Tina Arena: Unchained
We could all learn a lot from Tina Arena. Her perspectives are so profound that...
All Sown Up
It would be fair to say that most people in Australia couldn’t imagine that theatre could be more powerful or at least could reasonably compete with the likes of television or film. But then again, maybe they haven’t been to a Red Stitch Theatre production?
Founded back in 2001 St Kilda’s Red Stitch Theatre is a company with a reputation for incredible performances, spot on contemporary choices, and high calibre productions of the best new plays from around the world.
Red Stitch is made up of actors creating their own opportunities, and in doing so they also create a distinctly exciting and vibrant theatrical experience for audiences. Acting and writing workshops, along with their carefully curated productions, nurture Australian talent. They also fund new Australian works through their writers in residency program. The theatre company has grown to become one of the most respected and recognised gems in Melbourne’s theatrical crown, sitting up there with the big guns like Melbourne Theatre Company (MTC) and Malthouse Theatre.
Red Stitch Theatre is run by its 14 dedicated ensemble members, who themselves come with a range of experience across many mediums including stage, radio and television. It’s not just the acting and production that the ensemble has a say in. Every facet of the theatre company is controlled and staffed by them, from ticket sales, to public relations, to ushering. Red Stitch offers a very unique environment for actors, writers and directors because of its total ensemble involvement. It’s an environment of creativity and control that is rarely afforded.
“Working in a Red Stitch production is a bit like shorthand. Because we already know each other, and have worked together before, there is a lot that doesn’t require explanation,” explains Dion Mills, an ensemble member since 2003. “Usually actors have to get to know each other and build a rapport and energy. With Red Stitch, we’re already there, and we know how each other works, which leaves more time to play with and push the performance. That makes for much tighter work.”
Red Stitch Theatre was born from an environment where there wasn’t much work around for actors and performers. It’s obviously an environment that still exists. Much of the theatre that is presented to Australian audiences is safe, built on the reputation of sure overseas successes. There aren’t a lot of risks being taken by theatre companies, with many still choosing to produce classics, popular older works and formulaic crowd pleasers, while almost totally ignoring the abundance of excellent, challenging, newer work. The work that is out there for an actor is often very limited in terms of range and scope of the roles. Even if you are an incredibly talented actor, you can expect to be typecast according to your look, playing the same three roles in every production. The lack of challenge and control can be frustrating. It’s a frustration that David Whiteley, a founding member and Artistic director of Red Stitch Theatre knows all too well.
“It was around 1999 or 2000, and myself and a lot of people like me were asking ‘Where are the challenges? Where are those edgy meaty roles that I could really get excited about as a punter and sink my teeth into as a performer?’” Whitely explains. ‘There just wasn’t anything or anyone around delivering that. We realised that there was a massive gap that desperately needed to be filled, and we formed Red Stitch to do it.”
That is a real point of difference between Red Stitch and other theatre companies such as the MTC. While it may occasionally dabble with the classics, Red Stitch stays focused on newer work and encouraging original Australian work. The theatre company produces plays that are fresh, challenging, gritty and edgy, with production values to match. You certainly wouldn’t see them anywhere else. Topical, engaging and ballsy choices invigorate what often feels like a tired ho-hum art form, allowing theatre to compete well with mediums like television, film and newer media. And that’s not just good for actors; it’s great for audiences too.
“You get something from theatre, both as a performer and an audience member that you simply can’t get anywhere else. It’s there, in your face, it’s immediate,” says Mills, “[At Red Stitch] we really try to make the most of that experience through our choices. We agonise over decisions so that we get the most out of it as actors, and so that the audience really feels something too.”
According to David Whiteley “Sadly, the problem is that in Australia acting still isn’t really revered as an art form. But companies like Red Stitch are doing a lot to combat that apathy.”
Red Stitch Theatre has just launched the second installment of its 2008 season.
For more on Red Stitch click here.
All About
Your Thoughts
Hey there, you need to be logged in to get involved with SameSame, click here to login if you're already a member, or here if you need to become a new member.
