{"id":6067,"date":"2018-07-18T17:34:38","date_gmt":"2018-07-18T07:34:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/?p=6067"},"modified":"2018-07-17T16:28:01","modified_gmt":"2018-07-17T06:28:01","slug":"the-antipodes-red-stitch-theatre-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/the-antipodes-red-stitch-theatre-review\/","title":{"rendered":"The Antipodes (Red Stitch) – theatre review"},"content":{"rendered":"

A group of writers sit around a boardroom table trying to come up with a compelling story in Annie Baker\u2019s latest play, The Antipodes<\/em>, now showing at Red Stitch in Melbourne.<\/p>\n

Under the watchful eyes of their older mentor in Sandy (Jim Daly) the group of seven\u00a0\u2013 though only one woman, Eleanor (Ngaire Dawn Fair) \u2013 are asked to open themselves up. The rules are that one of them – Brian (Casey Filips) – will take notes; they won\u2019t be asked to work past 7 pm; and their weekends will be free. But that’s not how it turns out.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Photo: Jodie Hutchinson<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It starts with a conversation about monsters and quickly moves to intimate details of first sexual encounters. Some are more giving than others and more comfortable doing so. Some stories go further than others, some are esoteric, some real, others imaginary.<\/p>\n

Sandy indicates they will find him a decent boss … and he makes a point of mentioning he has rarely sacked a writer. But during the play, someone no longer finds themselves at the table and Sandy becomes notable for his absences. Along the way the writers are fed, courtesy of Sandy\u2019s gregarious personal assistant, Sarah (Edwina Samuels). She also asks them to sign a second confidentiality agreement. She also delivers one of the more compelling stories, when Sandy asks her to do so.<\/p>\n

At one stage, the group connect with Sandy\u2019s boss via a decidedly ropey audio connection and 3D glasses. As days turn to weeks and then months, the pressure ramps up. Clearly nothing has yet hit the mark and even without Sandy there, the crew is expected to deliver, pulling all-nighters and staying over weekends. Their mission becomes increasingly desperate and frenzied and ridiculous.<\/p>\n

At 110 minutes without interval, The Antipodes<\/i> becomes as much of an endurance test for us as it does for the disparate souls stuck in the boardroom. I needed to care more for the characters, to build a greater affinity with them. There is a lot of talk; but it’s all talk and little action.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Photo: Jodie Hutchinson<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As much as I cared for the first half hour or so, and later thought something could be made of the collective unraveling, as far as I’m concerned it all came to nought and that was a disappointment.<\/p>\n

I did, however, appreciate the staging (Chloe Greaves was responsible for set and costume design). The audience surrounds the players from both sides of the boardroom table, bringing all patrons closer to the action. Directed by Ella Caldwell, The Antipodes<\/i> is on at Red Stitch Theatre<\/a> until 12 August 2018.<\/p>\n

