ABIGAIL’S PARTY BY Welcome

In 1977 Mike Leigh set a new standard for audacious domestic satire with Abigail’s Party, and forty years on it remains a fiercely sharp portrait of middle class aspirations.

This iconic play arrives at Melbourne Theatre Company for the first time in a revival full of energy, boldness and humour, along with the subtle darkness ever-present in Leigh’s writing.

This production also marks the MTC mainstage debut of director Stephen Nicolazzo, after previously working with the Company as part our 2014 NEON Festival of Independent Theatre, and as an Assistant Director on Double Indemnity and Di and Viv and Rose.

It is always a proud moment when an alumnus of MTC programs and initiatives returns to the Company in a new capacity. Through all our artist access initiatives we seek to create pathways leading to future work opportunities and collaboration across the sector. In 2018, our many popular initiatives including our Women in Theatre and Indigenous Scholarship Programs, MTC Ambassadors, Cybec Electric play readings and Assistant Director positions will continue to open doors for dozens more theatre professionals and students pursuing work in creative industries.

With some of Australia’s most exciting theatre makers as your hosts this evening, sit back and get comfortably uncomfortable at Abigail’s Party.

Brett Sheehy ao Virginia Lovett Artistic Director Executive Director

Melbourne Theatre Company acknowledges the Yalukit Willam Peoples of the Boon Wurrung, the Traditional Owners of the land on which Southbank Theatre and MTC HQ stand, and we pay our respects to Melbourne’s First Peoples, to their ancestors past and present, and to our shared future.

MTC is a department MTC is assisted by the Commonwealth Government through the Australia Council, MTC is a member of Live of the University its arts funding and advisory body, and by the State Government of Victoria through Performance Australia and the of Melbourne. Creative Victoria. Australian Major Performing Arts Group. MELBOURNE THEATRE COMPANY PRESENTS ABIGAIL’S PARTY BY MIKE LEIGH

17 MARCH – 21 APRIL, 2018 Southbank Theatre, The Sumner

— About the play — Desperate to impress, Beverly has invited her neighbours around for a decadent evening of cheese and pineapple sticks. But after copious amounts of alcohol, the party quickly descends into a night of social awkwardness, outrageous flirting and hilarious putdowns.

— Creative Team — Director Stephen Nicolazzo Set Designer Anna Cordingley — Cast — Lighting Designer Katie Sfetkidis Costume Designer Eugyeene Teh Angela Cooper Zoe Boesen Composer & Sound Designer Daniel Nixon Beverly Moss Pip Edwards Voice & Dialect Coach Geraldine Cook-Dafner Laurence Moss Daniel Frederiksen Stage Manager Pippa Wright Tony Cooper Benjamin Rigby Assistant Stage Manager Benjamin Cooper Susan Lawson Katherine Tonkin Directorial Secondment Lynda Fleming Sound Secondment Justin Gardam Rehearsal Photographer Deryk McAlpin Production Photographer Jeff Busby

For information regarding the running time, please see a member of the Front of House team. Cover photo: Justin Ridler

Opening Night Partner Media Partner The done thing.

Four decades on, playwright Mike Leigh tells us the story behind his iconic play, Abigail’s Party.

‘It isn’t the done thing!’ This neurotic mantra flavour of the times (the pretentious here echoed mercilessly throughout my suburban might invoke the Zeitgeist), and from a childhood and teenage years. My parents growing personal fear of, and frustration were obsessed by it, as were so many with, the suburban existence. well-meaning but misguided mums and dads of the stultifying post-war years. Of Having, as best as I could, thrown off my course, what we were unable to understand suburban and provincial shackles at the or consider at the time was the brutal chaos tender age of 17, I’d enjoyed a healthy and insecurity World War II had inflicted on decade-and-a-half or so of a relatively their lives. They’d been to hell and back, alternative and bohemian metropolitan and now they hung on relentlessly to an existence. But now and idea of an unshakeable order and material I had married, moved to a North London respectability. Behave! Conform! Don’t suburb, burdened ourselves with a step out of line! Wear a tie! Use Brylcreem! mortgage, bought a semi-detached house And of course, we war babies, who were (albeit a pleasant Victorian one), and were the repressed teenagers of the 1950s, busy acquiring all the usual goods and became the generation of boys and girls who chattels respectable Guardian-reading literally let our hair down in the so-called types acquired. ‘swinging’ Sixties. Although we two were hardly Beverly But The Done Thing didn’t go away. By the and Laurence, through this new kind of late Seventies that tame aspiration of the existence, involving values and people I was 1950s to ‘Keep Up With The Joneses’ had now having to be a part of, I inevitably felt, given way to an aggressive consumerism of if subconsciously, that I had somehow taken a new and much uglier and more cynical a step backwards, into the dreaded world strain. People hadn’t been inherently selfish of The Done Thing. in those post-war years. But now, many were becoming so. Enter Margaret Thatcher. In fact, all my plays and films have, at one level or another, dealt with the From time to time it has been suggested tension between conforming or being your that Abigail’s Party is, or was, a ‘state-of- true self, between following the rules or the-nation’ play. Maybe it could be called breaking them, and with the problem of one; it’s not for me to say. Certainly, if I’d set having to behave the way you think you’re out deliberately to create such a work in expected to. 1977, which happened to be two years before Thatcher came to power, I’d have Anarchy versus respectability haunts failed miserably. Instead the play came from ; pitches the my intuitive sense of the spirit and the hypocritical moral high ground Katherine Tonkin, Pip Edwards, Zoe Boesen (obscured), Daniel Frederiksen and Benjamin Rigby in rehearsal Katherine Tonkin, Pip Edwards and Zoe Boesen in rehearsal

