Seymour Centre is the performing arts centre of the University of Sydney. We acknowledge the tradition of custodianship and law of the Country on which the University of Sydney campuses stand. We pay our respects to those who have cared and continue to care for Country.
2025 marks Seymour Centre’s 50th anniversary. Since its inception, the Centre has proudly supported independent artists and companies, providing them a platform to create and present exceptional performances. Renowned groups such as One Extra Dance Company, Theatre Hydra, Carnivale, Musica Viva, Nimrod Theatre, SIMA Jazz, and more recently Shaun Parker & Company, Squabbalogic, and Sport for Jove, have all, at various times, called Seymour Centre their creative home.
This legacy continues in 2025 with a season showcasing five unique companies, each creating ambitious theatrical works of scale that tackle contemporary issues, challenge expectations, and offer an unforgettable theatre experience.
Our year begins with a major “add-on” event. Resident company, Sport for Jove, presents The Player Kings, Damien Ryan’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s history cycle. With eight plays over two nights or in one marathon sitting, this will be incredible and one not to be missed.
In April, join us for Glass Child, a powerful story about a beautiful
sibling relationship, created by one of Australia’s most innovative companies, The Farm, and performed by real-life siblings Kayah and Maitreyah Guenther. The award-winning Outhouse Theatre (The Flick, John, and Ulster American) returns with Eureka Day, a hilarious take on the politics of political correctness — marking their ninth performance at Seymour (incredible!).
In a poignant nod to history, we welcome Omusubi Productions with The Face of Jizo, a stunning piece commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing. This production — featuring select performances in Japanese with English surtitles — is a heartfelt exploration of memory, loss, and healing.
New to Seymour, Clockfire Theatre will present the premiere full-length version of RUINS . Their short version was one of the most inventive theatre pieces I saw in 2024, and I’m thrilled they’ll be expanding it for our 2025 season.
Finally, Siren Theatre (CAMP and The Trouble with Harry) returns with a riotous gender-flipped Western to end the year. Don’t miss the Australian premiere of Cowbois, a rollicking queer Western like nothing you’ve ever seen before. (Plus, you can sit on stage — get those tickets now!)
50 years is a significant milestone that merits taking a moment to acknowledge the achievements of the past. However,
I believe the true role of the arts and a performing arts centre is to remain relevant to the present, creating and presenting performances that help us understand the world in which we live and imagine the shape of the future.
So, in the 2025 season, we won’t be looking back. Instead, you’ll experience the best independent performance companies delivering innovative contemporary theatre that sparks the mind, stirs the soul, and invites us to see our world in new ways.
These are stories of now.
Timothy Jones Artistic Director
Sport for Jove in association with Seymour Centre presents
Adapted and directed by
Damien Ryan
26 MARCH—5 APRIL
YORK THEATRE
With a limited season of only eight performances, The Player Kings is an extraordinary and unforgettable production and the biggest undertaking in Sport for Jove’s history.
It is Damien Ryan’s brand-new adaptation of Shakespeare’s Great History Cycle — the epic theatrical mirror Shakespeare held up to the eternal human struggle to lead, love and learn to live together.
Playing over two compelling and contemporary chapters, the story glances backward to the journey from Richard II to Richard III, in order to thrust our gaze forward to how political systems collapse and societies devour their own potential.
A word-class cast, some of the finest actors of Shakespeare in the country, promises to bring to the stage a capacity of language and depth of understanding to deliver something very special. A hugely inventive and genuinely immersive experience, The Player Kings reimagines a Globe-like arena on the York stage at Seymour Centre.
Experience the magic! Watch the two parts on back-to-back nights or, for the ultimate adventure, immerse yourself in our Saturday marathon, complete with a delightful dinner break.
“Let us sit upon the ground and tell sad stories of the death of Kings”
Buy both parts in one transaction and save up to 10%.
Seymour Centre presents
By The Farm
Created by Kayah and Maitreyah Guenther, Kate Harman and Gavin Webber
Co-Directed by Kate Harman and Gavin Webber
9—16 APRIL REGINALD THEATRE
TALKFESTTUESDAYS
GET MORE FROM YOUR SEYMOUR SEASON EXPERIENCE!
Join us for a free post-show Q&A with artists and experts including Sydney University academics.
Tuesday 15 April
Featuring Professor Ian Maxwell Chair of Discipline: Theatre and Performance Studies.
Glass Child is a beautiful portrayal of intertwining sibling relationships performed by real-life brother and sister Kayah and Maitreyah Guenther. Expressed through dance, theatre and storytelling, Glass Child highlights their connection and how their lives have been affected by other people’s perceptions.
The term “Glass Child” refers to the sibling of someone with special needs who often becomes a facilitator in the family, someone who is “looked through”. Kayah is Maitreyah’s oldest brother and was born with Down Syndrome. Throughout their lives Maitreyah has watched him be left out, ridiculed or ignored without understanding why. Glass Child puts a microscope on their love and how their relationship has grown. It questions how the rest of us behave when we find the difference we inevitably look for. It asks us to examine why we search for difference when we share so much in common.
