GRIFFIN ARTIST BLOG

Griffin Artist Card membership is an initiative to increase access to our theatre. This program facilitates the coming together of artists across different disciplines and at different stages of their career. It supports and strengthens a vibrant emerging artist community, as well as acknowledging this community as an important part of the Griffin family and the wider theatre world.

How does it work? We want to offer a place where artists can see work, discuss work and make work.

To see work, we will continue to offer heavily discounted $15 tickets, which can be booked in the first fortnight of all Griffin and Griffin Independent shows, Performance Space shows at members' rates and ticket deals and giveaways to other theatre companies.

To discuss work, we are introducing regular Artist Card events where the community can come together for a drink.

And finally, we are supporting emerging artists in their making of new, bold and exciting work. Griffringe will continue to be a great avenue for artist card holders to display their work. We will also be offering (where possible!) free use of our space for readings and developments.

The Artist Card is a community. It is the glitter glue that brings all the cool amazing arty people together and helps them sparkle. So it's almost like glitter glue squared. If you are interested in joining the artist card outfit, please email artist@griffintheatre.com.au or come along to our next shindig….Hope to see you there!

Posts tagged The Importance of Being Ernest Dragons

Jun 25
Festival Special Griffringer #5: Alli Sebastian Wolf This should be writing about how excited I am to be creating mischief with my Astronauts so soon after Home Brew, about the first peek at our new work in development Mermaid Teeth at Griffinge. But it is not.Today was the funeral of the dearest friend, and key member of the Deep Sea Astronauts Tim Crew.With us from almost the beginning, from before we had a name, for years of laughing and drinking and lying in parks. For singing and dancing and curling under the covers with on gray days, for playing in the rain and lying in the sun.A brilliant person, utterly loved by everyone within moments of drifting into their lives.He was my secret weapon- the creature with all the talent and versatility to pull off the most difficult characters and half-baked scripts, always with such precision, subtly and humour.He made everything around him better, he made things the best they could be.He was the best of us, believed so strongly in all our passion and talent and beauty. It was like he gave everything to the world and couldn’t keep any of that for himself. Writer, performer, rockstar: he was better than most, he was better than me, but couldn’t see it.People keep being grateful to have seen him shine so, so brightly in The Importance of Being Earnest Dragons And Other Classic Tales As Told By An Octopus a few months back. No one but him could have pulled that off. Someone called it his swan song – that made me cry again. He was enchanting again in the Jungle Play at Home Brew a few weeks back. And he is not here to play Mermaid Teeth. I can’t help thinking if I’d kept giving him these little projects to go one more week for he could have ridden out the storm. But some storms go too deep and he had musicals and novels to write, a punk band to start, radio plays to perform, he had drinks in the park to have, cuddles under donnas, ducks to feed, summers to lie in, walks and dances and karaoke sessions, origami frogs to make and backyard jams to sparkle in.He has so much we still need him for. But mostly we are just so grateful to have had him in our worlds for the time we did. This piece was actually posted a while ago but I have republished it with a photo of Tim from the Dragons show.

Festival Special Griffringer #5: Alli Sebastian Wolf

This should be writing about how excited I am to be creating mischief with my Astronauts so soon after Home Brew, about the first peek at our new work in development Mermaid Teeth at Griffinge. But it is not.

Today was the funeral of the dearest friend, and key member of the Deep Sea Astronauts Tim Crew.

With us from almost the beginning, from before we had a name, for years of laughing and drinking and lying in parks. For singing and dancing and curling under the covers with on gray days, for playing in the rain and lying in the sun.

A brilliant person, utterly loved by everyone within moments of drifting into their lives.

He was my secret weapon- the creature with all the talent and versatility to pull off the most difficult characters and half-baked scripts, always with such precision, subtly and humour.

He made everything around him better, he made things the best they could be.

He was the best of us, believed so strongly in all our passion and talent and beauty. It was like he gave everything to the world and couldn’t keep any of that for himself. Writer, performer, rockstar: he was better than most, he was better than me, but couldn’t see it.

