MTC NOW
Bringing you the joy, curiosity and entertainment of a trip to the theatre.
Cyrano
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Video
Roxanne’s Kiss
To celebrate Cyrano, MTC partner The Melbourne Gin Company have created Roxanne’s Kiss, a special twist on a classic gin & tonic that you can make at home.
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Programme
Cyrano programme
Learn more about Virginia Gay’s joyous, music-filled take on Edmond Rostand’s literary classic – a modern love letter to language, desire and the magic of theatre.
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Feature
Melbourne Makers: Xani Kolac
Cyrano is not a musical but it is a show filled with music. The play’s musical director and composer, Xani Kolac, explains the difference – and tells us why this non-musical is also magical.
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Feature
Choral stories
Cyrano’s chorus is a key part of the play’s interrogation of old storytelling tropes. The three chorus members help analyse why we continue to tell old stories, and how we can tell new stories; stories for everybody.
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Video
Why be a woman?
Playwright and actor Virginia Gay talks about why the title role of Cyrano is perfect for a woman to play.
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Q&A
Meet your Chorus: Robin Goldsworthy
Playing chorus member number 2, a character who is ‘insufferably intense about theatre’, professional pretender Robin Goldsworthy says he’s basically playing himself as he was at age 22.
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Q&A
Meet Your Chorus: Holly Austin
Holly Austin is an actor, a musician, a playwright, a trained clown and improviser, and chorus member number 3 in Cyrano. Her character’s bravery changes the course of the play.
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Q&A
Meet Your Chorus: Milo Hartill
A self-identified ‘silly bean’, Milo Hartill is excited to be taking on the role of chorus member 1 in Cyrano, and trying to passively and directly influence the play’s narrative to go in a less tragic way.
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Q&A
From Evonne to Roxanne
Tuuli Narkle discusses Finnish reindeer herders, the importance of representation to a queer, mixed race teen, and her whirlwind lesson on an Australian icon.
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Q&A
Yes We Yan
Making his debut with MTC as Yan in Cyrano, actor and comedian Claude Jabbour is excited by the warmth, joy and fun of this world premiere show.
The Lifespan of a Fact
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Video
Fact or Fiction
Watch Nadine Garner, Steve Mouzakis and Karl Richmond – stars of The Lifespan of Fact – play a game of Fact or Fiction.
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Interviews
Generation Fact
Ahead of his debut with MTC, as Jim Fingal in The Lifespan of a Fact, Karl Richmond talks about metajournalism, metaphysics, modern myths and the importance of bridging the generation gap.
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Feature
On the nature of truth, and the history of fact checking
The Lifespan of a Fact offers audiences a playful, theatrical debate about the value of verifiable facts vs the power of poetic license. It's an age-old debate ... or is it? The history of fact checking may surprise you.
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Programme
The Lifespan of a Fact Programme
The Lifespan of a Fact is a somewhat accurate, sort of fictional, mostly true story about the slippery nature of facts. Learn more about this hit Broadway comedy in our production programme, only available online.
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Feature
The lifespan of The Lifespan
The story of The Lifespan of a Fact began almost 20 years ago. The play is a fictionalised version of non-fiction people and events. The real Jim Fingal spoke with MTC to reflect on the lifespan of The Lifespan of a Fact.
The Truth
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Interviews
Interrogating reality through comedy
Director Sarah Giles discusses the maths of humour, the music of The Truth and the greatest lie of all: the theatre.
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Programme
The Truth programme
From the celebrated playwright behind The Father comes a devilishly dark comedy that explores the truths that tear us apart and the lies that keep us together. Learn more about this international hit in our show programme.
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Q&A
The Truth About ... Stephen Curry
As a Melburnian who admits to not liking coffee, Stephen Curry happily runs the risk of inciting a revolt. But as the brother of a Commonwealth Games gold medallist, he’s not worried.
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Q&A
Found in Translation
Tony- and Oscar-winning playwright and screenwriter Sir Christopher Hampton has provided all of the English-language translations for lauded French playwright Florian Zeller. He spoke with MTC ahead of our season of The Truth.