against honest unpretentiousness; and Although Abigail’s Party was by no means Meantime and High Hopes both deal with my first work (it was in fact the twenty- intelligent young outsiders confronting fourth), it does perhaps earn the status those safe suburban values. The central of being the mother of all my studies of protagonists of Naked and Happy-Go- The Done Thing. Lucky are both questioning and anarchic, but whereas Johnny is burnt up with Beverly is an aspirational working-class girl inward-looking frustration, Poppy is an who is totally preoccupied with appearances optimist, who knows how to channel her and received notions of behaviour and feelings positively and responsibly. And taste. A bundle of contradictions, she the tragedy of Another Year is Mary’s espouses the idea of people freely enjoying horror of middle age, and the growing themselves, yet endlessly bullies everybody realisation that she can no longer live up into doing what she wrongly thinks they’ll to her received image of how to be enjoy, or what is good for them. But, whilst gorgeous for men. she may be perceived as monstrous, she is in fact vulnerable, insecure and sad. Consider even my period films. Topsy-Turvy is fundamentally about the pain behind the Is Laurence from a working-class or lower mask, while the eponymous is a middle-class background? If you met him, very respectable woman, motivated by the you might not guess, but I’d suggest it was highest of morals to break the law. And the former. Now he and his prize-catch wife J.M.W. Turner was the ultimate outsider’s are on the way up, materially successful insider, part of the Establishment, yet (with a struggle), sexually and spiritually breaking all the rules in the book. unfulfilled, and at odds about pretty much ‘Abigail’s Party goes beyond being a comedy: It is a tragi-comedy. For me personally it is very much a play about ‘us’, not ‘them.’’

everything. He yearns for the highbrow, but prolonged jeer, twitching with genuine she just wants a good time – and goods. hatred, about the dreadful suburban tastes of the dreadful lower middle classes’. Angela and Tony, both also working-class, are essentially honest and unpretentious. It goes without saying that this deeply Both have respectable jobs. But will they in offensive rant reveals Potter not only as time fall prey to The Done Thing? At the understanding neither the play nor its moment, they’re having that classic of world, but also of having no sense of tough times with their new house, the humour – which is to say, no sense of mortgage, acquiring their stuff and the rest humanity. For Abigail’s Party goes beyond of it, and they are inevitably a touch out of being a comedy: it is a tragi-comedy. For their depth in their new neighbourly roles. me personally, it is very much a play about ‘us’, not ‘them’. It is obviously sympathetic Shyness and self-consciousness are to all the characters, whatever their foibles, responsible for Tony’s aggression, and not least Beverly. And if it works – and the underneath Angela’s apparent silliness general consensus would appear to suggest is the tough, practical reliability of an that it does – it does so precisely because experienced working nurse. One knows that you, the audience, experience them in a before long they will become responsible real, three-dimensional way. These are loving parents, unlike Beverly and Laurence, who are locked into their loveless battle forever – or would be, if Laurence were not doomed to his sudden and untimely end.

The successful parent is Sue. Or is she? Her eponymous daughter is the crusading descendant of all us rebellious teenagers. Yet Sue, middle-class, genuinely honest, but fearfully polite, has seen better times, does not want to be at Beverly’s cosy get-together, and is battling bravely.

In his infamous review for the Sunday Times, Dennis Potter accused Abigail’s Party of being ‘based on nothing more edifying than rancid disdain, for it is a Katherine Tonkin Daniel Frederiksen, Benjamin Rigby and Pip Edwards

people that we recognize and understand. Nevertheless, I went. Apart from anything The play is a lamentation, not a sneer. else, I am always on for a lunch, and this was to be in an excellent Chinese joint in Returning to my own feeling about Belsize Park. Michael and David are great suburbia, I feel obliged to confess to a guys, whom I hadn’t met much previously, whole other matter. Look again at my films, and we all hit it off immediately. They and in many of them you might detect what, explained that they had a problem. They’d I have to admit, is undoubtedly a deep- had a successful run of shows, so had seated nostalgia for quiet Saturday accumulated an unprecedented surplus. afternoons, silent back gardens, cars But under the rules, if a theatre made such parked in empty streets, even twitching a profit, they were obliged to give it back lace curtains. In the end, our native world to the public funder, the Arts Council of is in our bones, like it or not – and, in truth, Great Britain. I do. (And I don’t!) So would I like to help them spend the Early in 1977, I was planning a BBC Play money by doing one of my ‘improvised’ for Today with the producer Margaret plays? They could offer me ten weeks’ Matheson. (In due course, this would be rehearsal and a cast of up to five, the only Who’s Who.) Out of the blue, I was invited proviso being that I had to say yes or no, to have lunch with Michael Rudman, the here and now, before I left the restaurant. Artistic Director of the Hampstead Theatre in North London, and his General Manager, I told them emphatically that it was quite David Aukin. out of the question. I was busy, and that was that. But these were persuasive men, But I didn’t want to meet them. I was and, course by Chinese course, they wore preoccupied, not only with the film, but me down, and finally I agreed. with doing up the house, as Alison and I had decided to try for our first baby. Besides, I I went home. I’ll do it and get it out of the wasn’t interested in making another theatre way, I told Alison. It’ll just be a stopgap. piece – I was now committed to film. It’ll sink without trace. Then we’ll be able to concentrate on the things that matter.

Then I suggested that Alison be in it. She ‘It’ll just be a stopgap. hesitated. She really wanted to devote time to domesticity. But as it was to be a quick, It’ll sink without trace. forgettable job, she relented. Then we’ll be able to So we set about making the play. As usual concentrate on the things with my work, it would be constructed from scratch in the rehearsals, through that matter.’ improvisation, discussion and research. Nobody knew what it would be, or what it would be about, but it would open on a at East 15 Acting School, and had recently certain date, and we would be left alone to played his cockney spiv version of the Cat get on with it, with no interference from in my Dick Whittington at the Royal Court Rudman and Aukin. They were very clear Theatre. I had just seen the great Janine about this, and they were as good as Duvitski being brilliant in a television their word. drama, and John Salthouse usefully brought along his early experiences as a Crystal But they did say one other thing. They Palace junior. pointed out that productions did regularly transfer from Hampstead to the West End, Our fifth collaborator was Thelma Whitely, and it would be great to have a show that who had lately and impressively played a could achieve that. I took this completely doctor in Trevor Griffith’s on board; I decided to subvert the Through the Night, in which Alison had traditional French-windows, cigarette- scored a success as the central character, smoking ‘boulevard’ comedy, but instead a young mastectomy patient, caused severe of the comfortable happy resolution distress by insensitive hospital treatment. characteristic of such pieces, things would The set designer was Tanya McAllin, and somehow go horribly wrong. Lindy Hemming designed the costumes, beginning her and my long-term Alison and I were joined by our old friend collaboration. This culminated in her Tim Stern, who had been a student with her winning the Oscar for Topsy-Turvy. Benjamin Rigby, Daniel Frederiksen, Katherine Tonkin, Pip Edwards and Zoe Boesen with Director Stephen Nicolazzo

Daniel Frederiksen and Pip Edwards ‘Immediately after its double run at Hampstead, Abigail’s Party was wheeled into the TV Studios at White City, lock, stock and barrel.’

