTTON Artistic Director & Co-CEO

SARAH NEAL Executive Producer & Co-CEO

BECAUSE THE NIGHT CAST & CREATIVE

NICOLE NABOUT Claudia

MARIA THEODORAKIS Claudia

BELINDA McCLORY Gertrude

JENNIFER VULETIC Gertrude

KHISRAW JONES-SHUKOOR Hamlet

KEEGAN JOYCE Hamlet

KURT PIMBLETT Laertes, from 6 July

HARVEY ZIELINSKI Laertes, until 27 June

RAS-SAMUEL WELDA’ABZGI Laertes

TAHLEE FEREDAY Ophelia

ARTEMIS IOANNIDES Ophelia

RODNEY AFIF Polonius

SYD BRISBANE Polonius

MATTHEW LUTTON Concept, Direction & Text

KAMARRA BELL-WYKES Text

RA CHAPMAN Text

DALE FERGUSON Set Design (Architecture)

MARG HORWELL Set Design (Interiors)

MATILDA WOODROOFE Associate Set Design (Interiors)

J. DAVID FRANZKE Composition & Sound Design

AMELIA LEVER-DAVIDSON Lighting Design

KAT CHAN Costume Design

BRIDGET BALODIS Assistant Direction

MARK PRITCHARD Dramaturg

TIA CLARK Stage Manager

LYNDIE LI WAN PO Deputy Stage Manager

CECILY RABEY Deputy Stage Manager

COINTHA WALKEDEN Assistant Stage Manager

ADDITIONAL CREATIVES

ANNIE BOURKE, Producer MARCO CHIAPPI, Voice Over LYNDALL GRANT, Fight Choreographer SUZANNE HEYWOOD, Vocal Coach MARLINE ZAIBAK, Casting

PRODUCTION TEAM Production DAVID MILLER Technical BAIRD McKENNA DEXTER VARLEY ROB BALLINGALL IVAN SMITH BRENDAN JELLIE

Construction GOFFREDO MAMELI ELIZABETH WHITTON LENNON FOWLER Wardrobe DELIA SPICER Show Control Programmer TOM McKEAND

Assistant Stage Manager (Rehearsals) NATASHA NOEL

We thank the following artists and artisans for their assistance RICHARD ALLEN HUGH ANDERSON JOE BLANCK CLARE BRADY NATHAN BURMEISTER JOHN CARBERRY EDWIN CHEAH MAYA COHEN-MILLER DARRYL CORDELL DAVID CRAIG JAMIE CUNNINGHAM JO FOLEY MATTHEW FUNG GENE GARDENER STEPHEN HAWKER KELSEY HENDERSON

PATRICK JONES MIKE KATZ MICHAEL LUCAS RICHARD LYONS EUGENE MACKINNON GIANNI MARINO DAVE MAYER ROSS McKILLOP MARK MELINE RHYS ROBINSON TIRION RODWELL JACOB SHEARS MAX WILKIE OUNIE WITHEROW-AITKEN

PLACEMENTS HANNAH FALLOWFIELD, Besen Placement (Directing) JAMES HENRY, Besen Placement (Composition & Sound Design) RACHEL LEE, Besen Placement (Lighting Design) MORGAN ROSE, Besen Placement (Dramaturgy) TESSA CLEARY-MOORE, VCA Internship (Costume Design) DANIELLA ESPOSITO, VCA Internship (Sound Technician) SEB MILORADOVIC, VCA Internship (Lighting Technician) ROSEMARY OSMOND, VCA Internship (Stage Management) ROBERT WATSON, VCA Internship (Set Design & Props Construction) MELINA WYLIE, Melbourne Polytechnic Internship (Costume Construction) Printed on 100% recycled paper.

THANKS

BOARD & ADDITIONAL STAFF

Access Consultants WILL McROSTIE TOM MIDDLEDITCH

Board FIONA McGAUCHIE (Chair) MICHAEL KANTOR (Deputy Chair) DEBORAH CHEETHAM DEBBIE DADON AM ANDREW MYER AM SUE PRESTNEY PAMELA RABE NICK SCHLIEPER MARY VALLENTINE AO

Arts Management Placement FELIPE CELY Campaign Artwork KRISTIAN GEHRADTE Copywriter NICOLA WILLIAMS Education Resources KAMARRA BELL-WYKES ROBYN KAY Foyer Styling TYLER RAY HAWKINS Graphic Design HOURS AFTER Production Photography PIA JOHNSON Publicity TS PUBLICITY Rehearsal Photography PHOEBE POWELL Videography EINWICK

Programming JASON TAMIRU

Ticketing & Box Office PRUE SUTHERLAND FIONA WISEMAN Box Office Staff PAUL BUCKLEY EMILY BURKE BRONYA DOYLE MELLITA ILICH LIZ WHITE

Executive MATTHEW LUTTON SARAH NEAL

Venue JOHN BYRNE EMMA CORBETT

Company Management LAURA HALE

Front of House Staff SANDRINE BRUNET JULIE O’REILLY BRIANNAH BORG SOPHIE McCRAE LUCY SEALE BARNEY SPICER RILEY STOW HAYLEY WOLTERS

Development ALEX BELLEMORE BELINDA LOCKE CHLOE BOULTON Finance & Administration ALLIE STAPLETON NESS HARWOOD LIZ WHITE Marketing & Communications DAVEY SIMMONS JACQUI BATHMAN JULIA ANTIQUE

SUPPORTING ORGANISATIONS CHUNKY MOVE CONTOUR CONSULTANTS DUBOCK FUNERALS ENGINEERED FOR AXEMEN FRAMING TO A T MELBOURNE THEATRE COMPANY NIDA MELBOURNE OPERA AUSTRALIA PORT MELBOURNE PAINT AND WALLPAPER PUBLIC LIBRARIES VICTORIA THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET © Malthouse Theatre, the artists, designers, photographers, collaborators and contributors. All rights reserved, 2021.

THANKS TO OUR MUSES, SPONSORS & PARTNERS PRODUCTION SUPPORTERS

DANIEL BESEN

CIRCLE5 FOUNDATION

MICHELE LEVINE

THE HUMANITY FOUNDATION

COMMUNITY NIGHTS PARTNER

JOHN T REID CHARITABLE TRUSTS

GOVERNMENT

TO JOIN OUR FAMILY OF SUPPORTERS, VISIT MALTHOUSETHEATRE.COM.AU/SUPPORT-US Supported by the City of Melbourne and the Victorian Government.

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