Steve On Broadway (SOB)

Artistic Differences Celebrated: Blanchett & Upton Take Over Sydney Theatre Company

Artistic Differences Celebrated: Blanchett & Upton Take Over Sydney Theatre Company

Consider this week's opening of the double bill at Australia's Sydney Theatre Company as its precursor to life with acclaimed actress Cate Blanchett and her husband, writer Andrew Upton. Saturday evening marks opening night Down Under for the dynamic artistic duo's direction of two short plays presented in tandem: David Mamet's Reunion with Harold Pinter's A Kind Of Alaska. Upton helms the first play, while Blanchett directs the second.

But if you're a Cate Blanchett fan and want to see the considerable magic she's able to cast over a live audience with her acting, you'll want to consider planning a trip to Sydney come January of 2008. That's when she and Upton will begin joint duties serving as the Sydney Theatre Company's artistic directors. The two will not only steer its programming, but they also expect to be acting and writing for the company. While described as full-time positions, each will have up to three months every year to pursue other interests, presumably including film acting for the Academy Award-winning actress.

Reunion / A Kind Of Alaska will play at Wharf I of the Sydney Theatre Company through January 14, 2007. I'll be in the audience for this dual presentation in late December and report on the show then.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

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SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #3 – Hedda Gabler (Brooklyn Academy of Music – Harvey Theatre, New York, NY) (May 25, 2006)

Labels: A Kind Of Alaska, Australia, Cate Blanchett, Play, Reunion

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Wednesday, November 22, 2006