“Hands down the best piece of storytelling I’ve seen this year.”
Nothing Ever Happens in Brisbane
Seymour Centre and Outhouse Theatre Co present
By Jonathan Spector
Directed by Craig Baldwin
29 MAY—21 JUNE
REGINALD THEATRE
GET MORE FROM YOUR SEYMOUR SEASON EXPERIENCE!
Join us for a free post-show Q&A with artists and experts including Sydney University academics.
Tuesday 3 June
Featuring Professor Julie Leask
AO School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, specialist in social and behavioural aspects of vaccination and prevention of infectious diseases.
Screamingly funny and wildly topical, Eureka Day lasers in on the poverty of modern discourse and our inability to listen to those with whom we disagree.
It’s 2019 and Eureka Day, a private primary school in Berkeley, California, is a bastion of progressive ideals: representation, gender identity, social justice. The parents on the Executive Committee value inclusion above all else — until a mumps outbreak forces a rethink of the school’s liberal vaccine policy. As cases rise and polite debate descends into ideological warfare, the school leadership is forced to confront one of our era’s defining questions: how do you build consensus when no one can agree on the facts?
A smash hit on Broadway and the West End, this “gaspingly funny” (New York Magazine) gem is sure to have Sydney audiences laughing and arguing in equal measure.
Critic’s Pick:
“The perfect play for our age of disagreement.”
New York Times
Seymour Centre and Omusubi Productions present
By Hisashi Inoue
Translated by Roger Pulvers
Directed by Shingo Usami and David Lynch
21 AUGUST—6 SEPTEMBER REGINALD THEATRE
GET MORE FROM YOUR SEYMOUR SEASON EXPERIENCE!
Join us for a free post-show Q&A with artists and experts including Sydney University academics.
Tuesday 26 August
Featuring Dr Yasuko Claremont Teacher of Japanese language and literature, Specialist in Nô drama and postwar reconciliation.
In commemoration of 80 years since the atomic bombing of Hiroshima.
The story takes place in Hiroshima some three years after the dropping of the atomic bomb on 6 August 1945. Mitsue, a young librarian, arrives home to find her father Takezo there. She has not seen him for three years.
The Face of Jizo centres on a father and daughter in the aftermath of war. Tender, beautiful and seasoned with moments of familial humour, this acclaimed Japanese play garnered a sold-out season of its Australian premiere at the Old Fitz Theatre in November 2023.
“With its laughter and tears,” wrote leading cultural figure Saiichi Maruya, “The Face of Jizo is the greatest play of Japan’s postwar era.”
This is a tale of courage, first love, spirited fathers, and learning to embrace the ghosts of the past.
Select performances are in Japanese with English surtitles. Please visit our website for more information.
“Seamed with pathos and humour, tenderness and heart, this production has been a long time coming — and it was worth the wait.”
Time Out Sydney
Seymour Centre and Clockfire Theatre Company present
Written by Emily Ayoub and Madeline Baghurst
Devised by Emily Ayoub and Madeline Baghurst
Directed by Emily Ayoub
21 SEPTEMBER—18 OCTOBER
REGINALD THEATRE
What is our heart’s journey when our world is split in two?
Grief-stricken by her late father’s sudden death, Amelia Alyssa embarks on a journey to her ancestral homeland, Lebanon. She bears witness to the ancient Baalbek ruins of the Beqaa Valley while lodging nearby at the Palmyra Hotel, a time capsule of a flourishing yesteryear.
An exploration of migration and sacrifice brings Amelia face to face with the question “Where is home?”. Past and present collide as Amelia enters the land of the dead where a chorus of shapeshifting wanderers evoke a descent into an archaeological underworld with mythic overtones.
“A stunningly beautiful work of visual metaphor… (a) splendid meditation on connection and loss… both evocative and provocative.’’
Theatre Red
Clockfire is a physical theatre company which creates original works grounded in physical improvisation and collaboration influenced by training at Jacques Lecoq Theatre School.
For RUINS , Clockfire harnesses the magic of visual storytelling and draws on themes of sacrifice, migration and homeland.
Following a successful initial season as part of 25A in 2024, RUINS is now expanded into a full scale work for major presentation within the 2025 Seymour Season.
Seymour Centre and Siren Theatre Co present
By Charlie Josephine
Directed by Kate Gaul
20 NOVEMBER—13 DECEMBER
REGINALD THEATRE
GET MORE FROM YOUR SEYMOUR SEASON EXPERIENCE!
Join us for a free post-show Q&A with artists and experts including Sydney University academics.
Tuesday 25 November
Featuring Danica Lani and Chris McAllister
Creators and producers of Kings of Joy and Queers of Joy.
A rollicking queer Western like nothing you’ve seen before.
In a sleepy town in the Wild West, the women drift through their days like tumbleweed. Their husbands, swept up in the goldrush, have been missing for almost a year and show no sign of returning. In fact, the town is almost cut off from outsiders entirely, with only one drunken sheriff for protection.
