Emerald City, Ensemble Theatre 2025
David Williamson, the most produced playwright in Australia’s theatre history, continues to deliver compelling new works, his most recent being the explosive dramas Aria and The Great Divide. But this time, he revisits and refreshes one of his most iconic plays: Emerald City, first penned in the late 1980s.
Despite being written over 35 years ago, the story remains sharply relevant, especially for Australian audiences. It captures the eternal rivalry between Sydney and Melbourne, the creative tension between artistic integrity and commercial success, and the precarious domestic harmony between two ambitious, competitive writers.
Emerald City is a reminder of what Williamson does best – crafting authentic characters and delving into the complexities of human ambition, ego and relationships……..
Danielle Carter is well cast as Elaine, the no-nonsense, overworked agent. Her 80s power wardrobe and sharp delivery make her a standout.
Williamson’s script and the banter between characters is a joy to hear. The story is entertaining and captivating, though the frequent narration from each of the character disrupts story flow. At times, it adds comedic value, however it could be trimmed without losing impact.
Witty, incisive, and thoroughly entertaining – Emerald City is classic Williamson through and through.
Bacchus at the Theatre 4/5
Carter and Minto have some pleasing sparkiness to their Sydneysider personalities.
Sydney Morning Herald, Cassie Tongue
David Williamson is a legend of Australian theatre and Emerald City is one of his best known plays.
First produced in 1987, it tells the story of screenwriter Colin who brings his family to Sydney to further his career.
True to traditional satirical structure, the play is constructed from dichotomies: Sydney versus Melbourne; the Eastern Suburbs versus the Rest of our Sprawling Metropolis; Private Schools versus State Schools; America versus Australia; Entertainment versus Art; Ambition versus Acceptance; Hypocrisy versus Integrity.
Each of these dichotomies evoke the more fundamental binary division of Evil versus Good.
The game we’re asked to play is to consider whether these dichotomies are overly simplistic or just plain false. We’re encouraged to do this by intriguing character arcs and piercingly funny one-liners.
Mark Kilmurry’s production is a fascinating opportunity to observe the challenges of the actors’ craft. Satirical roles can be surprisingly tricky, especially when the characters themselves are granted an aptitude for mocking comic observation.
Theatre Red, Paul Gilchrist
Nearly forty years on, David Williamson’s Emerald City is possibly more pertinent, poignant and passionate, the skewering satire and sparkling dialogue finding solid contemporary footing in Mark Kilmurry’s excellent, buoyant production.
A moral fable about wealth, power, status and moral comprise, Emerald City is about scruples scuppered and moral compasses reset.
Screenwriter Colin moves from Melbourne to Sydney with his less than enthusiastic wife, Kate, with the notion that he is better appreciated in the harbour city.
His integrity is soon corrupted by Philistine fledgling screenwriter and harbour city hustler, Mike McCord, a sort of Mephistopheles to Colin’s Faust. Eager for fame, fortune and harbour views, Colin succumbs to the mover and shaker, sharing a screen credit on a project dear to his heart. To quote McCord’s dismissive catchphrase of local film production – “Disaster!”
Danielle Carter is cut glass perfect as Elaine, who has been producer on films previously scripted by Colin.
The production’s set is ingeniously simple – basically a desk with a typewriter, a couple of chairs, and a back drop symbolising a giant strip of celluloid film on which is projected various images, from surreal and abstract to photo realism. It is an inspired work by Dan Potra who also serves as costume and video designer.
With Emerald City, Williamson, the wizard of Oz play writing, observes the tectonic shifts between the substance of self fulfilment and the fickleness of self gratifying success, in a seriously very, very funny play.
Australian Stage, Richard Cotter
This production moves like a current under Sydney Harbour – it’s fast, glossy, and occasionally dangerous. Williamson’s dialogue crackles, and Kilmurry’s direction keeps the tempo high without sacrificing depth. I left the theatre feeling like I’d witnessed something as smart as it was scathing.
The cast deserves praise across the board.
There’s something deeply satisfying about seeing Williamson’s characters still stumble through the same questions creatives face today. Do we chase the money, or the meaning? Can art survive in a market economy? And is it possible to succeed without selling out? These questions, still unanswered, are what keep Emerald City feeling alive.