Alex First<\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A group of writers sit around a boardroom table trying to come up with a compelling story in Annie Baker\u2019s latest play, The Antipodes, now showing at Red Stitch in Melbourne. Under the watchful eyes of their older mentor in Sandy (Jim Daly) the group of seven\u00a0\u2013 though only one woman, Eleanor (Ngaire Dawn Fair)…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6072,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[801],"tags":[2237,3,37,2238,9,590,917],"class_list":["post-6067","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-theatre","tag-annie-baker","tag-drama","tag-melbourne","tag-ngaire-dawn-fair","tag-play","tag-theatre-review","tag-workplace"],"yoast_head":"\nThe Antipodes (Red Stitch) - theatre review -<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/the-antipodes-red-stitch-theatre-review\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Antipodes (Red Stitch) - theatre review -\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A group of writers sit around a boardroom table trying to come up with a compelling story in Annie Baker\u2019s latest play, The Antipodes, now showing at Red Stitch in Melbourne. Under the watchful eyes of their older mentor in Sandy (Jim Daly) the group of seven\u00a0\u2013 though only one woman, Eleanor (Ngaire Dawn Fair)...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/the-antipodes-red-stitch-theatre-review\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2018-07-18T07:34:38+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Antipodes-03.jpg?fit=1024%2C600&ssl=1\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"David Edwards\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"David Edwards\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"2 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/theblurb.com.au\\\/wp\\\/the-antipodes-red-stitch-theatre-review\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/theblurb.com.au\\\/wp\\\/the-antipodes-red-stitch-theatre-review\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"David Edwards\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/theblurb.com.au\\\/wp\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/5b6e71c52b0c61f2ea361d202fc6c8da\"},\"headline\":\"The Antipodes (Red Stitch) – theatre review\",\"datePublished\":\"2018-07-18T07:34:38+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/theblurb.com.au\\\/wp\\\/the-antipodes-red-stitch-theatre-review\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":457,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/theblurb.com.au\\\/wp\\\/the-antipodes-red-stitch-theatre-review\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/theblurb.com.au\\\/wp\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2018\\\/07\\\/Antipodes-03.jpg?fit=1024%2C600&ssl=1\",\"keywords\":[\"Annie Baker\",\"drama\",\"melbourne\",\"Ngaire Dawn Fair\",\"play\",\"theatre review\",\"workplace\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Theatre\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/theblurb.com.au\\\/wp\\\/the-antipodes-red-stitch-theatre-review\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/theblurb.com.au\\\/wp\\\/the-antipodes-red-stitch-theatre-review\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/theblurb.com.au\\\/wp\\\/the-antipodes-red-stitch-theatre-review\\\/\",\"name\":\"The Antipodes (Red Stitch) - theatre review -\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/theblurb.com.au\\\/wp\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/theblurb.com.au\\\/wp\\\/the-antipodes-red-stitch-theatre-review\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/theblurb.com.au\\\/wp\\\/the-antipodes-red-stitch-theatre-review\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/theblurb.com.au\\\/wp\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2018\\\/07\\\/Antipodes-03.jpg?fit=1024%2C600&ssl=1\",\"datePublished\":\"2018-07-18T07:34:38+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/theblurb.com.au\\\/wp\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/5b6e71c52b0c61f2ea361d202fc6c8da\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/theblurb.com.au\\\/wp\\\/the-antipodes-red-stitch-theatre-review\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/theblurb.com.au\\\/wp\\\/the-antipodes-red-stitch-theatre-review\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/theblurb.com.au\\\/wp\\\/the-antipodes-red-stitch-theatre-review\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/theblurb.com.au\\\/wp\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2018\\\/07\\\/Antipodes-03.jpg?fit=1024%2C600&ssl=1\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/theblurb.com.au\\\/wp\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2018\\\/07\\\/Antipodes-03.jpg?fit=1024%2C600&ssl=1\",\"width\":1024,\"height\":600},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/theblurb.com.au\\\/wp\\\/the-antipodes-red-stitch-theatre-review\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/theblurb.com.au\\\/wp\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"The Antipodes (Red Stitch) – theatre review\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/theblurb.com.au\\\/wp\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/theblurb.com.au\\\/wp\\\/\",\"name\":\"\",\"description\":\"Australian arts & entertainment reviews\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/theblurb.com.au\\\/wp\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/theblurb.com.au\\\/wp\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/5b6e71c52b0c61f2ea361d202fc6c8da\",\"name\":\"David Edwards\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/8adc90e6c54ce0a5edb350e18ca07e33ec2bf596dc1219a8bed5d2d7d2e07894?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/8adc90e6c54ce0a5edb350e18ca07e33ec2bf596dc1219a8bed5d2d7d2e07894?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/8adc90e6c54ce0a5edb350e18ca07e33ec2bf596dc1219a8bed5d2d7d2e07894?