Backstage

137. Lousie Fox & Matthew Lutton and The Birds

In this episode I'm taking you backstage at Belvoir Street Theatre for a closer look at The Birds [https://belvoir.com.au/productions/the-birds/] — not Hitchcock, but a tense, immersive stage adaptation of Daphne du Maurier’s story. This striking one‑woman work, performed by Paula Arundell, is as much about sound and atmosphere as it is about narrative, pulling the audience into a world of unease and sensory intensity. I’m joined by writer Louise Fox [https://www.hlamgt.com.au/client/louise-fox/] and director Matthew Lutton [https://www.adelaidefestival.com.au/news/2025/matthew-lutton-oam-appointed-as-artistic-director-of-the-adelaide-festival] to talk about how this adaptation came together — from shaping the text for a solo performer to building a sonic landscape that carries so much of the storytelling weight.

136. Nancye Hayes and Anastasia

The fabulous Nancye Hayes joins me to talk about Anastasia [https://anastasiathemusical.com.au/tickets/sydney/?gad_campaignid=23352761740&gbraid=0AAAAA_JmURow-tPywQZy1HqH4zIafT5D7&gclid=CjwKCAjw46HPBhAMEiwASZpLRIOh1WmmwmkgugSZf4WFqaMnfZhWy5YTBeK78zOtMjWE6JS2jPd3ixoC0iEQAvD_BwE], now playing at the Lyric Theatre — a truly spectacular production. Loosely inspired by the Romanov family and set in early‑20th‑century Russia, the show is a visual feast, complete with cinematic projections and even a Swan Lake ballet in the middle. Nancye plays the Dowager Empress, bringing immense gravitas to the role. We talk about the history behind the story and what still excites her after more than 60 years in theatre. From being drawn to the stage at the age of three to still discovering new things as a performer, this is a conversation with a true Australian theatre icon. 🎭 Anastasia is now playing at the Lyric Theatre 🔗 https://anastasiathemusical.com.au/

135. Giuseppina Grech in Phantom of the Opera

Come Backstage with Giuseppina Grech [https://opera.org.au/artist/giuseppina-grech/]. The Phantom of the Opera [https://opera.org.au/productions/the-phantom-of-the-opera-on-sydney-harbour/]is back on Sydney Harbour from 27 March, and this episode goes behind the scenes with one of its most delightfully outrageous characters: Carlotta Giudicelli. Australian‑Italian soprano Giuseppina Grech brings the temperamental prima donna to life on the spectacular Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour stage. She previously performed the role in the in‑theatre national tour across Sydney and Melbourne, but this marks her first time tackling Carlotta outdoors, on one of the biggest and boldest stages in the world. Known for her razor‑sharp comic timing and fearless embrace of Carlotta’s larger‑than‑life ego, Giuseppina talks about why she loves leaning into the character’s outrageousness, how comedy shifts on a vast open‑air stage, and what changes when a famously dramatic diva performs against the Sydney skyline.

134. Sheridan Harbridge

Regina Botros [https://www.reginabotros.com/] goes Backstage with award‑winning writer, actor and adaptor Sheridan Harbridge [https://www.sheridanharbridge.com/], diving into her acclaimed adaptation of My Brilliant Career, [https://www.sydneytheatre.com.au/whats-on/2026/productions/my-brilliant-career] now on at Sydney Theatre Company. Sheridan talks about re‑imagining Miles Franklin’s iconic novel for the stage — the choices, challenges and freedoms of adaptation, and why the story still resonates so strongly today. We also touch on Amplified: The Rock & Rage of Chrissy Amphlett, [https://www.seymourcentre.com/event/amplified/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=paid&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23663609257&gbraid=0AAAAADrfFOQSU6aTDfwUYJf_KLeGlwe4A&gclid=CjwKCAjw1tLOBhAMEiwAiPkRHgr5kt2dXdAz8MFJU9LqNck2C6Nqh_uwjVxe2N2h3_qRey3xV0Q2ohoCuOIQAvD_BwE] Sheridan’s powerful tribute to the Divinyls frontwoman, which is returning soon to teh Seymour Centre. Later this year she's back with the acclaimed Prima Facie for Sydney Theatre Company. What a powerhouse!!

133. Mark Leonard Winter and Julius Caesar

Regina Botros [https://www.reginabotros.com/about]is joined backstage by Mark Leonard Winter [https://www.cameronsmanagement.com.au/mark-leonard-winter], whose Mark Antony has emerged as the standout performance in Bell Shakespeare’s bold 2026 production of Julius Caesar. [https://www.bellshakespeare.com.au/julius-caesar] Making his Bell Shakespeare debut, Mark brings a volatile, magnetic energy to Antony in a contemporary staging set in 1990s Eastern Europe and directed by Peter Evans. A Helpmann Award winner and founding member of independent theatre company Black Lung, Mark is known for his fearless, risk‑taking performances across Australia’s major stages, including Sydney Theatre Company and Melbourne Theatre Company. His acclaimed turn as Antony has drawn glowing reviews, with critics praising its wild charisma, mercurial shifts, and unsettling modernity — a performance that commands attention and divides opinion in all the right ways. We talk about Antony as both Caesar’s confidant and political operator, the choices behind finding the character’s duplicity, and how Mark approached a role often overshadowed by Brutus. He also reflects on breaking the fourth wall, including the production’s much‑discussed funeral speech moment, and what it means to play Shakespeare with such direct audience connection. Bell Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar runs at • Sydney Opera House: 7 March – 5 April 2026 • Canberra Theatre Centre: 10 – 18 April 2026 • Arts Centre Melbourne: 23 April – 10 May 2026