RIVERSIDE THEATRES PRESENTS NATIONAL THEATRE OF PARRAMATTA BY STEF SMITH THEATRE 21 – 30 APRIL FROM THE FROM LORD FROM FROM HON TROY MAYOR CLR NATIONAL ROBERT GRANT MP PAUL GARRAD THEATRE OF LOVE PARRAMATTA DIRECTORATE DEPUTY PREMIER LORD MAYOR DIRECTOR MINISTER FOR JUSTICE AND PARRAMATTA CITY COUNCIL RIVERSIDE THEATRES POLICE, MINISTER FOR THE As Lord Mayor of Parramatta I am Riverside has always wanted and ARTS, MINISTER PAULA ABOOD, excited to welcome you to the first needed a resident theatre company FOR RACING WAYNE HARRISON AM, production from National Theatre of S. SHAKTHIDHARAN, to be truly a lively and distinctive Welcome to the inaugural Parramatta, Swallow. The launch of ANNETTE SHUN WAH performance venue. We need artists production from National Theatre the theatre company last November in situ interpreting local issues of the of Parramatta, Swallow. marked the culmination of years of A new theatre is cause for day, working with the local community celebration. A new national theatre The NSW Government is proud planning and its debut season of and giving the place a creative heart, is an opportunity to capture the to be part of a multi-year funding performances is highly anticipated. an enquiring mind and a soul that can creative diversity of the nation. As agreement in 2015 that lead to the National Theatre of Parramatta is a take flight. Now we have our own the inaugural production of National dream that was National Theatre of wonderful addition to the cultural National Theatre of Parramatta that Theatre of Parramatta, Swallow Parramatta, becoming a reality. On landscape here in the heart of Global aims to put the nation on stage. And exemplifies the sort of work we aim top of supporting National Theatre of Sydney and it will help foster the where better to find the nation than in to produce as the resident company Parramatta, this year the government growth and development of our Australia’s next great city, Parramatta, at Riverside. Bold, contemporary, has boosted program funding to already-strong local arts community. the centre of a rapidly growing imaginative and inspired, this work Western Sydney arts organisations by Parramatta City Council is proud Western Sydney. takes us into the belly of modern 40 per cent so they can continue to to support National Theatre of urban life. As a directorate, we aspire develop and tell their unique stories. Parramatta and we are confident that the 2016 Season, starting with to present works that resonate with Swallow is an exciting production by Swallow, will be the first of many audiences in Western Sydney and the acclaimed director Kate Champion. successful seasons for the company beyond. Our vision is to “put the Swallow will trigger all your emotions, over the years to come. nation on stage” in ways that are from laughter to sadness. It’s a performatively compelling, insightful courageous production that will set and vital. It promises to be an a high benchmark of quality, exactly adventure, and we hope you’ll come what we will expect from National along for the ride. Theatre of Parramatta. FOREWORD A NOTE CREATIVES CAST Creating this play has been a hard FROM THE PLAYWRIGHT SAM but hopeful process. Hard, because of STEF SMITH VALERIE BERRY the darkness it deals with – at times DIRECTOR DIRECTED BY REBECCA this play is raw and relentless – and Swallow is a wonderful challenge KATE CHAMPION MEGAN DRURY ensuring clarity in that can be a tough for any director who relishes the ANNA technical task. However, it has been DESIGNED BY opportunity to expand a play’s ANNA TREGLOAN LUISA HASTINGS EDGE hopeful because I’ve had the chance possibilities beyond the words on to share and swap stories with people LIGHTING DESIGN BY NATIONAL THEATRE the page. VERITY HAMPSON who have made me feel a little less OF PARRAMATTA alone in my fear and fury. I hope too This freedom is a gift from a writer and COMPOSER AND that I have helped them feel a little is the main reason why Swallow has SOUND DESIGNER EXECUTIVE PRODUCER MAX LYANDVERT JOANNE KEE less alone. been such a continually evolving and satisfying creative experience for us all. PRODUCTION MANAGER COMPANY COORDINATOR Whether this play is a mirror to JACK HORTON CLARE SPILLMAN something you’ve felt or a window into For all the play’s poetic, emotional SOCIAL MEDIA AND MARKETING an unfamiliar world, I hope too that you clarity it doesn’t shy away from the STAGE MANAGER CHARLOTTE BARRETT CLAIRE CORNU see not particular answers to problems real mess of life - a mess that sees of the modern world, but rather you three characters pushed to ASSISTANT TO THE DIRECTOR the precipice of their existence KATE WORSLEY simply see the modern world. So often PUBLICITY AND we see things how we wish to see through self-doubt, damage and ASSOCIATE