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Melbourne Theatre Company Melbourne Theatre Company i(A52241 works by) (Organisation) assertion (a.k.a. MTC)
Born: Established: 1953 Melbourne, Victoria, ;
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Works By

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1 Laurinda Diana Nguyen , Petra Kalive , 2022 single work drama

'When 15-year-old Lucy Lam wins the inaugural Equal Access Scholarship to a prestigious private school, the smart and well-liked student is not prepared for the new world she’s suddenly propelled into. It’s a world of wealth and opportunity, overseen by The Cabinet – a trio of girls who wield power over their classmates, and even their teachers. But when The Cabinet turn their attention to Lucy she has to make a choice: fit in and succeed, or stay true to herself. Either way, there’s a cost.'

Source: Melbourne Theatre Company.

1 Cyrano Virginia Gay , 2021 single work drama

'Cyrano is the most interesting person in any room – a wordsmith, a charmer, a ruthless fighter. She works twice as hard and runs twice as fast as any of the pretty boys, because she's deeply ashamed of something about herself. She's fallen hard for Roxanne, the brilliant, beautiful new girl in town with a penchant for poetry and a way with words. Just like Cyrano. But Roxanne's only got eyes for Yan: hot, manly Yan; all-brawn-and-no brains Yan, who's dumbstruck around Roxanne – probably shy, right? Until suddenly he starts saying the most amazing things. But it's not Yan writing these perfect love scenes, it's Cyrano …'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

1 Sunday Anthony Weigh , 2021 single work drama

'Muse and mentor, Sunday Reed was the founder of Melbourne’s Heide Museum of Modern Art, and the heart of a circle of artists that included the likes of Sidney Nolan, Albert Tucker and Joy Hester. In this world premiere MTC commission, Nikki Shiels (Home, I’m Darling) embodies Reed’s passionate and unconventional spirit, bringing to life an audacious fantasy of her fateful affair with Nolan, her unbroken devotion to her husband, and the devastating price she paid for living and loving on her own terms as a woman in mid-20th century Australia.

'Sunday Reed isn’t like most women. In fact, she’s not like most men. Outspoken, uninhibited, adventurous, she has a laser eye for the new – in life and in art. When struggling artist Sidney Nolan arrives at Heide, the idyllic utopia Sunday is creating with her beloved husband John Reed on the outskirts of 1940s Melbourne, what ensues will haunt all three to their dying days. And in the aftermath, Australian art will never look the same.'

Source: Melbourne Theatre Company.

1 Jacky Declan Furber Gillick , 2021 single work drama

'Jacky is a blackfella with a bright future in the big city. He skilfully negotiates the gig economy, earning his keep as a cultural dancer and sex worker. Glenn is a white middle-aged record dealer, finalising a divorce and indulging a fantasy which leads him straight to Jacky. When Jacky’s brother Keith rolls into town, and Glenn’s ex-wife Linda suddenly needs an Aboriginal dancer, can Jacky keep up with demand?'

Source: Melbourne Theatre Company.

1 The Black Woman of Gippsland Andrea James , 2021 single work drama

'In 1840, a settler swore he found a bible printed in Edinburgh, a blue silk purse and a broken looking-glass in the remains of a Gunaikurnai camp near Ninety Mile Beach. But did he also really see the face of a ‘pale woman’ in a possum-skin cloak? Was there really a ‘white woman’ in Gunaikurnai country or were these unverified stories a cover for other activities – these are the questions Jacinta is trying to answer when she holes herself up in a country motel to put the finishing touches on her thesis. But can she solve a 150-year-old mystery in four days? And get justice for her people?

'The Black Woman of Gippsland explores colonial Victorian ‘history’ through a vital First Nations’ lens.'

Source: Melbourne Theatre Company.

1 Well, That Happened Dean Bryant , 2021 single work drama

'If you’re trying to make sense of 2020, you’re not alone. Stuck inside longer than at any point in history, homeschooling your kids and zooming your workmates while watching racial reckonings and bonkers elections play out on your screens, the year was, at the very least, unique. Bracketed by masking up for bushfires and then viruses, and unmasking as we finally hit the donut days, Victorians spent months deprived of one of the fundamental ways we have of understanding our humanity – the communal experience of theatre.

'To celebrate the reopening of the Sumner, Dean Bryant interviewed a group of MTC favourites to share how they got through the year that was, transforming their words into a one-weekend-only theatre event that’s both personal and universal. There’ll be laughter, tears and the occasional song as we come to terms with one of the more epic years of our lives.'