Ensemble Theatre’s production of Emerald City is a glittering satire with bite, brains, and just the right amount of heartbreak. Whether you’re a Sydney loyalist, a Melbourne purist, or someone stuck between the two, this play will speak to you – and maybe even sting a little
The Scoop, Benjamin Webb
Have we changed so little since 1987 that this play written 38 years ago still rings surprisingly true in so many ways? So much so that young people in the audience relate to the characters and social comment and marvel at the playwright’s “foresight”!
Emerald City stands just as strongly as it did in the days of big money, big hair and big shoulder pads. David Williamson’s perspicacious satire still bites with a bitter sting – and this production smartly directed by Mark Kilmurry allows Williamson’s words, wit and wisdom to shine.
Danielle Carter returns again to the Ensemble to play film producer Elaine. Carter makes her elegantly aloof and socially aware.
Emerald City returns to the “emerald city” in a production that is contemporarily compact and pertinently pacy. Thirty-eight years old and still punching hard, this play is timeless!
Carol Wimmer, Stage Whispers
David Williamson’s Emerald City, first staged in 1987, was written as a razor-sharp satire of Sydney’s cutthroat cultural film and publishing industries, with a goodly sprinkling of the Sydney V Melbourne competition for belly laughs. I saw it in Perth when it toured at that time and, as a young arts graduate, the jokes flowed thick and fast and we thought it was absolutely wonderful. In 2025, the play feels a lot gentler and almost makes one nostalgic for those seemingly simpler times. The human follies and hypocrisies that Williamson takes the mickey out of are still prevalent however and many a rueful laugh is to be had at the rivalries, passion, and compromises of Colin, Kate and Mike.
The story follows Colin (Tom O’Sullivan), a once-idealistic screenwriter who has moved from Melbourne to Sydney with his wife Kate (Rachel Gordon), a publisher, and their family. The play unfolds as they are both seduced by the promise of fame and flashy deals, whilst around them orbit an unscrupulous producer Mike (Matt Minto), a hard-nosed producer (an excellent Danielle Carter) and a ruthless merchant banker (Rajan Velu).
In an era where the cultural sector is more commercialised and competitive than ever, Williamson’s critique of artistic compromise still has currency and relevance, and provides a little time capsule to experience a moment in Australia’s social history with a lot of laughs to boot.
Theatre Thoughts, Juliana Payne
Mark Kilmurry’s direction gives the play humour and vibrancy. It is fast- paced, passionate and extremely enjoyable. The credit for the success of this production must go to the brilliant cast that Kilmurry has assembled. And credit to Williamson’s sharp dialogue and characters so driven by ambition that they abound with contradiction and deceit.
Williamson had relocated at the time from Melbourne to Sydney. The contrasts he uses still remain valid today. They used to say that Sydney commuters read the newspapers on public transport, while Melbournites read books.
Danielle Carter plays the confident and forthright producer, Elaine, who is prone to changing sides. She has dignity and class.
EMERALD CITY is a delight to watch. The action is larger than life, the dialogue amusing. A great night of theatre, the play runs at the Ensemble Theatre until the 23rd August, 2025.
4.5/5
Sydney Arts Guide
The duo are well supported by Danielle Carter, Rachel Gordon and Aisha Aidara……
The play is amusing, with the Melbourne/Sydney divide forming a large part of the humour. Williamson himself was in the audience for opening night, receiving a rapturous applause when acknowledged by the crowd. While the play still feels a little dated in parts, it makes some very interesting points, which were felt by many in the opening night crowd.
Overall, this is a strong production, with an interesting premise and fantastic acting. The characterisation is strong and the length is just right. While the revamp of the script has brought some elements into the present, there are still parts that feel slightly dated but overall, this is an exciting theatrical experience.
Rating: ★★★★ MusicalTheatre.au
Although I can’t be specific about what changes David Williamson has made to update Emerald City since its first production in 1987, it seemed to me in the Ensemble Theatre’s much more intimate space than the large wide postbox stage in the Drama Theatre at Sydney Opera House, the play full of one-liners about the business of being a playwright, zinged along much more smartly than I remember from nearly 40 years ago.
I think too, though I can hardly imagine it, that this cast could be any better than theatrical icons (Colin) Garry McDonald, (Elaine) Ruth Cracknell, (Kate) Robyn Nevin, (Mike) Drew Forsythe , and now QUT Associate Professor (Helen) Andrea Moor.
