New Theatre for New Season! Newcastle Theatre Company Kicks Off 2011
Image from Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf courtesy of Newcastle Theatre Company
Further out of Newcastle’s CBD than the renowned Civic & Playhouse theatres, tucked away in De Vitre St Lambton, sits a brand new theatre inhabited by the Newcastle Theatre Company (NTC) and ready to shine!
After more than 50 years in the tiny theatre that some may be familiar with, the Company, formerly Newcastle Repertory Club, has moved next door to new premises. Coming up soon is this month’s production of a controversial classic by Edward Albee - Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?.
From Broadway in 1962, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf took out the 1963 Tony Award for Best Play and 1962/63 New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award for Best Play. Its stars, Uta Hagen & Arthur Hill took home Tony’s for Best Actor and Actress in the same year. The play was also selected for the 1963 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, but the Award’s advisory board objected to the play’s then-controversial use of profanity and sexual themes and so no award was given for Drama that year.
In 1966 the play was adapted for the screen and starred then husband and wife Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, with Taylor winning the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role.
The play follows 2 couples as they kick on following a party, returning to one couple, George & Martha’s, house. Not shying away from a big night, George & Martha continue drinking when they get home and things turn somewhat nasty in a slew of verbal and occasionally physical abuse. The younger couple joining them, Nick & Honey, are embarrassed, and sometimes in the firing line, but enthralled and stick around to see what happens next.
The Newcastle Theatre Company’s production of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is directed by Janet Nelson. Janet, and her husband Howard Rawlinson, are originally from the professional theatre scene in England and now call Australia, specifically Newcastle, home. Janet has assembled a strong cast which includes her husband Howard, Wendy Ratcliffe, Graham Wilson and Nyssa Hamilton.
Don’t miss this chance to see a classic live on stage! Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? will be on from 20 - 30 July & bookings are now open for this show and the remaining season. You can secure your spot for a thrilling night of good old-fashioned entertainment by calling Viv on (02) 4952 4958 between 3 - 6pm, Monday to Friday.
We also have a bunch of double passes to give away to opening night on Wednesday, 20 July. To enter*…
…on Twitter, tweet “I just entered to win tix to see Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf by Newcastle Theatre Company live on stage @urban_insider”.
…on Facebook, post on the Urban Insider Wall “I just entered to win tickets to see Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf live on stage”.
Winners will be announced on Friday, 15 July.
The remaining shows for the year include the Australian play Speaking in Tongues, the classic Henrik Ibsen play Ghosts, and the very funny Getting On, by playwright Alan Bennett.
*Please do not enter to win these tickets if you’re unable to attend on opening night.
Great article. Great theatre, don’t miss what promises to be a fabulous night at NTC.