Source: Melbourne Theatre Company.

1 The Well Louris Van de Geer , 2021 single work drama

'On a whim, middle-aged Hester brings the orphaned, adolescent Katherine into her home – it’s the start of a powerful friendship for both women. But when a sudden tragedy interrupts their seemingly idyllic outback life, it threatens to twist their unshakable bond to breaking point. A haunting thriller in the best traditions of Australian Gothic, The Well is a taut work of gnawing suspense as these two women navigate the emotional and psychological terrains of desire, memory and social isolation.'

Source: Melbourne Theatre Company.

1 4 y separately published work icon Sunshine Super Girl Andrea James , 2020 Strawberry Hills : Currency Press , 2021 17259202 2020 single work drama

'A young girl hits a ball against the tin wall of her family’s home with a frying pan. This is where it all began for Evonne Goolagong. Hers is a quintessentially Australian story about a girl from the bush who dared to dream, and with the unlikely support of an outback farming town, rose to become the No. 1 tennis player in the world, and a household name by the age of 19.

'Evonne Goolagong’s heartwarming story is a celebration of spirit and passion over adversity, and a tribute to a woman whose sporting prowess continues to inspire a nation, giving hope to thousands of young girls across the country. With its distinctively Australian sensibility and humour, Sunshine Super Girl asks us to consider our nation’s future and the part we can play for the next ‘Goolagong’ waiting in the wings.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

1 The Heartbreak Choir Aidan Fennessy , 2020 single work drama

'In this backwater country hamlet on the fringes of the commuter belt, the local choir was always the quiet heartbeat of the town. It brought people together. But then a devastating event shattered everything and split the town in two. Now, Choir leader, Barbara, and her friends must start a new choir – The Heartbreak Choir – and they have a lot to prove. Not just to the town, but to themselves. With no basses, no gigs, no Annual Arts and Culture Festival and a tentative rehearsal space in the old CFA Hall on the edge of town, this choir, more than ever, need to find a reason to sing.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

1 Slap. Bang. Kiss Dan Giovannoni , 2020 single work drama

'SLAP. A video of 16-year-old Immi hitting a soldier during a military occupation goes viral. BANG. Sofia’s impassioned speech for the victims of a school shooting makes international news. KISS. In the car park of a Wangaratta Woolies, people rally around Darby and Daniel as the boys lock lips in an attempt to set the world record for the longest kiss.

'Can young people really change the world? Multi-award-winning playwright and MTC Writer in Residence Dan Giovannoni knows they can. In SLAP. BANG. KISS. he tracks three young people whose stories kick-start a series of events none of them could have anticipated, transforming them into global symbols of revolution. But when their stories go viral and the whole world is watching, what will they do next?'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

1 1 y separately published work icon Berlin Joanna Murray-Smith , 2020 Strawberry Hills : Currency Press , 2021 17252345 2020 single work drama

'Tom meets Charlotte in a bar. Tom’s a foreigner on his first trip to Berlin. Charlotte’s a beguiling bartender. They’re both young, smart and charismatic – and in the early hours, they end up back at Charlotte’s Prenzlauerberg apartment. Over the course of the night, desire and longing dance hand in hand with devastating secrets. Are they just two young people falling in love, or are they contemporary victims of history’s undiluted reach?'

Source: Melbourne Theatre Company.

1 2 y separately published work icon Torch the Place Benjamin Law , 2020 Carlton : Melbourne University Press , 2020 17252190 2020 single work drama

'Teresa’s mum finds it impossible to let anything go – from grudges to household objects. She thinks of her home as a museum full of irreplaceable treasures. But she’s not really a curator – she’s a hoarder – and her house is enough to give Marie Kondo heart palpitations. When her kids return home to celebrate her 60th birthday, she’s over the moon to have the family back together. But this isn’t a reunion. It’s an intervention.'

Source: Melbourne Theatre Company.

1 4 y separately published work icon Golden Shield Anchuli Felicia King , 2019 Carlton : Melbourne University Press , 2019 14536716 2019 single work drama

'It’s 2006 and less than 10% of China is online. The Chinese government looks to Silicon Valley to protect their citizens from the unfiltered chaos of the internet, resulting in the construction of an epic firewall called the Golden Shield. With American companies actively working to build it – stifling political debate in the process – are they responsible, or just doing good business? If they can be prosecuted for working against the promotion of democracy, should they? And if dissidents start disappearing, who should be put on trial?