During the preparation, Alison observed a West End run, and naturally I wouldn’t woman rather aggressively demonstrating contemplate her being replaced. Our cosmetics at Selfridges – the source of the doctor said she could do four weeks, lipstick scene. And she and Tim visited The no more. But this was plainly no use to Ideal Home Exhibition in character. All went a commercial producer. well until Tim was persuaded to fill up a questionnaire by a man flogging mortgages. This seemingly intractable situation was When he was asked his occupation, he suddenly solved by the inspired Margaret realised he was perpetrating a howler: Matheson. On seeing the play, she simply as an estate agent, Laurence would simply said, ‘Let’s do it on television.’ A drama she have walked away at the outset. was producing about Northern Ireland had just been cancelled ‘for political reasons’, Janine visited a couple of hospitals, and and she had an empty studio slot. John learned about computers. Then, late in rehearsals, Jonathan Miller, theatre Initially resistant to this good idea, being director and doctor, was brought in to rather stupidly purist about theatre and check out the heart attack. Curiously, television being quite different things, I was and not at all usefully, he delivered a soon persuaded by just about everybody superfluous lecture on stage heart attacks that it would be for the best. and Chekhov, and told us that nobody drops dead so instantly from a cardiac arrest. And so, immediately after its double run at (Not only is this not true, but Alison had Hampstead, Abigail’s Party was wheeled seen a man die precisely thus at Euston into the TV Studios at White City, lock, Station only a few weeks earlier.) stock and barrel – or nearly. For byzantine copyright reasons, the BBC insisted I change Abigail’s Party opened on 18 April 1977. some of the live music integral to the It was a smash hit, the hottest ticket in action. Thus Elvis was replaced by Tom town. So successful was it that Rudman and Jones, and José Feliciano by Demis Roussos. Aukin decided to revive it later in the year, over the summer. Again, it was a sell-out. This was of course a colossal compromise. Now no less than seven West End Tom Jones just isn’t the same thing as Elvis managements wanted to transfer it. Presley. (He, incidentally, died during the Hampstead run, resulting in our having But we had hit a snag. The nuisance was to rewrite the references to him.) But, Alison’s and my other successful project. replacement though he was, Demis Roussos She was pregnant. No way could she do a became, after the television broadcast, Zoe Boesen

UK, and this third transmission coincided with an all-out strike on ITV, the commercial channel, and with an esoteric, highbrow programme on BBC 2. Moreover, tempestuous storms raged throughout the British Isles that evening. So sixteen million viewers stayed at home and watched Abigail’s Party.

While it is gratifying that this unexpected exposure resulted in the play becoming celebrated as a classic 1970s television programme, it is equally satisfying that it has enjoyed a healthy life as a much- performed stage play.

There have been literally thousands of productions around the world, professional ‘Sixteen million viewers and amateur. It was voted No. 66 in the National Theatre’s Poll of the Best 100 Plays stayed at home and of the Twentieth Century; and at the time of watched Abigail’s Party.’ writing, there are successful productions running in Paris, New York and Sao Paulo, with a major revival being planned for the West End. so inextricably associated with the play that Forty years on, I reflect on this unintended I now allow stage revivals to feature him. ‘stopgap’, in which I had no interest, and (If you’re doing so, replace Laurence’s which I was sure would sink without trace. ‘that blind Spaniard’ with ‘that fat Greek’). Had I pondered it longer and more seriously, I might perhaps have attempted It was a great success on television. that ‘state-of-the-nation’ play. But good There were heated exchanges in the letter fortune intervened, and the world was columns about whether you should or mercifully saved from that unquestionably shouldn’t put Beaujolais in the fridge, dreadful fate. n and as to whether Alison was pregnant.

The show was screened again, and yet Hear more from playwright Mike again, always on BBC 1. In those days there Leigh in our MTC Talks podcast were only three television channels in the series. mtc.com.au/MTCTalks Cast & Creative Team

ZOE BOESEN PIP EDWARDS DANIEL FREDERIKSEN Angela Cooper Beverley Moss Laurence Moss

Zoe Boesen completed a Pip Edwards graduated from Logie and AFI nominated Daniel Bachelor of Dramatic Art at the NIDA in 2012 and the University of Frederiksen has had an extensive Victorian College of the Arts Melbourne (Creative Arts) in career across film, television in 2010 and a Bachelor of 2010. She has trained at the UCB and theatre, and most recently Performing Arts at Monash Improvisation School in LA and starred as Mr Wormwood in the University in 2003. Zoe appeared in 2012 was the recipient of the critically acclaimed Matilda the in Dangerous Liaisons (Little ‘Leslie Walford am Award’ for Musical, for which he won a Ones Theatre) as part of her work as a filmmaker. For Helpmann Award. Daniel’s other Melbourne Theatre Company’s Melbourne Theatre Company Pip theatre credits include After Miss NEON Festival of Independent previously appeared in Ghosts. Julie, The Pain & The Itch, Leaves Theatre. Zoe’s theatre credits Other theatre credits include of Glass, Fat Boy, Ruben Guthrie, include PLAYlist 2017 (Red Cellblock Booty (Sisters Grimm) Robot vs. Art. Julius Caesar Stitch); The Moors (Red Stitch); and Home Economics with (Bell Shakespeare), My Romantic History (Red Stitch), Stephen Nicolazzo (Little Ones The Good Person of Szechuan Salomé (Little Ones Theatre/ Theatre). Her television credits (Malthouse Theatre and The Malthouse Theatre – Helium); include Home and Away, Anzac National Theatre of China Lord of the Flies (US-A-UM/ Girls, Wonderland and Miss co-production) and Melbourne Malthouse Theatre – Helium); Fisher’s Murder Mysteries. Her Theatre Company productions of Dracula (Little Ones Theatre); feature film credits include A Few Cheech, Don Juan in Soho, Psycho Beach Party (Little Ones Less Men written by Dean Craig Rockabye, Betty Shaw and Dead Theatre); Breaking (She Said); and Little Black Dress. Pip is a Man’s Cell Phone. Daniel is a sex.violence.blood.gore (MKA) proud member of MEAA. founding member of Red Stitch, and After All This (Elbow Room). Melbourne’s highly regarded Zoe’s television credits include independent theatre company. Sisters (Network 10); Time of Our After studying at NIDA, he first Lives (ABC TV); Offspring achieved recognition in the (Network 10); Hamish and Andy television series Blue Heelers, (7 Network LTD) and Real Stories followed by a series regular role (Network 10). Her feature film in Stingers, for which he was credits include That’s Not Me nominated for a Logie Award for (Storey Kids) and Romulus My Best New Talent. Other TV credits Father (Arena Film). include roles in the telemovie Underground, Underbelly 6 ‘Squizzy Taylor’, Redfern Now, and most recently in the ABC’s Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries. Cast & Creative Team

