Essential Theatre in partnership with Arts Centre Melbourne & Geelong Arts Centre Presents

EMILIA
By Morgan Lloyd Malcolm

Fierce and provocative, Emilia is the perfect mix of laughter and fury – a rollicking ride that takes its audiences on an exuberant and moving journey though love, loss, identity, ambition, power, rebellion and what it is to be a woman in a man’s world.

Who was Emilia? Was she the “Dark Lady” of Shakespeare’s sonnets? 

 With a cast of 13 incredible women who collectively embody diversity rarely seen on our stages – Emilia is a riotous ride that leaves audiences breathless.

First commissioned by Shakespeare’s Globe, Emilia then transferred to the West End, becoming the hottest ticket in London. Hailed by British Theatre as “an extraordinary, era defining play” this powerful story promises to be the theatrical event of 2022. 

Playhouse Theatre Arts Centre Melbourne November 11th to 27th 

Canberra Theatre Centre Dec 1st to 4th 

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Directed by Sharon Davis & Designed by Zoe Rouse

Photography by Theresa Harrison

Performed by Emma Choy, Louis Corbett, Grant Foulkes, Helen Hopkins, Mia Landgren, Cameron Moore, Joshua Monaghan & Freya Pragt

Our 20th anniversary production of As You Like It previewed in the Williamstown Botanic Gardens and then toured to Deviation Road, Seppeltsfield Wines, Fowles Wines, Delatite Wines, Sevenhill Cellars, Coriole Vineyards, Glenelg Shire, Leura Park Estate, Bayside Council, Byramine Homestead, Baw Baw Shire Council, Eurobodalla Botanic Gardens, Winehouse Hunter Valley & Gapsted Wines.

The Dream Laboratory – an immersive theatrical experience inspired by A Midsummer Night’s Dream January 5th – 23rd 2022 at the rear of 96 Little Malop St Geelong 

Original concept – Alexandra Aldrich, Dann Barber, Amanda LaBonte, Sophie Lampel & Mark Wilson

Directed by Alister Smith & Mark Wilson, Designed by Alexandra Aldrich & Dann Barber, Sound Design by Daniella Esposito, Lighting Design by Lisa Mibus

Cast – Iopu Auva’a, Briony Farrell, Lachlan martin, Tim Paige, Amanda LaBonte, Sophie Lampel & Cecilia Low

Part narrative, part roaming, part “choose your own adventure”, The Dream Laboratory provided a unique interactive live experience like nothing Geelong had seen before. 

Directed & Designed by Alister Smith

Photography by Theresa Harrison

Performed by Alexandra Aldrich, Rashidi Edward, Helen Hopkins, Mia Landgren, Lachlan Martin, Joshua Monaghan, Madeleine Nunn & Eddie Orton

Romeo & Juliet Previewed at the Williamstown Botanic Gardens and then toured to Crittenden Estate, Sevenhill Cellars, Glenelg Shire, Leura Park Estate, Bayside Council, Delatite Wines, Fowles Wines, Byramine Homestead, Deviation Road, Seppeltsfield Wines, Greenstone Vineyards, Baw Baw Shire Council, Eurobodalla Shire Council & Winehouse Hunter Valley.

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Directed by Alister Smith

Designed by Chloe Greaves

Photography by Jack Dixon Gunn

Performed by Alexandra Aldrich, Jason Cavanagh, Brianagh Curran, Sharon Davis, Briony Farrell, Owen Little, Christian Taylor and Matthew Whitty.

Macbeth Previewed at The Batesford Hotel and Williamstown Botanic Gardens and then toured to Voyager Estate, St Aidan Wines, Sutton Grange, Crittenden Estate, Delatite Wines, Deviation Road, Seppeltsfield Wines, Sevenhill Cellars, Coriole Vineyards, Leura Park Estate, Brighton Town Hall Gardens, Calais Estate, Ku-rin-gai Wildflower Garden, Fowles Wines and Civic Park Warragul.

Directed by Amanda LaBonte

Designed by Amaya Vecellio

Photography by Sarah Walker

Cast – Grant Foulkes, Sharon Davis, Jack Dixon Gunn, Jean Goodwin, Tom Heath, Helen Hopkins Drew Tingwell, Cariad Wallace.

Twelfth Night previewed at the Williamstown Botanic Gardens and Batesford Hotel and toured to Voyager Estate Margaret River, St Aidan Wines Ferguson Valley, Rowanston on the Track Glenhope, Deviation Road Adelaide Hills, Seppeltsfield Wines Barossa Valley, Coriole Vineyards McLaren Vale, Leura Park Estate Bellarine Peninsula, Sutton Grange Bendigo, Sevenhill Cellars Clare Valley, Apex Park Koondrook, Byramine Homestead Moira Shire, Calais Estate Hunter Valley, Ku-rin-gai Wild Flower Garden St Ives, Palmerston Northern Territory & The Otway Fly.