People keep being grateful to have seen him shine so, so brightly in The Importance of Being Earnest Dragons And Other Classic Tales As Told By An Octopus a few months back. No one but him could have pulled that off. Someone called it his swan song – that made me cry again. He was enchanting again in the Jungle Play at Home Brew a few weeks back. And he is not here to play Mermaid Teeth. I can’t help thinking if I’d kept giving him these little projects to go one more week for he could have ridden out the storm. But some storms go too deep and he had musicals and novels to write, a punk band to start, radio plays to perform, he had drinks in the park to have, cuddles under donnas, ducks to feed, summers to lie in, walks and dances and karaoke sessions, origami frogs to make and backyard jams to sparkle in.

He has so much we still need him for.

But mostly we are just so grateful to have had him in our worlds for the time we did.

This piece was actually posted a while ago but I have republished it with a photo of Tim from the Dragons show.
Posted at 8:36 PM Tagged: Alli Sebastian WolfDeep Sea AstronautsMermaid TeethTim CrewThe Importance of Being Ernest Dragons

Apr 3
A QUICK PEEK AT LYREBIRD BY AMELIA EVANS “Evans’s play addresses issues of displacement and homelessness, depression and survivor guilt, and the tensions arising between those who decide to stay and rebuild and those who feel unable to start again. It does so soberly but with flashes of dry humour and an eye for human foibles.” Jason Blake seemed to be very impressed with the production, particularly with the performances. Read his SMH article here. Despite an overlong exposition, Jessica Keath from artsHub declares it to be a ‘thoroughly contemporary, moving, and generous Australian tale.’ I was particularly impressed by Keath’s comment that Evans captures the Australian country vernacular with a total absence of cultural cringe. Read the review here. KJ loved the script: “The play is, in form conventional in its structure, but, has an eloquence of truth and pain that is exquisite in its expression. In all of its observed accuracy there is a poetic sense of order with a gentle and sly eye for the small comic foibles of the familiar - of family and close friends, as a veneer for us, the audience, to release into, to be able to endure the almost unbearable.” He was less sure of the production however. The trouble with being an ex-head of acting at one of the leading drama schools in the country is that you have an eye for the craft and some of the performers’ technique did not stand the KJ test. He also said something very interesting, although I’m not sure that I agree with him: “I remember someone saying once (was it Richard Wherrett?) - and I believe it to be true - that new plays really need the most experienced directors to give them as great an opportunity as possible to succeed. Give the young directors the classics to hone their skills – the tried and proven for them to exercise their talents and learn – the good writer will support them. The young writer will be supported and enhanced by the experienced director.” Surely much can be gained by young and emerging artists cutting their teeth on the same task? He makes the point that the Old Fitz’s last two productions, The Importance of Being Ernest Dragons and now Lyrebird have both had the writing obscured by the ‘fledgling skills’ of the two directors. This may or may not be true but it does not speak of those moments when young directors and writers succeed together. This may be rare, but the opportunity for it to occur should never be removed for the sake of increasing the chances of success of one or the other. KJ does not seem very impressed in general with the Old Fitz at the moment. Read his full article here. The Old Fitzroy Theatre Season Dates: 28March – 21st April 2012 Times: Tue-Sat 8pm, Sun 5pm Opening Night: 30th March 2012 @ 8pm Tickets:$25 Conc, $33 Adult, Cheap Tuesdays & previews $21

A QUICK PEEK AT LYREBIRD BY AMELIA EVANS

“Evans’s play addresses issues of displacement and homelessness, depression and survivor guilt, and the tensions arising between those who decide to stay and rebuild and those who feel unable to start again. It does so soberly but with flashes of dry humour and an eye for human foibles.” Jason Blake seemed to be very impressed with the production, particularly with the performances. Read his SMH article here.

