DIRECTORS NOTE
Home for me is along the leafy green street of Prospect Terrace in a quiet suburb of Brisbane, surrounded by lovely old Queenslanders. It’s not the same street where Angela Murphy set her play of the same name, but that was serendipitous enough for me to take on the challenge to direct her play. And it’s a bloody great script!
Prospect Terrace is not only written by a Queenslander but is also proudly produced, directed, acted, and crewed by Queenslanders—a truly home-grown production. Even Jack’s house in the play is a Queenslander.
Having access to the playwright was uniquely advantageous, as Angela provided insights into the play that were pure gold—particularly the reference to the “laundry chute” days in her childhood home! Angela’s highly relatable story of a fractured family navigating generational conflict, sibling rivalry, family secrets, and ultimately familial love, gives us pause for thought. At its core, it is a memory play told by the character Delores. The story is not only about 80-yearold Jack, his two daughters, and off-stage son,
but about the house itself, which holds all the family memories and secrets. The house quickly became the fifth character in our production.
The set, beautifully realized by Brigitte Bennet, is a fragmented impression of the memories Delores and Jack recall of their life in their Queenslander on Prospect Terrace, Red Hill. Sound and audiovisual geniuses, Dan Hallen and Noah Milne, respectively, captured the memories and moods of the house with thought, skill, and creativity. The talented and hardworking cast delved deep into their characters’ texts and backstories, bringing freshness and life to their roles. We often discussed our own memories and experiences of old family homes, families, and life in general. On our first day on the rehearsal floor, I asked my cast and crew to consider this:
If our production of Prospect Terrace is the answer, what then is the question?
What do you think?
A big thank you to our audience for spending a couple of hours with us at PIP Theatre and with the cast and crew of Prospect Terrace.
Bronwyn Nayler
by
Photos Kris Anderson
STEVEN GRIVES
Jack
Steven was born in Warwickshire, UK. Graduating from the Drama Centre in London, Steven commenced acting in various repertory companies including Exeter, Newcastle, the Royal Exchange Company Manchester, Watford, St Andrews and the English Shakespeare Company, Regents Park.
London’s West End theatre credits include, Tom Mallory in ‘Camelot’ with the late Laurence Harvey at Drury Lane; Joey in ‘Zigger Zagger’ at the Strand; Reece in ‘The Old Ones’ at the Royal Court Theatre; leading role in ‘Wren’ at the Mayfair; and leading role of David Wilton in ‘The Undertaking’ with the late Kenneth Williams at the Fortune. In 1976 Steven toured Israel playing Francisco in ‘Othello’ with the late Robert Stephens, whilst in Los Angeles he played Benedict in ‘Much’ Ado About Nothing” at the John Anson Ford theatre.
TV and Film credits include: Sandbaggers (1978), Flambards (1979), Danger UXB (1979), Captain Cook (1987), Dangerous Game (1987), Highlander II: The Quickening (1991), Beastmaster (1999-2002), Scooby-Doo (2002), Sinbad and the Minotaur (2011). In 1987, Steven produced the movie “The Right-Hand Man”, starring Hugo Weaving and Rupert Everett in the lead roles.
Queensland credits include, lead role in ‘Brazilian Blue’ with the late Keith Michell , Creon in ‘Antigone’ (Queensland Theatre) (awarded Matilda commendation), and at La Boite receiving a Matilda Best Actor award and a Queensland Government Excellence in the Arts award as Valdis in ‘The Drowning Bride’.
BERNADETTE PRYDE
Delores
Bernadette is an actor, theatre-maker, singer, and writer. She has been a proud member of MEAA since 1990.
Bernadette has toured throughout Australia in work ranging from Shakespeare to Children’s Theatre. She has appeared in television commercials, short films, an ABC television series, and a feature film.
Her original theatrical works have played in regional and urban centres.
In 2023 her Judy Garland tribute show boosted attendance at the annual Logan City Seniors’ Big Day Out by 39%. Bernadette publishes through Cambridge Press, Palgrave MacMillan and Taylor & Francis.
You can often catch her singing at the Brisbane Jazz Club.
by Kris Anderson
Photos
NATASHA MCDONALD Pepper
Natasha, a QUT graduate (Bachelor of Creative Industries & Grad Dip Education), has recently returned to Brisbane after working, studying & performing in Sydney for several years. She has directed several productions, including Short & Sweet (New Theatre) where Natasha won a judge’s award for best direction.
Her many theatre credits include ‘Thin Man’ (Nash Theatre), ‘Bard Wars’ (Brisbane Arts Theatre) & ‘Top Girls’ (Ad Astra, ‘Cleansed’ (X-Collective) & managing her own production company ‘Loquacious Creatives.’
Sydney performances include: ‘Rausch’ (NIDA), ‘Vincent Ergo’ (107 Projects), ‘Pygmalion’ & ‘Lovely Bones’ (New theatre) & Jane Austen’s ‘Persuasion’ (Genesian Theatre). Natasha also played an Asgardian parent in feature fim ‘Thor: love and thunder’.
Natasha’s is a long serving member of MEAA.
PROCTOR Bunny
Samantha is an Australian born, NYC trained actor.
Some of Samantha’s theatre credits include ‘Yelena’ in Anton Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya, ‘Ally Moncrieff’ in an adaptation of ‘The Importance of being Earnest’ called ‘The literary Lioness’ of Lower Manhattan, ‘Billie’ in a new works production called Medicine and ‘Dorn’ in a modern adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s The Seagull.
Samantha is the lead in Nun Habits (on Roku), a heart felt comedy drama series where she played a weed smoking, gay Catholic Nun who fights against the staunch beliefs of the church. Samantha trained in Atlantic Acting school in NYC.
by Kris Anderson
Photos
BRONWYN NAYLER Director
BRIGITTE BENNET Set Designer
AMELIA SLATTER Production Manager
JENNA TODD Assistant Director & Marketing Director
NOAH MILNE Lighting, Projection Designer, & Sound, Light Operation
Special Thanks
AVA MOSCHETTI Stage Manager
DAN HALLEN Sound Designer
JASON MCKELL - Fight Director PIF PRODUCTIONS - Hero Shots/Videography
KRIS ANDERSON - Production Photographer
