~ ~ ~ Justine Clarke ~ Anthony Weigh ~ ~ Julie Hamilton ~

1 x 75’ From a rehearsal room in through to opening night in New York, a company of actors reveals the magic and struggle of creating theatre.

ithin the world of theatre the rehearsal room is a sacred space – the private domain where W boundaries are pushed, risks are taken, mistakes made, vulnerabilities exposed and, at its very best, magic created. It is not a place into which the public is often, if ever, invited. Until now… In The Company of Actors features an ensemble of some of the world’s finest actors, including Cate Blanchett (Babel, The Aviator) and Hugo Weaving (, ), as they prepare to perform the ’s production of Hedda Gabler, at the prestigious Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York. Opening night is just five weeks away and the pressure is on… In raw and intimate detail the documentary takes the audience behind the curtains to observe the actors immersed in the creative process. We discover that presenting a seemingly effortless performance is a complex, detailed, technical and exhaustive process, with the director Robyn Nevin, writer Andrew Upton, and their teams of artists and technicians working 18-hour days. As we enter their world, we feel and understand their deeply ingrained love of theatre and their passion for telling stories. Opening night looms closer. The intensity increases. Nerves entrap the cast. As their 5-minute call is announced over the dressing room speaker, the actors scramble for their positions in the wings. The capacity audience eagerly waits for the play to begin. The house lights go down. The stage manager calls her first direction: “Sound cue one…and Cate…go.” esign by [email protected] D

Cate Blanchett ~ Robyn Nevin ~ Hugo Weaving ~ Andrew Upton ~ Justine Clarke ~ Anthony Weigh ~ Aden Young Julie Hamilton ~ Annie Byron ~ Mary Macrae ~ Fiona Crombie ~ Nick Schlieper ~ Eric Duffy ~ James McKay

Produced & Directed by Editor Sally Fryer cinematographer Simon Smith Line Producer Isabel Perez Music COMPOSER Alan John Sound Recordist Leo Sullivan Consulting Producer Susan MacKinnon Prod. Assistant Mary Macrae www.inthecompanyofactors.com

OFFICIAL OFFICIAL OFFICIAL OFFICIAL OFFICIAL SELECTION SELECTION SELECTION SELECTION SELECTION VANCOUVER SYDNEY CINEMA DES ANTIPODES DOCNZ INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL SAINT-TROPEZ INTERNATIONAL www.sharkisland.com.au FILM FESTIVAL FILM FESTIVAL FILM FESTIVAL