Presented by Legit Theatre Co. in association with bAKEHOUSE Theatre Company
KXT on Broadway
Previews: 3 – 7 May 2024
Season: 8 – 18 May 2024
Bookings: https://events.humanitix.com/misery-loves-company
Press Release:
Sydney
Legit Theatre Co. are proud to be presenting the premiere full-length production of Isabella Reid’s Misery Loves Company, in association with bAKEHOUSE Theatre Company at KXT on Broadway from 8 – 18 May (with previews from 3 May).
Misery Loves Company is a jam-packed, family-driven comedy set in 1977 Northern Ireland. The Glynne family gather to mourn and celebrate the life of Daphne, beloved mother to Jackie, daughter to George and sister to Dolores and Henry. Daphne is remembered for a keen passion for swing-dancing, a mighty collection of brooches and a new venture into lesbianism.
Emerging Sydney playwright Isabella Reid’s first play comments on grief, religion and family acceptance in the face of political, social and religious unrest, where a company of ten Glynnes prove anything that can go wrong, will. They discover real struggle isn’t dealing with Daphne’s death, but the inability to provide her a dignified wake.
Isabella penned this piece for her HSC Drama Major work in 2022, and was the critically-acclaimed stand-out at HSC OnStage last year. Legit Theatre Co. return to KXT after the acclaimed, sold-out Dumb Kids by Jacob Parker, nominated for Best Independent Production at the 2023 Sydney Theatre Awards, and Mathew Lee returns as director after 2021 Symphonie Fantastique (Little Eggs Collective) which won four Sydney Theatre Awards in 2021, including Best Independent Production.
The production brags an outstanding cast of ten: Lib Campbell (I Hate People or Timon of Athens, Not Now, Not Ever), Clay Crighton (Once, Not Now, Not Ever), Lincoln Elliott (The Dismissal, Sunshine Super Girl), Paul Grabovac (Mr Stink, Edward the Emu), Teale Howie (Anatomy of a Suicide, The 78-Storey Treehouse), Mark Langham (The Ghost Writer, Gundog), Linda Nicholls-Gidley (Ladybird Ladybird, The Laramie Project), Rachel Seeto (Dumb Kids, Moon Rabbit Rising), Annie Stafford (Are We There Yet?, Symphonie Fantastique) and Michael Yore (The Beanies, Possum Magic).
The production marks the sophomore full-length producing venture for Legit Theatre Co. (co-run by Annie Stafford and Mathew Lee), previously producing and curating monthly staged readings at KXT called KXTeethCutting. They are joined by Violette Ayad (Assistant Director), Tom Hanaee (Producer), Tyler Fitzpatrick (Lighting Design), Clare Hennessy (Sound & Music Design) and Ruby Jenkins (Set & Costume Design) and a brilliant crew to bring this wild Northern Irish ride to KXT this May. It’ll be great craic.
“A brilliant, thought provoking and hilarious look into family at its most vulnerable. Superbly written
with insight well beyond her years!” – Amy Payten, St Catherine’s, Waverley
“Bitter-sweet, outrageously funny, clever, witty and heartfelt. I absolutely adored it and my students
did too.” – Meg Veness, Gosford High School
MISERY LOVES COMPANY
Presented by Legit Theatre Co. in association with bAKEHOUSE Theatre Company
The development of this work was supported through Shopfront’s Open Shop program and by the
Department of Education’s The Art Unit.
TEAM
Playwright – Isabella Reid (she/her)
Director – Mathew Lee (he/him)
Assistant Director – Violette Ayad (she/her)
Lighting Design – Tyler Fitzpatrick (she/her)
Sound & Music Design – Clare Hennessy (she/they)
Set & Costume Design – Ruby Jenkins (she/her)
Dialect Coach – Felicity Jurd (she/her)
Stage Manager – Alex Liang (they/them)
Promotional Photography – Clare Hawley (she/her)
Producer – Tom Hanaee (he/him)
Cast – Lib Campbell (she/her), Clay Crighton (they/them), Lincoln Elliott (he/him), Paul Grabovac (he/him), Teale
Howie (he/him), Mark Langham (he/him), Linda Nicholls-Gidley (she/her), Rachel Seeto (she/they), Annie
Stafford (she/her) and Michael Yore (he/him).
Venue: KXT on Broadway – 181 Broadway, Ultimo NSW 2007
Previews: 3 – 7 May 2024
Season: 8 – 18 May 2024
Performances: 7.30pm on Tuesday – Saturday; 5pm on Sunday
Running Time: 60 mins
Price: $35 – $45; $30 previews
Bookings: https://events.humanitix.com/misery-loves-company
