Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes

6 March — 1 April 2021

Southbank Theatre, The Sumner

In this Australian premiere production, Dan Spielman and Izabella Yena embody Hannah Moscovitch’s whipsmart #MeToo-era take on the archetypal student–teacher romance.

Approximately 75 minutes without an interval

The maximum audience capacity for Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes will be as per government guidelines at the time of each performance. The auditorium will be divided into four separate quadrants by aisles, but seating will not be socially distanced for this production.

Please note that audiences will be required to wear a mask during their visit to Southbank Theatre. Learn more here.

Event Passed
Explore
This is rated 4 out of 5 stars

'a charged two-hander that burrows into the systemic power imbalances that gave rise to the #MeToo movement'

Time Out Melbourne
This is rated 4 out of 5 stars

'Yena and Spielman are on fire'

Limelight Magazine
This is rated 0 out of 5 stars

'This play is a deeply intelligent and ultimately devastating picture of erasure.'

The Saturday Paper
This is rated 4 out of 5 stars

'Powerfully prescient'

ArtsHub
This is rated 4 out of 5 stars

'There’s more to this story than meets the eye'

Theatre People

ABOUT THE SHOW

Award-winning Canadian playwright Hannah Moscovitch has set the international theatre scene alight with her fiery wit and incisive ability to tackle complex subjects with humour and intelligence. In this Australian premiere production, Dan Spielman (Photograph 51) and Izabella Yena (Home, I'm Darling) embody Moscovitch's whipsmart #MeToo-era take on the archetypal student–teacher romance.

Jon is a prize-winning novelist who wants more out of life. His third marriage is going about as well as his first two, and he’s stuck at university teaching creative writing to lazy undergraduates. He’s a good teacher, but believes there’s really only one student worth his time.

Annie is clever, imaginative, and a huge fan of Jon's work. One afternoon, Jon catches himself admiring Annie in her red coat, and very soon it feels like their affair was destined from the start. But when the embers have cooled and the affair is over, who will control their narrative?

Helmed by MTC Associate Director Petra Kalive (Hungry Ghosts), this captivating drama is a timely exploration of power, truth and desire.

Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes was commissioned by Tarragon Theatre, Toronto, Canada.

Photo by Jo Duck

Accessibility

  • Wheelchair Accessible

  • Hearing Assistance

  • Audio Described

  • Open Captioning

Performance Type Performance Date(s)
Audio Described
by Vision Australia
Saturday 27 March at 2pm
Tuesday 30 March at 6.30pm
Open Captioning
via screen
Saturday 27 March at 2pm
Dan Spielman

Dan Spielman

Jon

Artwork for Izabella Yena

Izabella Yena

Annie

Izabella Yena's previous theatre credits include Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes, Home, I'm Darling, an Olivier Award-winning comedy directed by Sarah Goodes, The Violent Outburst That Drew Me To You (2019 Education Program), SLAP. BANG. KISS. creative development, The House of Bernarda Alba creative development (Melbourne Theatre Company); Lifetime Guarantee, Fierce (Theatreworks); a Helpmann-Award winning national tour of Hello, Goodbye & Happy Birthday (Performing Lines); Atomic creative development (Malthouse Theatre); 2.20am (Anvil Production). In her breakout feature film role, Izabella played Shirin Abbas in the 2020 feature Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears (Every Cloud Productions/Roadshow Films), directed by Tony Tilse. Izabella is a two-time Green Room Award nominee for her lead roles in Melbourne Theatre Company's production of Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes and the one-woman show Kerosene directed by Benjamin Nichol and Izabella for Theatreworks, for which she received glowing reviews.

Current as of March 2023.

Artwork for Petra Kalive

Petra Kalive

Director

Petra trained at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts and has extensive experience as a director, writer and dramaturg of new works for the stage. Her acclaimed adaptation of Peter Goldsworthy’s novel Three Dog Night toured nationally. She was Dramaturg at Red Stitch from 2009 – 2012, Assistant Dramaturg at The Malthouse in 2010.  Petra was Artistic Director of Union House Theatre (UHT) 2015-2020.

At Melbourne Theatre Company Petra has directed Laurinda, Touching the Void, The Lifespan of a Fact, Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes (Green Room nom Best Direction), Hungry Ghosts, Melbourne Talam (Green Room nom Best Director) and Beached.

Petra has also worked for Belvoir Street, Sydney Theatre Company, Arena Theatre Company, Complete Works Theatre Company, Union House Theatre, St Martins Youth Arts Centre, La Trobe, Monash University & Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) performing arts programs. 

Her notable independent directing credits include the much-acclaimed Taxithi, which had two sell-out seasons at fortyfivedownstairs (Green Room nom Best Director), her own work Oil Babies at Northcote Town Hall (shortlisted for the NSW Premier Literary Awards 2019) and new Australian musical, My Brilliant Career by Miles Franklin adapted by Dean Bryant and Matthew Frank.

Marg-Horwell.jpg

Marg Horwell

Set & Costume Designer

Rachel-Burke.jpg

Rachel Burke

Lighting Designer

ADarius-Kedros-profile-pic.jpg

Darius Kedros

Composer & Sound Designer

Artwork for Isabella Vadiveloo

Isabella Vadiveloo

Assistant Director

Michala Banas

Michala Banas

Intimacy Coordinator

Artwork for Xanthe Beesley

Xanthe Beesley

Movement Consultant

Artwork for Myfanwy Hocking

Myfanwy Hocking

Annie (Standby Cover)

Artwork for Liam Maguire

Liam Maguire

Jon (Standby Cover)

Learn more about the show

The Sumner

140 Southbank Boulevard

Southbank, Victoria 3006