'With interweaving storylines from across the globe, Golden Shield is an urgent legal drama that explores the personal and political ramifications of corporate greed in the global economy. A trail-blazer of contemporary theatre, Anchuli Felicia King finds fascination in the space where technology and tradition meet for this piercing, funny and extremely timely new play.'

Source: Melbourne Theatre Company.

1 3 y separately published work icon Arbus & West Stephen Sewell , 2019 Fortitude Valley : Playlab , 2021 14536422 2019 single work drama

'‘Mae, you can fool the world, you can fool your friends and you can even fool yourself, but you can’t fool me…’

'Hollywood bombshell Mae West built her career on lookin’ good – walkin’ the walk and talkin’ the talk – while legendary photographer Diane Arbus was famous for finding beauty in the everyday. When Diane turns up at Mae’s glistening LA apartment in 1964 to take her portrait, tensions quickly flare. Mae’s version of herself is very different to the one Diane wants to catch on film. But whose version wins out when a master of illusion meets a master of truth?

'Drawing on actual events, award-winning Australian playwright Stephen Sewell imagines what might have transpired between these two extraordinary women, creating a powerful portrait of beauty, sexuality, wildness and longing.'

Source: Melbourne Theatre Company.

1 14 y separately published work icon Storm Boy Tom Holloway , 2013 2013 6198235 2013 single work drama

'Young Storm Boy lives a simple yet free life on the coastal wilds of the South Australian Coorong, combing the beaches with his reclusive father, Hideaway Tom.

'During a long summer, he makes two friends who will shepherd him from childhood into adulthood: the jester Fingerbone Bill, who teaches him about his country; and Mr Percival, an orphaned pelican who prepares Storm Boy for the wider world with a poignant lesson about love, loss and letting go.'

Source: Queensland Theatre Company.

1 4 Music Barry Oakley , 2012 single work drama

'Much-loved Australian novelist and playwright Barry Oakley is back at the MTC after 32 years, with the world premiere of Music. Richard Piper stars as Jack, whose terminal struggle with cancer inspires his loved ones to sort their lives out. Playing Jack's wife Margie is another darling of MTC, Jane Menelaus. 
Jack has been given three months to live. He surrenders to his battle with cancer the moment the clock starts to tick, clowning around and waiting the time out with music, morphine and whiskey. For his wife, estranged brother and an estranged old friend, however, time is fast running out. 
At the heart of Margie's urgency to be honest with her husband is the tragic death of their only son and the spiral of irresponsible behaviour that followed, by husband and wife. The guilt of their past actions arrives at full force as an emotionally overwrought Jack teeters on the edge and Margie weighs up the cost of saying mea culpa to a dying husband. 
Music is a bittersweet symphony to a dying man by those who he once laughed with and loved - and might love him still.' (Source : http://www.au.timeout.com/melbourne/theatre/events/1802/music)

1 20 y separately published work icon Don Parties On David Williamson , Sydney Melbourne : Currency Press Melbourne Theatre Company , 2011 Z1728724 2011 single work drama

'It's 21 August 2010, the night of yet another federal election and, of course, yet another election night party at Don's place. Over the decades, as he and his friends watched governments come and go, they have also closely followed the incoming results from each other's lives: the tallies of luck and misfortune, the unexpected swings for and against. And through it all, the lesson that this crowd of superannuated Baby Boomers never seemed to learn is that politics and strong personalities should never be mixed with alcohol.'

Source: Melbourne Theatre Company website, www.mtc.com.au (sighted 29/09/2010)

1 10 y separately published work icon Songs for Nobodies Joanna Murray-Smith , Strawberry Hills Melbourne : Currency Press Melbourne Theatre Company , 2010 Z1629707 2010 single work drama
1 5 y separately published work icon Life Without Me Daniel Keene , 2010 Strawberry Hills Melbourne : Currency Press Melbourne Theatre Company , 2010 Z1629694 2010 single work drama
1 3 y separately published work icon Rockabye Joanna Murray-Smith , Strawberry Hills : Currency Press Melbourne Theatre Company , 2009 Z1561090 2009 single work drama satire

'Sidney can feel her career slipping down the plughole. No one loves a pop star when she's forty - not if she isn't Madonna or Kylie. So unless she wants to join the ranks of the has-beens on the casino circuit, she better get herself a hit. But what if she regains the whole world and still feels that something's missing? Baby hunger.'

Source: MTC website, http://www.mtc.com.au/
Sighted: 21/07/2009

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