Seven playwrights, six actors, two directors and one painting are on the menu for Melbourne Theatre Company's world premier production Art & Soul, opening 23 November 2000 at the Fairfax, Victorian Arts Centre.

In an excitingly different concept for MTC, Melbourne writers Matt Cameron, Aidan Fennessy, Joanna Murray-Smith, Tee O'Neill, Melissa Reeves, Glenn Shea and Tom Wright have each written a short play in response to the same painting:  Homage to Rembrandt by Australian artist Garry Shead.

The set design will recreate the environment of the painting and during the play the characters will mirror the composition of the artwork.

MTC Associate Director Kate Cherry and Peter Houghton will share the direction of Art & Soul, which stars Robert Essex, Kim Gyngell, Kate Kendell, Genevieve Morris, Ben Rogan and Louise Siversen.

As well as coming to life on stage seven times each performance, Garry Shead's Homage to Rembrandt will also be displayed in the foyer of the Fairfax theatre during the four-week season of Art & Soul.

Hours:
Nov 18 Sat 8:00pm Nov 20-Nov 21 Mon -Tue 6:30pm Nov 22 Wed 1:00pm Nov 22-Nov 24 Wed -Fri 8:00pm Nov 25 Sat 4:00pm 8:30pm Nov 27-Nov 28 Mon -Tue 6:30pm Nov 29 Wed 1:00pm Nov 29-Dec 1 Wed -Fri 8:00pm Dec 2 Sat 4:00pm 8:30pm Dec 4-Dec 5 Mon -Tue 6:30pm Dec 6 Wed 1:00pm Dec 6-Dec 88 Wed -Fri 8:00pm Dec 9 Sat 4:00pm 8:30pm Dec 11-Dec 12 Mon -Tue 6:30pm Dec 13 Wed 1:00pm Dec 13-Dec 15 Wed -Fri 8:00pm Dec 16 Sat 4:00pm 8:30pm

As the longest running theatre company in Australia, we have come to expect quality and consistency from these ageless old-timers. Now with Art And Soul the MTC is evolving and forging a new direction for the new millennium. MTC doesn't want to just reproduce what we have already seen, they are equally keen to promote new and exciting writers.

Harnessing the talent of a group of new, young playwrights, Art and Soul responds to a specific brief, namely a painting by Australian artist Garry Shead. The characters in the play take on various components of the painting. It certainly pricks the interest and is perhaps a preview of MTC future directions.

A great opportunity to see new Australian theatre strut its stuff.

Jeremy Norton

Out of the seven plays, Louise appears in three of them, namely:

The Slaughterhouse by Aiden Fennessy ......... As " Saskia "

Ray's Painting by Melissa Reeves ................. As " Ray "

At last the famous artist is dead by Tom Wright .... As "First Relative"

Click to read the reviews for the play:

Review 1

Review 2

Review 3

Review 4

Many thanks to the Melbourne Theatre Company for the information, The George Fairfax Studio, Julie and Steve Hanna.

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