Yet Tom O’Sullivan, Danielle Carter, Rachel Gordon and Aisha Aidara, along with a raucus Matt Minto and so-cool and collected Rajan Velu, captured, I’m certain from Mark Kilmurry’s directing skills, every twist and turn of ironic pronouncements that made each character so distinctive – and seemingly real. The play stayed in its 1980s period, but now has so much more depth in its implications about being ethical as well as money-making
.Canberra Critics Circle, Frank McKone
After a string of critically acclaimed screenplays, Colin is intent on finding a taker for his latest piece, but few producers can see any commercial case for the project. Not even Elaine (Danielle Carter), Colin’s long-term producer, is that thrilled by his new project. Carter is just hilarious, without even having that many funny lines—such is the power of her performance. She definitely will be the next one called for an Ita Buttrose biopic.
As usual, David Williamson’s work holds up a mirror to Australian society with perfection. His literary contribution to society cannot be underestimated, even if the production does make money or sell well in the US. Once you watch Emerald City, you’ll understand what we mean. One might suspect that this story may be Williamson’s commentary on his own experience in the Australian arts scene.
The Ensemble has beautifully reinvigorated this classic, aptly on the harbourside of the Emerald City.
North Sydney Sun
Colin (Tom O’Sullivan) is a screenwriter known for solid, respected films about the Australian middle class. His wife, Kate (Rachel Gordon), works in book publishing. Together, this “champagne-socialist” couple have traded Melbourne’s café culture for Sydney’s glistening avarice, where waterfront proximity defines your status.
When Colin struggles to excite his producer Elaine (Danielle Carter, very much in her element) about his next project, he meets Mick (Matt Minto), an entrepreneurial scriptwriter tired of talky, arty films.
Emerald City deserves its place in Sydney’s theatrical canon. It’s a major work capturing the spirit of its time. Nearly 40 years later, it feels both quaint and depressingly accurate.
3/5 Cultural Binge
Colin’s agent, Elaine (Danielle Carter) knows her game and encourages him to continue to produce the scripts on which his reputation has built. Colin is determined, however, to change direction and get his new pet project off the ground - a World War II drama (inspired by his uncle’s experience) called Coast Watchers. In no uncertain terms, Elaine points out that there really is not enough drama involved in a story of naval officers who simply ‘watched coasts’! Carter’s Elaine is compelling and appropriately intimidating when she needs to be.
Theatre Travels, Scott Whitmont
BOXING DAY BBQ Ensemble Theatre, 2022- 2023
Sydney Morning Herald, Harriet Cunningham
★★★★½
The world premiere of Boxing Day BBQ has all the clichés of an Antipodean family gathering. Don’t be fooled. Sam O’Sullivan’s new play, commissioned by the Ensemble Theatre, is so much more than an observational comedy about Christmas.
In Boxing Day BBQ, O’Sullivan has created a parade of stock characters who, across the course of the evening, outgrow their barely-likeable presets to emerge as deeply human.
Extended, passionate and at times bleak diatribes on the mess we have got ourselves into punctuate the comedic action, threatening to drag the party and the show, into despair.However, between O’Sullivan, the cast and director Mark Kilmurry, they bring us back from the brink with a mixture of comic timing, insightful one-liners and, in a brilliant twist which I won’t spoil.
Suzy Goes See by Suzy Wrong
Sam O’Sullivan’s Boxing Day BBQ is a satire on middle class Australia, critical of our values, yet generous in its portrayals of our behaviour. O’Sullivan captures with admirable accuracy, the zeitgeist as it pertains to attitudes about issues like the economy and the climate.
Mark Kilmurry’s direction of the piece ensures a dramatic tautness, that keeps us invested in the story. Characters and relationships are believable and compelling, and their interchanges are imbued with a sense of consequence and urgency, to sustain our attention.
The cast of five is evenly matched, each with opportunities to shine at centre stage. Danielle Carter, Harriet Gordon-Anderson, Aileen Huynh, Brian Meegan and Jamie Oxenbould demonstrate great capacity for listening to one another, forming a team that impresses with its chemistry. There is an integrity to their approach to performance, that makes us receptive to the play’s important message.
Australian Stage by Richard Cotter
It’s the bee’s knees.