Despite an overlong exposition, Jessica Keath from artsHub declares it to be a ‘thoroughly contemporary, moving, and generous Australian tale.’ I was particularly impressed by Keath’s comment that Evans captures the Australian country vernacular with a total absence of cultural cringe. Read the review here.

KJ loved the script: “The play is, in form conventional in its structure, but, has an eloquence of truth and pain that is exquisite in its expression. In all of its observed accuracy there is a poetic sense of order with a gentle and sly eye for the small comic foibles of the familiar - of family and close friends, as a veneer for us, the audience, to release into, to be able to endure the almost unbearable.”

He was less sure of the production however. The trouble with being an ex-head of acting at one of the leading drama schools in the country is that you have an eye for the craft and some of the performers’ technique did not stand the KJ test.

He also said something very interesting, although I’m not sure that I agree with him:

“I remember someone saying once (was it Richard Wherrett?) - and I believe it to be true - that new plays really need the most experienced directors to give them as great an opportunity as possible to succeed. Give the young directors the classics to hone their skills – the tried and proven for them to exercise their talents and learn – the good writer will support them. The young writer will be supported and enhanced by the experienced director.”

Surely much can be gained by young and emerging artists cutting their teeth on the same task?

He makes the point that the Old Fitz’s last two productions, The Importance of Being Ernest Dragons and now Lyrebird have both had the writing obscured by the ‘fledgling skills’ of the two directors. This may or may not be true but it does not speak of those moments when young directors and writers succeed together. This may be rare, but the opportunity for it to occur should never be removed for the sake of increasing the chances of success of one or the other.

KJ does not seem very impressed in general with the Old Fitz at the moment. Read his full article here.

The Old Fitzroy Theatre
Season Dates: 28March – 21st April 2012
Times: Tue-Sat 8pm, Sun 5pm
Opening Night: 30th March 2012 @ 8pm
Tickets:$25 Conc, $33 Adult, Cheap Tuesdays & previews $21

Posted at 10:00 AM Tagged: Kevin JacksonOld Fitzroy TheatreJason BlakeSMHThe Importance of Being Ernest DragonsLyrebirdAmelia EvansAlli Sebastian WolfRichard WherretartsHubJessica KeathJemma Gurney

Mar 13
CUT & PASTE #10 The Old Fitzroy Theatre March 18th - ONE NIGHT ONLY! CUT & PASTE is a bi-monthly performance night showcasing new work including short plays, comedy, music and theatrical works-in-progresses. CUT & PASTE # 10   THE LINE UP… Duncan Graham Geoff Lemon Evan Donohoe Fish Wife Some Mighty Glam Rock Fiends THE INFO… DATE: Sunday March 18th 2012 TIME: 8.00pm WHERE: The Old Fitzroy Theatre COST: $12.00  (door sales only) CHEEKY DEAL: If you go see our main stage show, The Importance of Being Ernest Dragons at 5pm the same day you’ll get half price entry to Cut & Paste. HEADS UP: Arrive early as it usually sells out!

CUT & PASTE #10

The Old Fitzroy Theatre March 18th - ONE NIGHT ONLY!

CUT & PASTE is a bi-monthly performance night showcasing new work including short plays, comedy, music and theatrical works-in-progresses.

CUT & PASTE # 10

  THE LINE UP…
Duncan Graham
Geoff Lemon
Evan Donohoe
Fish Wife
Some Mighty Glam Rock Fiends

THE INFO…
DATE: Sunday March 18th 2012
TIME: 8.00pm
WHERE: The Old Fitzroy Theatre
COST: $12.00  (door sales only)
CHEEKY DEAL: If you go see our main stage show, The Importance of Being Ernest Dragons at 5pm the same day you’ll get half price entry to Cut & Paste.
HEADS UP: Arrive early as it usually sells out!
Posted at 9:30 AM Tagged: Cut & Paste 10Old Fitzroy TheatreDuncan GrahamGeoff LemonEvan DonohoeFish WifeSome Mighty Glam Rock FiendsThe Importance of Being Ernest Dragons