That is until handsome bandit Jack Cannon swaggers up to the town’s saloon, looking for a place to hide from the bounty hunters on his tail. Armed with a wink, and a gun by his side, Jack’s explosive arrival inspires a gender revolution, and starts a fire under the petticoat of every one of the town’s inhabitants.
There’s a whole lot of singing and dancing, a climactic shoot-out, and it’s guaranteed you’ll leave the theatre smiling. This is a whip-cracking good time and a great way to end the year.
“It’s one of those plays that when you leave, you want to tell everybody you know about.”
All that Dazzles
Experience outstanding independent theatre for less with a Seymour Season Multipack. Multipacks allow you to experience more for less: save up to 20% and enjoy perks.
This discount applies to all ticket types across the Seymour Season.
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Buy 2 shows SAVE 5%
Buy 3 shows SAVE 10%
Buy 4 shows SAVE 15%
Buy 5 shows SAVE 20%
Change of plans? Exchange your Multipack tickets to another performance time without incurring a fee. Applies to the same show for the first exchange. Additional exchanges will incur a fee of $5.50. To make an exchange, please contact the Box Office on 02 7255 1561 or boxoffice@seymour.sydney.edu.au
Want to share your theatre experience with a friend? Once you’ve finalised your Multipack purchase online, simply contact the Box Office to add a standard single ticket to your order.
Online
Booking online is easy and available 24 hours. Visit seymourcentre.com
Monday – Friday
9am – 5pm and one hour before performance times.
Saturday – Sunday
One hour before performance times.
Over the Phone
02 7255 1561
Monday – Friday 9am – 5pm
Ticket Prices
Visit our website for the most up-to-date ticket prices and availability.
Transaction Fee
Bookings made online or over the phone incur a $7 transaction fee. Bookings made in person at the Box Office do not incur a transaction fee.
Concession tickets are available for certain events. If you purchase one of these tickets, you should be prepared to present valid and corresponding ID at your event if requested by staff. Please visit our website for more information.
Exchanges are available until two hours before an event and in accordance with our terms and conditions. In most instances, exchanges incur a $5.50 exchange fee. Your Visit
Find us on the corner of City Road and Cleveland Street Chippendale NSW 2008
Getting to Seymour Centre is easy. Here are our recommendations:
There are bike racks in the courtyard in front of Seymour Centre.
There is a bus stop outside Seymour on City Road, with frequent services throughout the day. Visit transportnsw.info to plan your journey.
Seymour is a 10-minute walk from Redfern Station via Ivy Street. From Central Station, it is a 20-minute walk via Cleveland Street. Visit transportnsw.info to plan your journey.
Car
There is limited free parking available at the University of Sydney or in the surrounding streets and parking can be busy during peak hours and on weekends.
The closest secure car park is the Shepherd Street multi-storey car park located on the corner of Cleveland Street and Shepherd Street.
The car park is managed by the University of Sydney. Please call 02 9351 3336 or email security.traffic@sydney.edu.au for more information.
Seymour Centre is committed to ensuring access for all people. If you would like to discuss your accessibility needs or make an access booking, please contact our Box Office on 02 7255 1561 or boxoffice@seymour.sydney.edu.au
Access Parking
There are three accessibility parking spaces close to Seymour on Maze Crescent, which are available on a firstcome-first-served basis. For peace of mind, we recommend organising to be dropped off.
Wheelchair Access
There is lift access to all levels of the centre and wheelchair seating is available in all venues. Patrons can stay in their wheelchair or transfer from their chair to a seat and we can reserve an adjacent seat for companions. If you require wheelchair seating, please advise the Box Office when booking.
Fully accessible toilets are located on the ground floor.
Companion Cards
Seymour Centre is a Companion Card affiliate. Cardholders must present their card when booking and attending a performance.
Auslan Interpretation
In 2025, Seymour Centre is offering Auslan (Australian Sign Language)
interpretation for select performances of Glass Child and Eureka Day. During these performances, one or two interpreters are positioned side-stage, relaying the dialogue spoken by the actors, into sign language in real time.
For each Auslan performance, seats are reserved for users of this service to ensure a good view of the interpreter and the stage.
Support Us
Seymour Centre’s mission is to be Australia’s leading university arts centre. We present outstanding performing arts experiences that champion new voices, question the status quo and encourage wide ranging audiences to experience the best the arts has to offer.
Your generous support will continue to help us invest in enriching arts experiences, keep our programs accessible and provide education access.
Donations to Seymour Centre are processed by the University of Sydney. Donations of $2 or more are taxdeductible. Tax receipts will be issued by the University of Sydney.
Every effort is made to ensure all information is correct at the time of printing. Information is subject to change without notice. For the latest information, please visit our website.
Glass Child has been supported by HOTA Home of the Arts and the City of Gold Coast through HOTA’s Creative Development Program. The Farm is supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland, the Australian Government through Creative Australia and the City of Gold Coast.