BENJAMIN RIGBY KATHERINE TONKIN MIKE LEIGH Tony Cooper Susan Lawson Playwright

Benjamin Rigby graduated from Katherine Tonkin has worked with Mike Leigh OBE is an English the University of Southern a number of Australia’s leading writer and director of film and Queensland with a Bachelor of mainstage and independent theatre. He studied at the Royal Theatre Arts (Acting) in 2009. theatre companies, as well Academy of Dramatic Art before Film and television credits as playing to festivals both honing his directing skills at East include Neighbours, Green Eyed, nationally and overseas. Her 15 Acting School, the Camberwell Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries theatre credits include: Three School of Art and the Central (ABC), Plague (Burning Ships Little Words, The Cherry Orchard, School of Art and Design. He productions), The Secret River Apocalypse Bear Trilogy, Cloud began as a theatre director and (ABC), and most recently That’s Nine, and A Streetcar Named playwright in the mid-1960s. In Not Me, Academy Award- Desire: Explorations (Melbourne the 1970s and 1980s his career nominated Lion and Ridley Theatre Company); The Histrionic moved between theatre work and Scott’s Alien: Covenant. He and Baal (Sydney Theatre making films for BBC Television, wrote, co-produced and starred Company/Malthouse Theatre); many of which were charac- in the short film Bridge which The Wild Duck, and Elektra ter-ised by a gritty ‘kitchen sink made its world premiere at Palm Orestes (Belvoir); Conversation realism’ style. Some of his nota- Springs International Shortfest in Piece (Lucy Guerin Inc/Belvoir); ble stage plays include Smelling 2016. Co-founder of independent Tame, OT: Chronicles of the Old A Rat, It’s A Great Big Shame, theatre company Exhibit A: Testament (Malthouse Theatre); Greek Tragedy, Goose-Pimples, Theatre, he has produced and The Eisteddfod (Stuck Pigs , and Abigail’s Party. His appeared in stage productions Squealing/Malthouse Theatre/ most well-known films include Sight Unseen, EIGHT, SubUrbia, Brisbane Powerhouse/Downstairs the comedy-dramas Life is Sweet Cowboy Mouth and Flesh Wound, Belvoir); Gilgamesh (Uncle and , Topsy-Turvy, as well as appearing in The Semolina & Friends/MIAF/Sydney and the bleak working-class House of Yes for Little Ones Opera House/Barbican/Festival drama All or Nothing. His most Theatre, directed by Stephen of Australian Theatre in China); notable films are the black Nicolazzo (Theatre Works). Smashed (Griffin Independent); comedy-drama Naked, the Os- I Heart John McEnroe (Uninvited car-nominated, BAFTA and Palme Guests/Theatreworks); Duets for d’Or-winning drama Secrets & Lovers and Dreamers (Insite Arts/ Lies, the Golden Lion winning fortyfive downstairs); and working-class drama Vera Drake, 3xSisters (Hayloft Project). and the Palme d’Or nominated Screen credits include The BBQ, biopic Mr. Turner. Mike’s most Macbeth, Nowhere Boys (Series recent film, Peterloo, will be 4), The Future is Expensive, released later in 2018. Winners and Losers (Series 3 and 4), City Homicide (Series 3 and 4), Neighbours, Blue Heelers, Snake Tales and Kick. Cast & Creative Team

STEPHEN NICOLAZZO ANNA CORDINGLEY EUGYEENE TEH Director Set Designer Costume Designer

