Opening Soon: Miss W Treads by Jane Woollard

Miss W Treads is a new work by award-winning writer and director Jane Woollard. It celebrates one of the first stars of the Sydney stage, Eliza Winstanley. Weathering the rough and ready days of Sydney theatre in the 1840s, Eliza became the first Australian-trained performer to achieve international success.

In the play, Imogene, a youthful contemporary theatre maker resurrects the phantoms of her too-long forgotten theatrical ancestors. As she encounters obsolete technologies and outmoded acting techniques, she becomes addicted to conjuring up her subject. Her yearning to fill in the historical gaps leads to obsessive imaginings, wild abstractions and fanciful wonderings.

 Miss W Treads bristles with ghosts and sword fights. It revives the archaic languages of melodrama, and calls up long dead theatrical ambitions. In this work, Australia’s fledgling theatre traditions collide with contemporary arts practice to produce an unexpected cross-century collaboration that reveals shared histories and desires.

In Miss W Treads Jane Woollard continues her exploration of the lives and creative work of past female artists. Actors, Fanny Hanusin (True Adventures of a Soul Lost at Sea, Asylum, Bogan Pride, Bright Shiny & Green Night) and Nicholas Kato (Play It Safe, Bright Shiny & Green Night) return to work with Jane alongside new comer Ruby Johnston.

An outstanding creative team including dramaturg Melanie Beddie, (Sisters of Gelam, Aviary, Hammer of Devotion); composer Peter Farnan (Boom Crash Opera, Asylum, Hitchcock Blonde, Sleeping Beauty); designer Amanda Johnson (Hammer of Devotion, Aelfgyva, Letters from Animals, Asylum); and lighting designer Bronwyn Pringle (Letters from Animals, Alias Grace, The Realistic Joneses) continue their collaboration with Jane Woollard to create this witty and intricate theatrical work.

Performers: Fanny Hanusin, Ruby Johnston, Nicholas Kato
Written & Directed by Jane Woollard
Dramaturgy: Melanie Beddie
Designed by Amanda Johnson
Sound design & composition by Peter Farnan
Lighting design by Bronwyn Pringle
Stage management by Imogen Titmarsh

Season:            6 – 17 September

Preview           Wednesday 6 September, 6:30

                        Thursday, Friday, Saturday 7:30pm

                        Sunday 4:00pm

Venue:             La Mama Theatre, 205 Faraday Street, Carlton

Bookings:        www.lamama.com.au or (03) 9347 6142