SOUND DESIGNER PRODUCTION IMAGES them, because what is actually there wavering identity. KATELYN SHAW AMANDA JAMES is complex and contradictory with Does the nature of our modern single COSTUME AND STAGE FINISHING no solutions in sight. I often wonder occupancy habitat foster a breeding KATE AUBREY whether we should call out these dark ground for isolated, psychological times rather than attempt to displace terror? How do we reach out for them. They might then have a little genuine human engagement in such less control over us. an increasingly isolating society? I’ve never doubted that we all wrestle Finally I’d like to quote the writer with the chaos of deep, dark, hard Stef Smith whose sentiment I things. We behave badly, drink too wholeheartedly share - much, sleep too little, punch walls or pull our bodies apart. Rarely are we “The audience is utterly vital to given the healthy tools to deal with this my work, but I should say I’m not chaos. And yet, deal with it we do – we particularly interested in giving them still get up the next day. And that’s an easy time. I like audiences to work a one of the things that Swallow looks little, to be active in my plays – not just at – the chaotic ways in which we spectate and let it wash over them. I continue. After all, it’s one of the things would hope that they feel challenged – humanity does best. We continue or, at in an exciting way.” the very least, we try to. Stef Smith - playwright Stef Smith, Playwright Kate Champion BIOGRAPHIES ANNA KATE TREGLOAN VERITY CHAMPION Set and HAMPSON STEF Director Costume Designer Lighting Designer SMITH Kate is the founding and former Anna Tregloan is a multi-award Verity is a NIDA graduate with over Playwright Artistic Director of Force Majeure. winning designer, artist and creative 10 years’ experience as a lighting “One of Scotlands most gifted young She has also worked for Sydney producer who collaborates and and projection designer. Verity playwrights.” - The Scotsman Theatre Company, Australian Dance creates work for major performing has designed for over 70 theatre Theatre, Opera Australia, Belvoir, arts companies, major Australian productions working with some of Smith, won an Olivier Award in 2012 NIDA, DV8 Physical Theatre and The festivals and an array of smaller and Australia’s most talented directors for Roadkill written when she was English National Opera. independent companies, galleries and and choreographers. For television a new graduate. She has gone from artists. She has an extensive history Verity has been a lighting director strength to strength as a writer in a In 1996 Kate was awarded the in contemporary theatre and dance, for the ABC’s Live at the Basement few short years. Robert Helpmann Scholarship and physical theatre, opera, live-art and and The Roast. created her first solo work Face Stef’s work is predominately political immersive installations. She has a Value which received Green Room Verity was awarded the Mike Walsh seeking to unearth unheard stories. Masters in Animateuring from the and MO Awards. Fellowship in 2012 which took her It always aims to examine both the Victorian College of Arts. to Broadway to work with projection lightness and darkness of life. In 1997 she directed Under the In the last twelve months she has designers 59 Productions. Verity Influence for Legs on the Wall In 2013 she was invited for a designed a major exhibition for was also the winner of the 2013 and choreographed Cloudstreet. residency to the Banff Centre in the Museum of Applied Arts and Sydney Theatre Award for Best 2001 saw Kate create her second Alberta, Canada and in 2015 Stef Sciences, Sydney; curated and Mainstage Lighting Design for her solo show About Face and direct was also made an Associate Artist at designed the Australian Exhibition work on Machinal at Sydney Same, Same But Different – the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh. for the Prague Quadrennial of Theatre Company. both these productions won She also appeared on The Lists Top Performance, Space and Design; Helpmann Awards®. In 2004 Kate 100 Cultural Contributors for 2015. designed staging and costumes for choreographed the world premiere a Korean/Australian physical theatre Her latest work Human Animals is of Dirty Dancing and since 2005 collaboration (presented in both premiering at the Royal Court in has directed Already Everywhere, countries); worked with Indonesian London during the Spring of 2016. Tenebrae 1 and 11, The Age I’m In, Not and Australian based puppet This play is Stef’s Royal Court In A Million Years, Never Did Me Any companies to devise an immersive debut and is part of their 60th Year Harm and co-directed Food which installation; and continued to develop Anniversary Season that includes toured to Riverside Theatres in 2014.