Stephen Nicolazzo is a Melbourne Anna Cordingley is an award- Eugyeene Teh is a designer based theatre director. He winning set and costume across multiple artforms. Recent studied at The University of designer for theatre, opera and design credits include Endgame Melbourne (Creative Arts) and dance whose designs have been and Straight White Men NIDA (Directing). Stephen is the seen by audiences throughout (Melbourne Theatre Company); founder of queer independent Australia, Europe, Britain and the Blaque Showgirls, Meme Girls, company, Little Ones Theatre, United States. She also designs A Social Service and Approximate which has had critical and exhibitions and events and Translation (Malthouse Theatre). commercial success across the creates public art and As a co-artistic director of Little country. He has been nominated installations. Theatre designs Ones Theatre, his many designs for two Green Room Awards for include Jasper Jones, Death and include The Happy Prince, Best Direction and was a the Maiden (MTC); Richard III, Merciless Gods (with Griffin recipient of the Besen Family Romeo & Juliet, Tartuffe, Phèdre, Theatre Company); Dracula, Artist Program Award through Macbeth, Julius Caesar (Bell Dangerous Liaisons (with MTC Malthouse Theatre and a Play Shakespeare); Masquerade NEON Festival); Salomé (with King Australasia Award. His (Griffin Theatre Company/STCSA); Malthouse Helium); Psycho directing credits include and for Malthouse Theatre, Meow Beach Party and The House of Dangerous Liaisons (MTC NEON Meow’s Little Mermaid, Meow Yes. As resident designer for Festival of Independent Theatre, Meow’s Little Match Girl, The MKA, his designs include The Brisbane Powerhouse, Darwin Bloody Chamber, A Golem Story Trouble with Harry, The Unspoken Festival), Merciless Gods (Griffin and Happy Days (with Belvoir). Word is ‘Joe’ (Griffin Theatre Theatre Company, Darebin Arts Opera designs include Aida Company); Triangle and sex. Speakeasy, Little Ones), (Opera Australia), Sunday in the violence.blood.gore. Other The Happy Prince (La Mama, park with George (Victorian recent credits include Melbourne Midsumma Festival, Little Ones), Opera), The Threepenny Opera Festival’s Lady Eats Apple (Back The Moors (Red Stitch), Playing (VO/STC/Malthouse Theatre); and to Back); Book of Exodus Part II to Win (Arts Centre Melbourne), Richter/Meinhof Opera (Fraught Outfit); Exil and The Meme Girls (Malthouse Theatre), (Melbourne Festival). Designs for Howling Girls (Sydney Chamber The Nightingale and the Rose dance include, An Act Of Now, Opera); In Between Two for (Theatre Works, Little Ones), Connected (Chunky Move), and Sydney and Melbourne Festivals, Dracula (Theatre Works, Little Human Interest Story (Lucy The Moors (Red Stitch); and Ones), Special Victim (Adelaide Guerin Inc.). Anna won a Coloured Aliens (La Mama). Cabaret Festival), The House of Helpmann Award for Best Set Eugyeene has been nominated Yes (Theatre Works) and Salomé Design in 2017 and two Green for seven Green Room Awards (Malthouse Theatre). Room Awards for Best Design. and recently received the Anna is a lecturer in design at the Keith and Elisabeth Murdoch University of Melbourne (VCA) Travelling Fellowship. and design akademie Berlin. Cast & Creative Team

KATIE SFETKIDIS DANIEL NIXON GERALDINE COOK-DAFNER Lighting Designer Composer & Sound Designer Voice and Dialect Coach

Katie Sfetkidis is a Melbourne Daniel Nixon is a composer, Geraldine Cook-Dafner previously based lighting designer and sound designer and multi- worked for Melbourne Theatre co-artistic director of Little Ones instrumentalist. He has Company on The Children, Theatre. She has worked across performed with the Melbourne Hay Fever, Di and Viv and Rose, both mainstage and independent Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Melbourne Talam, John, The Odd theatre in Melbourne and Sydney. Victoria, John Farnham, Yothu Couple, Straight White Men, Credits include: Happy Ending Yindi, Sebine Meyer, Mikko Frank The Distance, Birdland, (Melbourne Theatre Company); and many others. He has written The Waiting Room, Top Girls, Meme Girls (Malthouse Theatre); and recorded multiple albums The Heretic, The Swimming Club, Kill the Messenger (Belvoir); and worked extensively as a The 39 Steps, The History Boys, Calpurnia Descending (Sydney session player and programmer. All My Sons, The Clean House, Theatre Company/Malthouse He has scored and designed Boy Gets Girl, Take Me Out, and Theatre); Merciless Gods, numerous films, games, ads The Glass Menagerie. Geraldine Dracula and Dangerous Liaisons and plays including work for also works for independent (Little Ones Theatre); An Act Melbourne Theatre Company, theatre companies Red Stitch of God (Darlinghurst Theatre Flashgun Films, Cascade Films, and Hit Productions. She trained Company); The Moors (Red Little Ones Theatre, Red Stitch, at Middlesex University, the Stitch); Oh Mensch (Sydney American Girl, Universal Guildhall School of Music and Chamber Opera); Summertime Television, Disney Pictures, Drama, and she is an Honorary in the Garden of Eden and The Queensland Theatre, Dirty Pretty Senior Fellow in the theatre Sovereign Wife (Sisters Grimm). Theatre, Griffin Theatre Company, department at the Faculty of Katie is the recipient of a 2015 Ensemble Theatre, Madman Fine Arts and Music, University of Green Room Award for Lighting Entertainment, NBCU, ABC, Melbourne. Geraldine also works Design (companies) for her work Netflix, Farmhand films, and as a voice consultant in film, ABC on Meme Girls. many others. Radio, SBS Radio, and for local corporate and government bodies. Geraldine was previously Head of Voice, Head of School of Performing Arts and an Associate Dean at the Faculty of Fine Arts and Music, University of Melbourne. GO BEHIND THE SCENES OF ABIGAIL’S PARTY

Hear director Stephen Nicolazzo Watch actor Katherine Tonkin discuss his love for Mike Leigh’s play and director Stephen Nicolazzo in our MTC Talks podcast series. discuss the revival of Abigail’s Party at our season launch.

Meet the cast of Abigail’s Party and Watch costume designer learn about the actors portraying Eugyeene Teh’s design process Beverly, Laurence, Sue, Tony from sketch to stage. and Angela.

MTC.COM.AU/APBACKSTAGE Proud Partner of the Melbourne Theatre Company Melbourne Theatre Company

