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Director’s Note: Janine Watson, ALONE IT STANDS
ALONE IT STANDS is the true story of a significant event in Irish sporting history. It is ridiculously physical and very funny. But it is also John Breen’s love letter to his town and country. To the people of his nation at a time of lost hope. To the kind of unity and communion amongst […]
2024 Audio Described Performances
Thanks to Vision Australia, we provide a complimentary audio description service for our patrons. Audio described performances are marked as AD in the performance calendar. 2024 AUDIO DESCRIBED PERFORMANCES ALONE IT STANDS Thu 22 Feb 11am Sat 24 Feb 3.30pm THE GREAT DIVIDE Thu 18 Apr 11am Sat 20 Apr 3.30pm SWITZERLAND Wed 22 May […]
The Middling Cove Players’ Program: MIDNIGHT MURDER AT HAMLINGTON HALL
Take a look behind the scenes of the amateur theatre world with the program for The Middling Cove Players’ latest production… MIDNIGHT MURDER AT HAMLINGTON HALL By Shane Tweed Adapted from the novel by Mabel Shtint About The Middling Cove Players Founded in 1982 the Middling Cove Players, or ‘the Mids’, was formed by […]
Writer’s Note: John Breen, ALONE IT STANDS
ALONE IT STANDS takes place in a very different world in 1978. It was a grim time in Ireland. There was a war in “the North”. Contraception, homosexuality, abortion and divorce were all illegal. There was mass unemployment and immigration, a sense that if you wanted any kind of a life you had to get […]
Synopsis: ALONE IT STANDS
The David vs. Goliath story of the all-amateur Munster rugby team tackling the might of the All Blacks jumps from modern Irish folklore onto the stage, with as much heart and excitement as any nail-biting rugby match. John Breen’s fast and funny play is a showcase for the cast of six, taking on 62 roles […]
Program: MIDNIGHT MURDER AT HAMLINGTON HALL
Discover more about MIDNIGHT MURDER AT HAMLINGTON HALL with our digital program. It’s packed full of info about the show including writer’s and director’s notes, cast and creative bios, plus photos and more. DOWNLOAD THE PROGRAM Playing 1 Dec – 14 Jan 2024, don’t miss this hilarious comedy set in the wild world of amateur […]
Director’s Note: Mark Kilmurry, MIDNIGHT MURDER AT HAMLINGTON HALL
What a joy to work on one of my favourite genres, if it is a genre, of things going wrong. The theatre is fraught with those moments of utter despair where no matter how careful the plan, fate will ensue. There are many plays and films dealing with this area and I think the reason […]
Ensemble Theatre Sandra Bates Director’s Awards 2024 Recipients
We are thrilled to announce Julia Robertson and Miranda Middleton as the 2024 recipients of the Ensemble Theatre Sandra Bates Director’s Awards! Julia Robertson Julia is a multidisciplinary performer, writer, director and producer living on Gadigal land. She is the current Artistic Director of the award-winning devising group, the Little Eggs Collective. As an actor, […]
Program: THE MEMORY OF WATER
Discover more about THE MEMORY OF WATER with our digital program. It’s packed full of info about the show including writer’s and director’s notes, cast and creative bios, plus photos and more. DOWNLOAD THE PROGRAM
Director’s Note: Rachel Chant, THE MEMORY OF WATER
It isn’t uncommon for a rehearsal room to feel like a family. As we all know, however, family can mean multitudes – our individual experience of family shapes what this idea means to us. In the case of this team, since day one of rehearsals, we’ve been lucky enough to say that family means safety, […]
Synopsis: MIDNIGHT MURDER AT HAMLINGTON HALL
It is the opening night of director-writer Shane Tweed’s new murder mystery, MIDNIGHT MURDER AT HAMLINGTON HALL. Seven of the amateur theatre company’s cast are down with the dreaded lurgy. So the Middling Cove Players’ director and two of the remaining actors, and whoever else Shane can co-opt, pitch in to continue the long tradition […]
Writer’s Note: Shelagh Stephenson, THE MEMORY OF WATER
THE MEMORY OF WATER was the first stage play I ever wrote. It was written on spec and subsequently opened at Hampstead Theatre in London. It was successful in a way that absolutely no-one, least of all me, expected. Until then, I’d been writing for BBC Radio Drama, where I thought I could hone my […]
Program: SUMMER OF HAROLD
Discover more about SUMMER OF HAROLD with our digital program. It’s packed full of info about the show including writer’s and director’s notes, cast and creative bios, plus photos and more! DOWNLOAD YOUR PROGRAM On our stage 18 Sep – 14 Oct, don’t miss Hilary Bell’s brand new hilarious theatrical experience about adventure, obsession and […]
Director’s Note: Francesca Savige, SUMMER OF HAROLD
Before our workshop of this play my mother visited. Noticing her 1980s lemon juicer on my kitchen bench, she inquired if I would care to update it. I said “No, I love this one!” Despite the hideousness of this plastic relic, I realised that it held years of memories of growing up cooking with my […]
Writer’s Note: Hilary Bell, SUMMER OF HAROLD
SUMMER OF HAROLD began as a short play, ‘Window, Cricket Bat’ – a co-commission from Griffin Theatre and the Australian Design Centre for Sydney Festival 2022. Performed in the ADC’s gallery space as part of their exhibition Happy Objects, it was inspired by the true adventures of Margaret Woodward, one of the contributing artists, who […]
Video: Watch our 2024 Season Launch
Fresh out the box, Ensemble’s 2024 Season is here! Watch our Artistic Director Mark Kilmurry lift the lid on a year of inspiring stories. Ensemble stacks up ten exceptional plays and one very special event to ensure 2024 is bursting at the seams with fresh new comedy, insightful dramas and re-imagined classics, not to mention […]