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"David Edwards\"},\"description\":\"David Edwards is the former editor of The Blurb and a contributor on film and television\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.theblurb.com.au\\\/wp\\\/\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/theblurb.com.au\\\/wp\\\/author\\\/editor\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"The Antipodes (Red Stitch) - theatre review -","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/the-antipodes-red-stitch-theatre-review\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"The Antipodes (Red Stitch) - theatre review -","og_description":"A group of writers sit around a boardroom table trying to come up with a compelling story in Annie Baker\u2019s latest play, The Antipodes, now showing at Red Stitch in Melbourne. Under the watchful eyes of their older mentor in Sandy (Jim Daly) the group of seven\u00a0\u2013 though only one woman, Eleanor (Ngaire Dawn Fair)...","og_url":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/the-antipodes-red-stitch-theatre-review\/","article_published_time":"2018-07-18T07:34:38+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1024,"height":600,"url":"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Antipodes-03.jpg?fit=1024%2C600&ssl=1","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"David Edwards","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"David Edwards","Est. reading time":"2 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/the-antipodes-red-stitch-theatre-review\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/the-antipodes-red-stitch-theatre-review\/"},"author":{"name":"David Edwards","@id":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/#\/schema\/person\/5b6e71c52b0c61f2ea361d202fc6c8da"},"headline":"The Antipodes (Red Stitch) – theatre review","datePublished":"2018-07-18T07:34:38+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/the-antipodes-red-stitch-theatre-review\/"},"wordCount":457,"commentCount":0,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/the-antipodes-red-stitch-theatre-review\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Antipodes-03.jpg?fit=1024%2C600&ssl=1","keywords":["Annie Baker","drama","melbourne","Ngaire Dawn Fair","play","theatre review","workplace"],"articleSection":["Theatre"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/the-antipodes-red-stitch-theatre-review\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/the-antipodes-red-stitch-theatre-review\/","url":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/the-antipodes-red-stitch-theatre-review\/","name":"The Antipodes (Red Stitch) - theatre review -","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/the-antipodes-red-stitch-theatre-review\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/the-antipodes-red-stitch-theatre-review\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Antipodes-03.jpg?fit=1024%2C600&ssl=1","datePublished":"2018-07-18T07:34:38+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/#\/schema\/person\/5b6e71c52b0c61f2ea361d202fc6c8da"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/the-antipodes-red-stitch-theatre-review\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/the-antipodes-red-stitch-theatre-review\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/the-antipodes-red-stitch-theatre-review\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Antipodes-03.jpg?fit=1024%2C600&ssl=1","contentUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Antipodes-03.jpg?fit=1024%2C600&ssl=1","width":1024,"height":600},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/the-antipodes-red-stitch-theatre-review\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"The Antipodes (Red Stitch) – theatre review"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/#website","url":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/","name":"","description":"Australian arts & entertainment reviews","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/#\/schema\/person\/5b6e71c52b0c61f2ea361d202fc6c8da","name":"David Edwards","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8adc90e6c54ce0a5edb350e18ca07e33ec2bf596dc1219a8bed5d2d7d2e07894?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8adc90e6c54ce0a5edb350e18ca07e33ec2bf596dc1219a8bed5d2d7d2e07894?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8adc90e6c54ce0a5edb350e18ca07e33ec2bf596dc1219a8bed5d2d7d2e07894?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"David Edwards"},"description":"David Edwards is the former editor of The Blurb and a contributor on film and television","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.theblurb.com.au\/wp\/"],"url":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/author\/editor\/"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Antipodes-03.jpg?fit=1024%2C600&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":7368,"url":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/lamb-red-stitch-theatre-review\/","url_meta":{"origin":6067,"position":0},"title":"Lamb (Red Stitch) – theatre review","author":"Alex First","date":"November 24, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Three superb performances highlight Lamb. This sensitive theatrical work combines word and song, and focuses on the hardships of a family born of the land. Lamb concentrates on two generations. The first act starts with the mother\u2019s funeral. The younger of two daughters, Annie (Brigid Gallacher) \u00a0\u2013 a professional singer\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Theatre"","block_context":{"text":"Theatre","link":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/category\/theatre\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/Lamb-03.jpg?fit=1024%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/Lamb-03.jpg?fit=1024%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/Lamb-03.jpg?fit=1024%2C600&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/Lamb-03.jpg?fit=1024%2C600&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":141784,"url":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/passing-strange-antipodes-theatre-company-theatre-review\/","url_meta":{"origin":6067,"position":1},"title":"Passing Strange (Antipodes Theatre Company) – theatre review","author":"Alex First","date":"June 27, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"A dynamic score characterises a coming-of-age story.