BOARD OF Major Gifts Manager PR and Marketing Jocelyn Creed Alasdair Watson Laura McIntosh MANAGEMENT Sophie Boardley Administration Emily Brewer Joy Weng Daniel Scaffidi Terry Moran ac (Chair) Philanthropy Assistant Costume Coordinator Ashlee Wohling Tain Stangret Tony Burgess Coordinator Jacqui Bartlett Sophie Woodward Lee Threadgold Sytske Hillenius Receptionist Costume Hire HOUSE AND BAR Subscriptions Professor Barry SERVICES Conyngham am Partnerships David Zierk Liz Symons Team Leader & Commercial Millinery Bar Manager Fran Hefferman Professor Glyn Davis ac PRODUCTION & Keziah Warner Patricia Faulkner ao Executive Phillip Rhodes Subscriptions Team Matthew Phoenix TECHNICAL Wigs and Makeup House Supervisors Faran Martin Jonathan Feder Technical & Kasey Gambling Jane Hansen Partnerships Jurga Celikiene Moira Millar Executive Production Director Wardrobe Brienna Macnish Lucy Payne Larry Kamener Adam J Howe Paul Terrell Janette Kendall Syrie Payne Maintenance Partnerships Stella Cadzow House and Bar COMMISSIONS Sharmistha Law PRODUCTION Supervisor The Joan and Ian Marshman am Coordinator Senior Production Josephine Johnson Isabella Wren Drew Thomson Peter Clemenger Martyn Myer ao Manager Bar Supervisors Commissions Susan Oliver EDUCATION Michele Preshaw STAGE MANAGEMENT Paul Blenheim Kylie Coolwell Brett Sheehy ao Head of Education Production Manager Sarah Branton Declan Greene Virginia Lovett Damion Holling Christine Bennett and Families Ben Cooper Tain Stangret Judith Lucy FOUNDATION Jeremy Rice James Lipari House and Bar Damien Millar Production Brittany Coombs BOARD Community Outreach Lisette Drew Attendants Ross Mueller Manager Coordinator Stephanie Barham Roslyn Oades Jane Hansen (Chair) Marta Losiewicz Jess Keepence Terry Bracks am Karin Farrell Jess Maguire Tanya Batt Magda Szubanski Education Props Buyer/ASM Zak Brown Jean Tong Liz Chappell Swing Whitney McNamara Fiona Griffiths Coordinator Millie Mullinar Michael Cutrupi Other Commissions Nick Tranter Jess Maguire Marisa Cuzzolaro Hannie Rayson (with Janette Kendall Production Kaytlin Petrarca Jayne Lovelock Meg Richardson Leila Gerges Manhattan Theatre HUMAN Administrator Damien Harrison Club) Virginia Lovett RESOURCES Alyson Brown Julia Smith Sam Margis Pippa Wright Rosie Howell NEON NEXT HR Manager Kathryn Joy Commissions Louise Myer Christelle Harris TECHNICAL Leigh O’Neill Technical Manager SOUTHBANK Shivani Kanodia Nicola Gunn HR Administrator THEATRE Laura Lethlean NEXT STAGE Hilary Scott Christine Verginis Lighting and Sound Richard Tegoni Kerry Saxby Theatre Operations Ross Macpherson Residencies EHS Coordinator Director Claire Marsh Dan Giovannoni Liz Mundell Senior Production EXECUTIVE Technician Mark D Wheeler Faran Martin Natesha MANAGEMENT FINANCE Allan Hirons Building Services Natasha Milton Somasundaram Artistic Director Finance Director Production Manager Yasmin Mole Kylie Trounson & CEO Liz Chappell Technicians Adrian Aderhold Daniel Moulds NEXT STAGE Brett Sheehy ao Finance Manager Adam Bowring House Services Ernesto Munoz Commissions Executive Director Ness Harwood Scott McAlister Manager Emma Palackic Angus Cerini Virginia Lovett IT and Systems Nick Wollan Kam Greville Faith Peter Patricia Cornelius Executive Assistant Manager Technical Manager – Production Services Amy Poonian Michael Gow to the Artistic Michael Schuettke Staging Manager Clare Reddan Benjamin Law Director & CEO IT Support Officer Andrew Bellchambers Frank Stoffels Adam Rogers Joanna Murray-Smith Nick Doherty Irene Budiono Staging Supervisor Lawler and Events Richard Saxby Leah Purcell Executive Finance Officer – HQ Technical Supervisor Myles Tankle Ellen van Neerven Administrator Sarah Thompson Jamie Cunningham Tom Brayshaw Bella Vadiveloo Malcolm Robertson Isobel Taylor-Rogers Payroll Officer Production Design Lighting Supervisor Harriet Wallace-Mead MTC Foundation Ali Wheeldon Commissions ARTISTIC Julia Godinho Coordinator James Conway Payments Officer Andrew Bailey Staging Supervisor Rhian Wilson Angela Betzien Producer Grant Kennelly Jamaica Zuanettii Martina Murray Lisa Maundrell CAD Drafting OVERSEAS Jacob Battista Sound Supervisor TICKETING REPRESENTATIVES Associate Directors MARKETING & Terry McKibbin Dean Bryant COMMUNICATIONS PROPERTIES Head Flyman CRM and Ticketing New York Sarah Goodes Marketing and Properties Supervisor James Tucker Director Kevin Emrick Literary Director Communications Geoff McGregor Stage and Technical Dale Bradbury UK Chris Mead Director Props Maker Staff Ticketing Manager Henry Finch Casting Director Vanessa Rowsthorn Colin Penn Brendan Albrey Brenna Sotiropoulos Janine Snape Ticketing Services Marketing Manager SCENIC ART Matthew Arthur Casting Executive James Wright Trent Barclay Administrator Matt Bebbington Digital Manager Scenic Art Supervisor Tim Blundell Lisa Mibus Company Manager Daniel Coghlan Shane Dunn Michael Burnell Subscriptions Stephen Moore Marketing Campaign Scenic Artists Siobhan Callanan Supervisor NEXT STAGE Manager Tansy Elso Stewart Campbell Jessie Phillips Administrator Ebony Addinsall Colin Harman Misha Doe Database Specialist Sarah Thompson Marketing WORKSHOP Nathan Evers Ben Gu Literary Associate Coordinator Eugene Hallen Data Analyst Jennifer Medway Workshop Supervisor Megan Thomson Rebecca Lawrence Aldo Amenta Adam Hanley Lead Graphic Luke Hawley VIP Ticketing Officer CATERING Deputy Workshop Michael Bingham Catering Manager Designer Supervisor Jake Hutchings Emma Wagstaff David Jenkins Education Ticketing Andrea Purvis Andrew Weavers Officer Assistant Manager Designers Set Makers Robert Larsen Helena Turinski David Letch Mellita Ilich Anita Lyovic Ken Best Box Office Supervisor Café staff Celeste Njoo Brian Easteal James Lipari PR and Marcus Macris Adam Walsh Bev Reinmuth Nick Gray Box Office Attendants Communications Philip de Mulder David Membery DEVELOPMENT Manager Stephanie Morrell Patrick Crummy Alastair Read Brent Davidson Director of Rosie Shepherdson- Peter Rosa Sophie Norfolk Development Cullen James Paul Katie Dircks Jayne Lovelock Publicist WARDROBE Will Patterson Peter Dowd Events Manager Georgia Fox Wardrobe Managers Warwick Sadler Fran Hefferman Mandy Jones Communications Judy Bunn Jonathan Schmolzer Jean Lizza Annual Giving Content Producer Keryn Ribbands Lara Soulio Bridget Mackey Manager Sarah Corridon Wardrobe Staff Michael Taylor Ross MacPherson Chris Walters John Molloy Michelle Thorne Debra McDougall Proud Partner of the Melbourne Theatre Company MTC Circles of Giving