Directed by Amanda LaBonte

Designed by Amaya Vecellio

Photography by Drew Tingwell

Performed by Grant Foulkes, Sharon Davis, Mia Langdren, Don Bridges, Cameron Moore, Tim Paige, Libby Brockman, Lachlan Martin

Much Ado About Nothing previewed at the Williamstown Botanic Gardens and toured to Voyager Estate Margaret River, St Aidan Wines Ferguson Valley, Coombe The Melba Estate Yarra Valley, Rownston on the Track Glenhope, Deviation Road Adelaide HIlls, Seppeltsfield Wines Barossa Valley, Coriole Vineyards McLaren Vale, Leura Park Estate Bellarine Peninsula, Sevenhill Cellars Clare Valley, Swan Hill Pinoeer Settlement, Byramine Homestead Moira Shire, Calais Estate Hunter Valley and Gooree Park Estate Mudgee.

Directed by Fleur Kilpatrick

Designed by Alexandra Aldrich

Photography by Sarah Walker

Performed by Alexandra Aldrich, Leah Filley, Helen Hopkins, Devon Lang Wilton, Amanda LaBonte and Sophie Lampel

Julius Caesar performed at Melbourne Fringe Festival 2016, Holden Street Theatres Adelaide Fringe Festival 2017 and The Space UK as part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2017.

Enter Ophelia – a brilliantly dark and entertaining examination of Shakespeare’s Ophelia – a black comedy about secrets madness and mansplaining.

This production premiered at La Mama Theatre in early 2018 with a sell out season and toured in 2019 to National Gallery ACT, GPAC, Stratford Courthouse Theatre, Little Theatre City of Latrobe & Horsham Town Hall.

Written by Candace Miles, Madelaine Nunn and Anna Rodway

Directed by John Kachoyan Designed by Laura Jean Hawkins Sound Design Russell Goldsmith Lighting Steve Hendy

Performed by Alexandra Aldrich, Amanda LaBonte, Sophie Lampel, Candace Miles, Madelaine Nunn and Anna Rodway

Hero image by Amanda Carr Production images by Theresa Harrison

Directed by Mark Wilson

Designed by Laura Hawkins

Photography by Jack Dixon Gunn

Performed by Brianagh Curran, Sharon Davis, Sophie Lampel, George Lingard, Lachlan Martin, Benjamin Nichol, Alex Roe & Cariad Wallace.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream previewed at The Williamstown Botanic Gardens and Batesford Hotel then toured to Voyager Estate, St Aidan Wines, Lake Meran Gannawarra Shire, Sutton Grange, Jervis Bay Maritime Museum, Crittenden Estate, Deviation Road, Seppeltsfield Wines, Kellybrook Wines, Gapsted Wines, Byramine Homestead, Sevenhill Cellars, Coriole Vineyards, Leura Park Estate, Baw Civic Park Baw Baw Shire, Calais Estate, Ku-rin-gai Wildflower Garden, Fowles Wines, Santuary Lakes City Of Palmerston & Godinymayin Yijard Rivers Arts & Culture Centre Katherine.

Directed by Mark Wilson

Designed by Chloe Greaves

Photography by Sarah Walker

Performed by Alexandra Aldrich, Roderick Cairns, Dave Lamb, Sophie Lampel, Natascha Flowers, George Lingard, Luke Mulquiney, Don Bridges.

Romeo and Juliet previewed at the Batesford Hotel and toured to Voyager Estate Margaret River, St Aidan Wines Ferguson Valley, Coombe The Melba Estate Yarra Valley, Rowanston on the Track Glenhope, Deviation Road Adelaide Hills, Seppeltsfield Wines Barossa Valley, Coriole Vineyards McLaren Vale, Leura Park Estate Bellarine Peninsula, Sevenhill Cellars Clare Valley, Apex Park Koondrook, Murray River Cobram, Calais Estate Hunter Valley, Gooree Park Estate Mudgee and Ku-ring-gai Wildflower Garden St Ives.

Directed by Mark Wilson
Designed by Chloe Greaves

Performed by Martin Blum, Amanda LaBonte, Mia Langdren, Sophie Lampel, Olivia Monticcolo, Michael Wahr, Tim Paige, Karlis Zaid

Romeo and Juliet previewed at the Batesford Hotel and toured to Voyager Estate Margaret River, St Aidan Wines Ferguson Valley, Coombe The Melba Estate Yarra Valley, Rowanston on the Track Glenhope, Deviation Road Adelaide HIlls, Seppeltsfield Wines Barossa Valley, Coriole Vineyards McLaren Vale, Leura Park Estate Bellarine Peninsula, Sevenhill Cellars Clare Valley, Apex Park Koondrook, Calais Estate Hunter Valley