\u00a0This is a rock musical about a young African American\u2019s journey from Los Angeles to Europe. The starting point is 1976 and the youngster decides church isn\u2019t for him. Rather, he has opted for Zen Buddhism.\u00a0His mother won\u2019t have any of it and hauls\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Theatre"","block_context":{"text":"Theatre","link":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/category\/theatre\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/rsz_passing_strange_-_1_-_angel_leggas.jpg?fit=800%2C533&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/rsz_passing_strange_-_1_-_angel_leggas.jpg?fit=800%2C533&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/rsz_passing_strange_-_1_-_angel_leggas.jpg?fit=800%2C533&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/rsz_passing_strange_-_1_-_angel_leggas.jpg?fit=800%2C533&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":169079,"url":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/the-doll-trilogy-at-red-stitch-actors-theatre-theatre-review\/","url_meta":{"origin":6067,"position":2},"title":"The Doll Trilogy, at Red Stitch Actors’ Theatre – theatre review","author":"Alex First","date":"February 22, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"What an experience! I speak of a searing, at times humorous trilogy covering 16 years and lasting seven hours, in which, on several occasions, the characters eviscerate one another. And \u201cyes\u201d, I approached it with fear, simply because even for an unashamed theatre enthusiast like me 420 minutes in a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Theatre"","block_context":{"text":"Theatre","link":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/category\/theatre\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/rsz_kid_stakes-1334.jpg?fit=800%2C533&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/rsz_kid_stakes-1334.jpg?fit=800%2C533&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/rsz_kid_stakes-1334.jpg?fit=800%2C533&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/rsz_kid_stakes-1334.jpg?fit=800%2C533&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5650,"url":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/fury-red-stitch-theatre-review\/","url_meta":{"origin":6067,"position":3},"title":"Fury (Red Stitch) – theatre review","author":"David Edwards","date":"June 11, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"I long to see whatever Joanna Murray-Smith generates (and her output is prolific) \u2026 with very good reason. Her writing is pithy and pointed, insightful and invigorating. The shocking and dynamic Fury is a case in point. Salt is rubbed into raw wounds and new scars created in this \u201ctake\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Theatre"","block_context":{"text":"Theatre","link":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/category\/theatre\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Fury-03.jpg?fit=1024%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Fury-03.jpg?fit=1024%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Fury-03.jpg?fit=1024%2C600&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Fury-03.jpg?fit=1024%2C600&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8585,"url":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/dance-nation-red-stitch-theatre-review\/","url_meta":{"origin":6067,"position":4},"title":"Dance Nation (Red Stitch) – theatre review","author":"Alex First","date":"March 19, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"What price success? That's the key question asked in Clare Barron\u2019s Australian premiere satirical comedy Dance Nation. Set in the US, the seven kids \u2013 six girls and one guy \u2013 are looking to replicate their local dance club\u2019s previous successes. They want to make it all the way to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Theatre"","block_context":{"text":"Theatre","link":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/category\/theatre\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Dance-Nation-03.jpg?fit=899%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Dance-Nation-03.jpg?fit=899%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Dance-Nation-03.jpg?fit=899%2C600&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Dance-Nation-03.jpg?fit=899%2C600&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":140672,"url":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/heroes-of-the-fourth-turning-red-stitch-theatre-theatre-review\/","url_meta":{"origin":6067,"position":5},"title":"Heroes of the Fourth Turning (Red Stitch Theatre) – theatre review","author":"Alex First","date":"March 26, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Catholic guilt and US conservative politics are given a whack in the Australian premiere of Will Arbery\u2019s Heroes of the Fourth Turning.\u00a0The play was a finalist for the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. It is late at night in Wyoming. Seven years after they graduated from a small Catholic college\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Theatre"","block_context":{"text":"Theatre","link":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/category\/theatre\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/rsz_1red_stitch_-_heroes_of_the_fouth_turning_-_5_-_credit_jodie_hutchinson_.jpg?fit=800%2C601&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/rsz_1red_stitch_-_heroes_of_the_fouth_turning_-_5_-_credit_jodie_hutchinson_.jpg?fit=800%2C601&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/rsz_1red_stitch_-_heroes_of_the_fouth_turning_-_5_-_credit_jodie_hutchinson_.jpg?fit=800%2C601&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/rsz_1red_stitch_-_heroes_of_the_fouth_turning_-_5_-_credit_jodie_hutchinson_.jpg?fit=800%2C601&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6067","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6067"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6067\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6072"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6067"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6067"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6067"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}