MTC gratefully acknowledges our visionary donors

MTC LIFETIME PATRONS Acknowledging a lifetime of extraordinary support for MTC. Pat Burke Allan Myers ac qc and Dr Roger Riordan am Peter Clemenger ao and Maria Myers ac Caroline Young and Joan Clemenger ao The Late Biddy Ponsford Derek Young am

ENDOWMENT DONORS Supporting the long term sustainability and creative future of MTC. Leading Endowment Donors $10,000+ Recent Endowment Donors Prof David Penington ac and $1,000,000+ Mim and Michael Bartlett Philip Crutchfield qc and Dr Sonay Hussein Jane Hansen and Paul Little ao Prof Margaret Gardner ao and Amy Crutchfield Emeritus Prof Peter McPhee Prof Glyn Davis ac Fred and Alex Grimwade Dr Monica Pahuja $20,000+ Carolyn and John Kirby am Rosie Harkness Lady Potter ac Tony and Janine Burgess Anne and Mark Robertson oam David and Lily Harris Renzella Family Geoffrey Cohen am Terry Moran ac Steven Skala ao and Orcadia Foundation Robert Peck am and Lousje Skala Andrew and Tracey Sisson Yvonne von Hartel am Anonymous

MTC’S PLAYWRIGHTS GIVING CIRCLE Supporting the Next Stage Writers’ Program. Louise Myer and Martyn Myer ao, Maureen Wheeler ao and Tony Wheeler ao, Christine Brown Bequest Naomi Milgrom ao, Allan Myers ac qc and Maria Myers ac, Tony Burgess and Janine Burgess Dr Andrew McAliece and Dr Richard Simmie, Larry Kamener and Petra Kamener

ANNUAL GIVING Donors whose annual gifts help MTC enrich and transform lives through the finest theatre imaginable. Benefactors Circle The Lord Mayor’s Charitable Ian and Margaret McKellar Dr Anthony Dortimer $250,000+ Foundation George and Rosa Morstyn and Jillian Dortimer Crown Resorts Foundation Bruce Parncutt ao Daniel Neal and Peter Chalk Dr Helen Ferguson Packer Family Foundation Craig Semple ▲ Tom and Ruth O’Dea ■ Rosemary Forbes and Luisa Valmorbida ▲ Leigh O’Neill ◆ Ian Hocking $50,000+ Anonymous Dr Pajouhesh (Smile Solutions) Bruce Freeman ■ The Joan and Peter $5,000+ In loving memory of Richard Park Heather and Clemenger Trust Prof David Penington ac and Bob Glindemann oam The Cybec Foundation John and Lorraine Bates Sandy Bell and Daryl Kendrick Dr Sonay Hussein Henry Gold Maureen Wheeler ao and Jeanne Pratt ac Leon Goldman Tony Wheeler ao Bill Bowness ao Dr Andrew Buchanan and Janet Reid oam and Allan Reid Roger and Jan Goldsmith $20,000+ Peter Darcy Christopher Richardson Murray Gordon and Lisa Norton The Late Betty Amsden ao dsj Ian and Jillian Buchanan The Robert Salzer Foundation ◆ Lesley Griffin Dr Geraldine Lazarus and John and Robyn Butselaar Trawalla Foundation Trust Fiona Griffiths and Greig Gailey The Janet and Michael Buxton Anonymous (7) Tony Osmond ◆ Tony Hillery and Warwick Hutchinson Builders ● Foundation Advocates Circle Louise and Martyn Myer ao Barry and Joanne Cheetham Eddington Caroline and Derek Young am ▲ $2,500–$4,999 Bruce and Mary Humphries Tom and Elana Cordiner ● Marc Besen ac and Victorian Department of The Dowd Foundation Peter and Halina Jacobsen Education and Training Eva Besen ao Janette Kendall ◆ Melody and Jonathan Jay Bethell and Peter Smart The Vizard Foundation Feder ■ ● Alex and Halina Lewenberg Grant Fisher and Helen Bird Virginia Lovett and $10,000+ Gjergja Family Sandra and Bill Burdett am Rose Hiscock ● Erica Bagshaw Robert and Jan Green Lynne and Rob Burgess Dr Sam and Belinda Margis Joanna Baevski ▲ David and Lily Harris Pat Burke and Jan Nolan and NEST Family Clinics ◆ The Cattermole Family Jane Hemstritch Diana Burleigh Dr Sue McNicol qc Christine Gilbertson ◆ Anne Le Huray Jenny and Stephen Charles ao Peter and Kim Monk ◆ Linda Herd ■ ● Dr Caroline Liow The Cuming Bequest Sandy and Sandra Murdoch Macgeorge Bequest Marshall Day Acoustics Debbie Dadon am Jane and Andrew Murray The late Noel Mason and (Dennis Irving Scholarship) Ann Darby Dr Paul Nisselle am and Susanna Mason ▲ Ian and Judi Marshman Matsarol Foundation Sue Nisselle Peter Philpott and Sue Clarke and Lindsay Allen Malcolm Kemp Edwina Sahhar Robert Ratcliffe Assoc Prof Lyn Clearihan and Liana Kestelman ◆ Margaret Sahhar Anne and Mark Dr Anthony Palmer Fiona Kirwan-Hamilton Katherine Sampson Robertson oam ◆ Dr Robin Collier and Neil Collier and Simon E Marks sc and Michael Jaboor Hilary and Stuart Scott ● Sandy and Yvonne Constantine Doris and Steve Klein Susan Santoro Tim and Lynne Sherwood Dr Cyril Curtain Larry Kornhauser and Kaylene Savas ◆ Ricci Swart Mark and Jo Davey Natalya Gill ■ Graeme Seabrook Richard and Debra Tegoni ◆ ● Jocelyn Davies Alan and Wendy Kozica Marshall Segan and Cheryl and Paul Veith Mark and Amanda Derham Elizabeth Laverty Ylana Perlov Ralph Ward-Ambler am and Katharine Derham-Moore Joan and George Lefroy Prof Barry Sheehan Barbara Ward-Ambler Robert Drake Rosemary Leffler and Pamela Waller Price and Christine Williams Bev and Geoff Edwards Leg Up Foundation Diane Silk Margaret and Ray Wilson oam George and Eva Ermer Alison Leslie Dr John Sime Gillian and Tony Wood Anne and Graham Evans ao Peter and Judy Loney Jane Simon and Peter Cox Laurel Young-Das and Marian Evans Neil and Vida Lowry Reg and Elaine Smith oam – Heather Finnegan Dr Alastair Fearn Dr Peter and Amanda Lugg Earimil Gardens Charity Anonymous (5) Jan and Rob Flew Elizabeth Lyons Tim and Angela Smith Heather Forbes-McKeon ■ Ken and Jan Mackinnon Annette and Loyalty Circle Elizabeth Foster Helen Mantzis ◆ Graham Smorgon ◆ $1,000–$2,499 John Fullerton Joyce and Bernard Marks Diana and Brian Snape am Dr Katie Allen and Malcolm Allen Kate Galvin ◆ John and Margaret Mason Geoff and Judy Steinicke Noel and Sylvia Alpins am Nigel and Cathy Garrard Garry McLean Dr Mark Suss ■ In memory of Nicola Andrews Diana and Murray Gerstman Elizabeth McMeekin Rodney and Aviva Taft Valma E. Angliss am Gill Family Foundation Robert and Helena Mestrovic Suzanne Thompson James and Helen Angus Brian Goddard John G Millard Frank Tisher oam and Kate Aplin Charles and Cornelia Goode Ross and Judy Milne-Pott Dr Miriam Tisher Margaret Astbury Foundation ◆ Ging Muir and Susie Waite ● John and Dagnija Balmford Sarah Graff John McCawley ■ Kevin and Elizabeth Walsh ■ Angelina Beninati Isabella Green oam and Barbara and David Mushin Anthony Watson and David and Rhonda Black Richard Green Nelson Bros Funeral Services Tracey McDonald Steve and Terry Bracks am John and Jo Grigg Dr Harry and Rita Perelberg Pinky Watson Jenny and Lucinda Brash Ian and Wendy Haines Dr Annamarie Perlesz Marion Webster ◆ Tamara Brezzi ◆ Jane Hodder ◆ Prof Hannah Piterman ◆ Penelope and Joshua White Beth Brown and Tom Bruce am Sandi and Gil Hoskins Dug and Lisa Pomeroy Ursula Whiteside Pam Caldwell Emeritus Prof Andrea Hull ao Sally Redlich Ann and Alan Wilkinson Alison and John Cameron Ann and Tony Hyams am Victoria Redwood Jan Williams ■ John and Jan Campbell Peter Jaffe Roslyn and Richard Rogers ■ Mandy and Edward Yencken Jessica Canning Ed and Margaret Johnson Sue Rose Greg Young Clare and Richard Carlson Prof Shitij Kapur and Rae Rothfield Roz Zalewski and Fiona Caro Dr Sharmistha Law Linda Rubinstein Jeremy Ruskin Kathleen Cator Katherine Kavakos ◆ and Paul Slape ● Ange and Pete Zangmeister Chef’s Hat Irene Kearsey and Anne and Laurie Ryan Anonymous (27) Chernov Family Michael Ridley F & J Ryan Foundation

