Reviews

Indeed, the entire cast is terrific which gives testimony to the strength of the script and the direction.

— Liddy Clarke, StageNoise

The actors create almost an entire shadow script through body language – a joy to watch… Rose is a playwright with a very bright future, and this new Australian play sports hilarious, richly articulated performances.

— Carmeron Woodhead, The Age

A tragic but heartwarming ode to love in all its disguises.

— Chris Boyd, The Australian

[T]his is the work of Morgan Rose, an incredible writer with a true command of the English language, emotional dexterity, and a keen understanding of how pop culture reference can help build further connection between performance and audience. As heartbreaking as it is humorous.

— Jesse Lewis, Melbourne Critique

Casting and creative support, work in faultless tandem to produce a top-notch result… 5 Stars.

— Nick Pilgrim, Theatre People

Morgan Rose’s irony and absurdity is brought out and delivered with precision.

— Michael Brindley, Stage Whispers

About desert, 6:29pm

So there’s this family having dinner in a shitty house. And one of them is Xan.

We’re in a town in the middle of nowhere. It’s dinnertime. A family sits down to dinner. This family, like many, is simultaneously incredibly close and complete strangers. They don’t know how to express what they really think, what they really need. At the centre of the story is Xan, a closeted gay kid in a tiny town. Over chicken her mother delivers the latest gossip: “That girl Jo jumped off the overpass today, she didn’t leave a note.” Xan stops eating and starts pretending. She has a secret to keep from her family and she is good at keeping secrets.

Developed over three years through the Red Stitch INK writing program, desert, 6:29pm by Morgan Rose deftly explores the political through the deeply personal. Morgan Rose is one of the most exciting emerging playwrights in Australia, bringing her unique humour and attention to detail to this heart-breaking, finely wrought new work. Morgan has worked with Riot Stage Youth Theatre, MKA and Motherboard Productions in Australia. Her recent work includes MKA’s Lord Willing and the Creek Don’t Rise as part of MTC’s 2015 Neon Festival, and Virgins and Cowboys at Theatre Works.

About Bridget Balodis 

Bridget Balodis trained as a director at the Victorian College of the Arts and Australian National University. Bridget's recent credits include, desert, 6.29pm (Red Stitch Actors’ Theatre 2017), Ground Control (Next Wave Festival 2016), Jurassica (Red Stitch Actors’ Theatre 2015), Angry Sexx (Melbourne Festival Discovery Award, Fringe 2014), Kids Killing Kids (Best Experimental Performance, Melbourne Fringe 2013) and The Good Girl (Best New Play, Melbourne Fringe 2013). Bridget was assistant director on Daniel Schlusser’s The Histrionic (Malthouse Theatre Company / Sydney Theatre Company, 2012) and has completed directing Secondments with Melbourne Theatre Company, La Boite and Elevator Repair Service in New York. She was part of the inaugural Melbourne Theatre Company’s Women Directors program and has been the recipient of the Mike Walsh Fellowship and Dame Joan Sutherland Award. 

Credits

By Morgan Rose

Director: Bridget Balodis

Featuring: Ella Caldwell - Abby

       Madelaine Nunn - Xan

      Joe Petruzzi - Rico

      Sarah Sutherland - Crystal

      Casey Filips - Jamie

Dramaturge: Tom Healey

Set and Costume Design: Romanie Harper

Lighting Design: Amelia Lever-Davidson

Composition and Sound Design: Ian Moorhead

Stage Manager: Fiona Symonds

Lighting Technician: Clare Springett

Sound Technician: Justin Gardam

About Red Stitch Actors’ Theatre

  

Red Stitch Actors’ Theatre is Australia’s leading actors’ ensemble.

We exist to advance the vitality of theatre in Australia by nurturing artists and promoting integrity in our craft. The ensemble of actors and creatives who comprise our company endeavour to produce the best in contemporary playwriting from around the world, to enrich the craft of acting and script development in Australia, and to sustain a unique organisational model – one that puts artists at the centre of its practice.

Established in 2002, we perform contemporary Australian plays and award-winning new writing from around the world in our intimate venue. We also play a vital role in the development and presentation of new Australian works through our unique INK playwriting program, and offer opportunities for theatre-makers at all stages of their careers to hone and develop their craft.

With a national reputation for the quality of our work, Red Stitch remains at the forefront of contemporary Australian theatre practice.