Chaos and confetti, masks and multimedia: everyone has heard Mozart’s music, but no-one will have seen a Così Fan Tutte quite like this. Prepare to be moved, entertained and maybe just a little shocked by Jim Sharman’s exuberant new production.

David Harmon has spent the month attached to the production and, along with David Ford, has been filming everything. You can take a sneak peek inside the rehearsal room here.

Those inclined could follow our exploits online too! Check us out on twitter and facebook.

“Bold and very funny… My major complaint would be that at 95 minutes, it was rather short and I wanted to see more (!) but I have no doubt that we will see much more from these talented young directors.”
– Holly Champion, Theatre Australia

“It is a great pleasure to see Sydney’s next generation of theatre makers putting such bold ideas into action and backing them up with work that is different, engaging and of a very high quality… This is intelligent, funny theatre.”
– Julian Dibley-Hall, Vertigo

“Unique and colourful… An exciting evening of theatre showcasing a group of talented young directors.”
– Benita de Wit, AussieTheatre.com

“This is risky theatre. But it works. I was at the media preview last night, and was upset to know I would not be able to see the show again.”
– Joanna Erskine, Cluster

Only two more performances today before THE SNEEZE bounces on out into the night. Thanks to everyone who came and supported cooperative and emergant theatre!

Tickets now available through ticketek. Click here and book now!

In July, NIDA Parade Studio will play host to a thrilling experiment in theatre. Five young minds will take on five different early comedies by Anton Chekhov and deliver magical and boldly inventive interpretations.

The adaptation comes courtesy of Michael Frayn (Noises Off), one of Britain’s most brilliant comic playwrights and originally performed with a cast that included Rowan Atkinson. In this Australian Premiere, each director will work with the same ensemble and designers to create a night of theatre that is as transformative as it is laugh-out-loud funny.

The production is the result of a collaboration between the National Institute of Dramatic Arts (NIDA) and Theatre Forward – an emerging collective of young directors making waves in the Australian theatre world as innovative, bold and wildly different theatre-makers. The Sneeze will be Theatre Forward’s first collaborative venture.

LISTING INFORMATION

NIDA PARADE STUDIO
215 Anzac Parade, Kensington NSW 2033

Season: Tuesday 28 July (Preview) Wednesday 29 July – Saturday 1 August
Times: 7:30pm plus Saturday 1 August Matinee @ 2:00pm
Prices: $29 Adults / $24 Concession / $15 Preview
Bookings: boxoffice@paradetheatres.com.au or www.ticketek.com.au

Kate Revz’s new production company CRY HAVOC has just confirmed the Wharf Theatre’s new performance venue, The Loft as the home for their inaugural production, Julius Caesar. Featuring a dynamic cast of recent NIDA and WAAPA graduates, Julius Caesar will open in October this year.

David Harmon spent April in Melbourne where he was placed in secondment to Opera Australia’s new production of A Little Night Music directed by Stuart Maunder. In May he spent a week teaching improvisational methods and playbuilding to talented regional secondary students at the 2009 Riverina Region Drama Camp in Borambola.

Imara Savage has been busy working for the Sydney Theatre Company as Assistant Director to Marion Potts on The Wonderful World of Dissocia.

During this period, Imara and David were also succesful in winning twin creative residencies with Opera Australia through the Australia Council OYEA Arts Grants fund. In the second half of the year they will undertake mentorships in the creation of three new works in the 2009 OA winter season.

Following on from a successful season of The Herbal Bed at The New Theatre in March and April, Sarah Giles has spent the last six weeks in Melbourne working with the Malthouse Theatre as Assistant Director to Michael Kantor on Optimism – Tom Wright’s new adaptation of Voltaire’s Candide. Optimism is a co-production between The Malthouse Theatre, The Edinburgh International Festival, The Sydney Theatre Company and The Sydney Festival and will be traveling to the 2009 Edinburgh International Festival and to the 2010 Sydney Festival. She is also about to begin her role at Griffin as the Affiliate Director in Residence.

Morgan Dowsett has only just returned from a busy period in Queensland where he worked as AD to Michael Gow on a new QTC production of God of Carnage. He also has been teaching students of drama in rehearsal methodology at QUT.

Finally, since recently finishing up on the sell out production of Grease on the beach, Mark Grentell has spent time working with Jonathon Biggins on the touring production of Avenue Q, he has begun auditions for an upcoming production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and is about to begin work shortly with STC and David Berthold on their production of Saturn’s Return. Mark is also currently working on New scripts currently in development with several emerging Australian writers and also has both a feature film screenplay and Children’s television pilot in development.

All six Theatre Forward directors are very much looking forward to beginning the exciting process or working collaboratively on The Sneeze as part of the NIDA 50th Springboard initiative.

As part of their 50th Birthday, NIDA has launched SPRINGBOARD, a new platform for supporting graduates as they enter the industry. The winners this year are THEATRE FORWARD, the graduating Directors of 2008.

THEATRE FORWARD present

‘The Sneeze’
six short comedies by Chekhov
Adapted by Micheal Frayn (Noises Off)

CASTING:
We are looking for 6 exceptional actors who are particularly skilled at comedy, with an interest in Chekhov.

STAFFING:
We are looking for a kick-ass PSM, SM who want to work on the best show Sydney has ever seen…

–

Rehearsals commence – Monday 29 June 2009

Rehearsals run Monday – Friday
9am – 6pm
depending on availability of actors.
(Saturday rehearsal times may be required.)
We understand life gets in the way, and can be flexible with scheduling.

Performance week: Monday 28 July -Tuesday 3 August 2009

AT THE MOMENT, THIS PRODUCTION IS OPEN TO NIDA GRADUATES, ONLY. PLEASE PASS THIS ON TO YOUR FRIENDS.

Auditions:

NIDA – 21st May
6:30pm RR5

AUDITION REGISTRY IS ESSENTIAL.

Please prepare a monologue from any Chekhov piece.

TO REGISTER AN AUDITION TIME PLEASE CONTACT

Kate Revz
0401 826 616
kate.revz@theatreforward.com

if you cannot make this audition, do not hesitate to contact us and we can arrange a time to see you.

Kate Revz‘s production company, CRY HAVOC, have just returned from their resedency at Arthur Boyd’s Bundanon Trust where they developed new work Any Other Name. The Trust program is open to professional artists and groups, from all disciplines. The program supports artists’ new work, research and collaborations. Australian and international artists are hosted in purpose-built studios located at the Bundanon properties on the Shoalhaven River in NSW. As a gift to the Australian people, Arthur Boyd’s vision for Bundanon was to provide an inspirational haven for artists to pursue their practice. This proved so for CRY HAVOC, achieving a completely worked third draft on the retreat.

Any Other Name follows the untold story of Rosaline from Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet. After a successful residency CRY HAVOC have decided on a premiere production for 2010.

For more information visit www.cryhavoc.com.au