LEGACY CIRCLE Acknowledging supporters who have made the visionary gesture of including a gift to MTC in their will. Mark and Tamara Boldiston Peter and Betty Game Dr Andrew McAliece and Robert Ratcliffe Bernadette Broberg Fiona Griffiths Dr Richard Simmie Max Schultz Adam and Donna Cusack-Muller Irene Kearsey Peter Philpott and Anonymous (6)

LEGACY GIFTS Remembering and honouring those who have generously supported MTC through a bequest. The Estate of Leta-Rae Arthy The Estate of Betty Ilic The Estate of James Hollis The Estate of Freda E White The Christine Brown Bequest The Estate of Bettie Kornhauser Minson The Estate of Dorothy Wood The Estate of Ron Chapman The Kitty and Leslie Sandy The Estate of Prudence The Estate of Gordan J Compton Bequest Ann Tutton

Acknowledging Donors who join together to support innovative and inspiring programs for the benefit of our community. ▲ ARTISTIC DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE ■ YOUTH AMBASSADORS ◆ WOMEN IN THEATRE ● EDUCATION GIVING CIRCLE GIVING CIRCLE GIVING CIRCLE

To find out more about supporting MTC please call 03 8688 0959 or visit mtc.com.au/support Current as of Febuary 2018 Thank You

MTC would like to thank the following organisations for their generous support

Major Partners

Major Media Partners

Production Partners

Premium Season Partners

Season Partners

Marketing Partners

Southbank Theatre Partners

If you would like to join our corporate family or host a private event, please contact [email protected] 2018 Partners current as of January 2018. MELBOURNE DRY GIN

HAND CRAFTED . BATCH DISTILLED . NON CHILL FILTERED #MELBOURNEGINCOMPANY MELBOURNEGINCOMPANY.COM | INSTAGRAM/FACEBOOK @MELBOURNEGINCO

MGC1421 MTC Program Full Page Advert FA.indd 1 5/2/18 12:00 pm BIG IN AFRICA

Abercrombie & Kent was born on safari in East Africa in the early 1960s and has remained the benchmark for luxury travel on the Mother Continent ever since. An A&K safari is quite simply the greatest outdoor adventure holiday you will ever have. Act now to secure the  nest properties, the most knowledgeable guides and the best game-viewing experiences in the hottest travel destination on earth.

Talk to your travel agent or call Abercrombie & Kent on 1300 851 800.

abercrombiekent.com.au