MK-ALPHA presents

Sleepyhead

by Nathaniel Moncrieff

A gothic tale of isolation and innocence.

Recognisable as a family despite themselves; burnt; crippled; hideously drunk. Dead.

On a remote rural property live a father and his two daughters. Strange phone calls in the night, the spectre of their dead mother, and then, one night, a visitor.

Developed with the support of ATYP’s Fresh Ink program, Sleepyhead won the Fellowship of Australian Writers’ Di Cranston Award in their 2009 Literary Awards and was shortlisted for the 2010 Griffin Award. The play has a distinctly mid-20th Century aesthetic, the result, the playwright says, of living in Perth and reading way too much Southern Gothic Fiction.

GOOD NIGHT SLEEPYHEAD

Running time 75 minutes, no interval

Warnings: Contains coarse language, adult themes, horror

Reviews

“Virsik’s play is impressive and grim…superb acting…brilliant set design…the most heartbreaking expression you are likely to see on stage for some time”
TIMEOUT MELBOURNE DANIEL NICHOLLS
“masterpiece…outstanding show.. see this play; it is really, really good.”
RHUM.ORG.AU LIAM PIEPER
“Excellent cast…Powerful, dark story.”
MELBOURNE OBSERVER CHERYL THREADGOLD
“The drama is carefully ravelled and the tone is even throughout; the pace is measured and the delivery uncluttered.”
CRIKEY ONLINE ANDREW FUHRMANN

“Sleepyhead is thrilling. I believe we may have hit upon a very important new voice in Australian theatre.”

– Adam Mitchell, Black Swan Theatre Company

“Sleepyhead is a play that utilizes dramatic devices along the Pinter and Brechtian theatre, but reinvents them into a compelling, character driven thriller with elusive qualities.”

– Peter Krausz, Fellowship of Australian Writers

Credits

PLAYWRIGHT NATHANIEL MONCREIFF
DIRECTOR YVONNE VIRSIK
SET & LIGHTING DESIGNER DAVID SAMUEL
FEATURING Kiloran Hiscock / Daniel Frederiksen / Emily Wheaton / Chris Broadstock / Kaitlyn Clare /Hannah Camilleri PHOTOGRAPHER SARAH WALKER
IN TRAILER KILORAN HISCOCK
STAGE MANAGEMENT STEPHEN MOYLAN
PRODUCER GLYN ROBERTS

SEE THE CAST IN REHEARSAL

______________________________

Yvonne Virsik has worked as a director with companies including Theatre in Decay, Theatre @ Risk, MTC, Malthouse Theatre, Red Stitch, St. Martins Youth Theatre and La Mama. She is a graduate of Directing at VCA where she was awarded the Yvonne Taylor Scholarship. Virsik is currently the Artistic Director of Monash University Student Theatre, where she has mentored hundreds of young theatre makers.

“It seems that nearly every time I’m astounded by a new script, Yvonne Virsik is directing it” – aussietheatre.com.au

Videos

Dates

PREMIERE SEASON

MAY10-MAY28, 2011
MKA Season One, MKA Prahran

Venue Partners