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Q&A
The Truth About ... Katrina Milosevic
As Alice in Florian Zeller’s hit comedy, Katrina Milosevic is trapped in a lie but wants to come clean. In real life, Milosevic wants to do the same about the little white lies we all tell each other every day.
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Q&A
The Truth About … Michala Banas
Michala Banas spills the beans on how she got her gig on McLeod’s Daughters and why you should always do the things that scare you most.
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Q&A
The Truth About ... Bert LaBonté
As Paul in Florian Zeller’s hit comedy, Bert LaBonté is possibly playing a little fast and loose with the truth but here he fesses up to the biggest lie he ever told.
MTC Digital Theatre
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Interactive
Berlin Set Design Virtual Tour
Explore Christina Smith’s set design for Berlin, Joanna Murray-Smith’s MTC NEXT STAGE commission, in this virtual tour.
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Education
Berlin Education Pack
A resource pack for teachers and students to learn more about the MTC production of Berlin by Joanna Murray-Smith.
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Education
The set design process
Christina Smith explains the process of designing the set for Berlin by Joanna Murray-Smith.
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Q&A
Fragments of History
Set Designer Christina Smith talks with MTC about exploding houses, researching like a spider, the sandwich of history – and how this all informed her design for the Berlin set.
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Video
Bump In Time-lapse
Watch a time-lapse video of the bump in for Berlin, Joanna Murray-Smith's NEXT STAGE commission, narrated by Production Manager Abe Watson.
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Q&A
A musical world of shadows
Composer and Sound Designer Kelly Ryall discusses the sonic world he has created for Berlin.
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Q&A
Lighting Berlin
Lighting Designer Niklas Pajanti discusses his approach to lighting Berlin.
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Interviews
Change for the Better
Currently starring as Jon in our digital season of Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes, Dan Spielman talks to us about consent, intimacy, accessibility and taking live theatre to the screen.
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Backstage Banter
Backstage Banter with Grace Cummings and Michael Wahr
Meet the stars of Joanna Murray-Smith's romantic thriller, Berlin.
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Feature
From our stage to your screen
For the first time in the Company’s history, select MTC shows will be filmed and made available for a digital season you can enjoy on-demand from the comfort of your own couch.
Backstage Banter
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Backstage Banter
Backstage Banter with Grace Cummings and Michael Wahr
Meet the stars of Joanna Murray-Smith's romantic thriller, Berlin.
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Backstage Banter
Backstage Banter with Dan Spielman & Izabella Yena
Get to know the two leads from our production of Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes.
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Backstage Banter
Backstage Banter with Susie Youssef
Learn more about Susie Youssef's journey to the stage, favourite memories and dream of being cast as one of the characters from Little Women.
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Backstage Banter
Backstage Banter with Marina Prior
Australian theatre icon Marina Prior answers your questions about the highlights, and lowlights, of her 36 year career, dream roles and advice for those wishing to take to the stage.
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Backstage Banter
Backstage Banter with Richard Piper
Sit down with much-loved actor Richard Piper as he recounts his first audition for MTC, previews his favourite accents and shares treasured moments from his career so far.
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Backstage Banter
Backstage Banter with Ainsley Melham
Musical star Ainsley Melham discusses working on Broadway, moments he wishes he could forget and his dream of working with Beth Leavel.
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Backstage Banter
Backstage Banter with Kamil Ellis
Hear from Kamil Ellis as he chats to us about memorable auditions, falling asleep on set, and turning his passion into a career.
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Backstage Banter
Backstage Banter with Jing-Xuan Chan
Join Jing-Xuan Chan as she answers audience questions about her career highlights, pre-show routines and dream of playing a superhero for her Marvel-obsessed nephew.
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Backstage Banter
Backstage Banter returns
Ask an actor a question for the return of Backstage Banter, supported by ANZ.
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Backstage Banter
Backstage Banter
Join actors Fiona Choi, Nadine Garner, Louise Siversen, Michael Wahr and Izabella Yena as they discuss their career highlights, memorable auditions and theatrical superstitions.
MTC Audio Lab
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MTC Audio Lab
NAIDOC Week 2020
In celebration of NAIDOC Week 2020, revisit iconic speeches and poetry from leading First Nations voices and key players in historical campaigns for the rights of Indigenous Australians.
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MTC Audio Lab
The Turn of the Screw: Q&A with Director Sarah Goodes
In this special episode, learn about the creative journey that brought The Turn of the Screw into the sound studio.
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MTC Audio Lab
The Turn of the Screw: Part Three
Tune in for the gripping conclusion of Henry James’s gothic thriller, The Turn of the Screw.
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MTC Audio Lab
Designing Silences
Clemence Williams began 2020 as composer and sound designer on Torch the Place. Returning to MTC for The Turn of the Screw was a lifesaver, she says. Here, she talks about creating ambience designed to be barely noticed...
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MTC Audio Lab
The Turn of the Screw: Part Two
The haunting classic continues in Part Two of Henry James’s gothic thriller, The Turn of the Screw.
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MTC Audio Lab
The Turn of the Screw: Part One
MTC Associate Artistic Director Sarah Goodes directs a dramatic reading of Henry James’s classic gothic thriller, The Turn of the Screw.
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MTC Audio Lab
A whisper in your ear…
The second series of MTC Audio Lab takes us on an eerie literary journey with a dramatic reading of Henry James’s classic ghost story, The Turn of the Screw. Director Sarah Goodes shares her vision for an act of collective imagination.
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MTC Audio Lab
American Gothic: From James to Jackson
On the continuing legacy of Henry James’s gothic thriller The Turn of the Screw, one of contemporary literature’s most enduring and inspiring classics.
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MTC Audio Lab
Introduction with Petra Kalive
We kick off our new series of audio dramas, MTC Audio Lab, with Great Australian Speeches.
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MTC Audio Lab
Banjo Paterson's The Man From Snowy River
Mark Coles Smith recites Australian poet Banjo Paterson's The Man from Snowy River.
Ask MTC
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Ask MTC
How do you manage water onstage?
For this instalment of Ask MTC, Nick asks how the Company manages water onstage. CAD Drafter Jacob Battista answers, with a little help from Health & Safety Coordinator Liz Mundell.
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Ask MTC
Do you have an armoury?
In this instalment of Ask MTC, Senior Production Technician Allan Hirons answers Simon’s question about prop guns and onstage SFX.
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Ask MTC
Have you seen a theatre ghost?!
Break a leg! Ghost lights (and theatre ghosts). The Scottish play. This Ask MTC question is all about the spooky and the superstitious on stage.
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Ask MTC
How do you write a play?
Benjamin Law answers a collection of audience questions about how to write a play – including the mechanics of writing character and dialogue, finding inspiration, and the challenges of writing for the stage versus writing for the screen or the page.
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Ask MTC
How are your wigs made?
For Ask MTC, our dedicated wigs and make-up artist Jurga Celikiene answers Hilary’s question about how we make our actors’ wigs – and details the journey of one wig over 14 years!
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Ask MTC
How does a revolve work?
This week, Nick asked about the revolve on a stage – what is it and how does it work? One of our technical wizards, Kerry Saxby, provides the answer.
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Ask MTC
What happens to props and sets after a show?
This week, Props Buyer Jess Maguire answers a question submitted by Lee, who wants to know what happens to our props and sets after a show is finished – do we re-use them? If so, how often and how do we re-purpose them?
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Ask MTC
What do actors do when they forget their lines?
This week, Michelle Lim Davidson answers a question from Janice, who wants to know how actors remember all their lines, and how they cope when they forget one!
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Ask MTC
Open House Melbourne: Your questions answered
During Open House Melbourne last weekend, we threw open Southbank Theatre’s virtual doors for a behind-the-scenes tour with Theatre Operations Director Mark Wheeler, and then opened the floor to your questions.
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Ask MTC
How do I go about becoming a playwright?
In this regular feature, you ask the questions and we answer them. This week’s questioner didn't leave a name, but asked all about playwriting. Great question, Anonymous!