The Ensemble has given us a festive season treat, a double barrelled bon bon in Sam O’Sullivan’s Boxing Day BBQ. Double barrelled because it mixes comedy and good cheer with some serious issues, balancing both with effortless fun.
In Mr. O’Sullivan’s script, Mark Kilmurry’s direction, and the cast’s crisp characterisations, the plot thickens not only with laughs but with moral responsibility.
Boxing Day BBQ is comedy of surprise and suspense, despair and delight, and, yes, comfort and joy.
The cast is impeccable. Danielle Carter as Connie, Aileen Huynh as Val, Harriet Gordon-Anderson as Jennifer, Brian Meegan as Peter, and Jamie Oxenbould as Morris, a quintet of quality that is effervescent with casting chemistry.
We, all of us, have to be somewhere every moment. It is our dull duty. Best make that somewhere in a seat at Boxing Day BBQ soon. You’ll enjoy every never a dull moment.
C.R.O.C
Boxing Day BBQ ★★★★1/2
All shows should be this good. Boxing Day BBQ may look like a light, festive comedy from the outside, but once you pop the hood you’ll find a tight family drama that is finely tooled and smarter than it needs to be – this is A grade theatre disguised as a broad comedy.
Writer Sam O’Sullivan and director Mark Kilmurry have pulled off a wonderful Christmas miracle, giving us a domestic drama with a lot to say that never preaches, stuffed full of comedic moments that grow from character rather than contrivance. O’Sullivan’s script sets up jokes beautifully which Kilmurry’s direction gently taps over the line with calm confidence.
I can’t single out any cast members because they’re all perfectly well placed…. Carter and Oxenbould have a beautifully unorthodox chemistry; you can really believe they’d been married for years.
The audience was letting out constant ripples of laughter and recognition. The evolving jokes about backyard bees keep growing to deliver one of the funniest moments I’ve seen all year.
Boxing Day BBQ is unpretentiously perfect. There’s no gimmick or celebrity allure here, it’s just so effortlessly good it makes other shows look bad in comparison.
Weekend Notes
Written by Sam O'Sullivan, Boxing Day BBQ is a blistering comedy that beholds the holiday season in all its mess and glory.
Under the direction of Mark Kilmurry, the cast, delivers an energetic and charming performance, cleverly conveying the undercurrents of family life with a mix of comical and dramatic tension.
It has the audience captivated from beginning to end. A must-see production.
Theatre REDS
Paul Gilchrist
Sam O’Sullivan’s Boxing Day BBQ is a fun take on some serious fracture lines in our society. Directed by Mark Kilmurry, the cast deliver comic magic.
Stage Whispers by Carol Wimmer
The stage is set for a million possibilities and playwright Sam O’Sullivan makes judicious decisions about which to choose. In doing so he creates characters we get to know intimately, and a family where superficial bonhomie covers simmering bitterness and hidden hopes and decisions.
The style? Basically, realism with some comedy, some drama, some introspection, just a tiny bit of moralising … and a delightful touch of the absurd. It’s a crafty mix and O’Sullivan does it very cleverly.
In crediting the director Mark Kilmurry and cast in his writer’s notes – “The journey that this play has taken me on, with Mark and a wonderful cast of actors by my side, has been fascinating and joyful” – O’Sullivan highlights the significance of artistic collaboration in the theatre.
Kilmurry has nurtured that collaborative ‘vibe’ in his direction. It’s there in the authenticity of the characters. They feel like a family. They’re used to uncomfortable silences and brewing resentments that eventually boil over – and react accordingly. It’s there in the subsequent empathy that his cast establishes with the audience.
Danielle Carter plays her aunt, Connie, who is has strong, well-founded opinions about politics, climate change, social issues – usually the opposite to Val’s. This makes for some interesting banter – and comic moments. Carter brings verisimilitude to this role. She finds the different dimensions of the character, especially in her understanding relationship with her husband, Morris, despite their separation.
Boxing Day BBQ is an interesting play, skilfully written and deftly directed. Its characters are real, tangible. The plot is multi-layered and very carefully developed.
Sydney Arts Guide DAVID KARY
Danielle Carter impressed playing the role of Connie.
Mind Food’s Review By Gill Canning
The world premiere of ‘Boxing Day BBQ’ by playwright Sam O’Sullivan is a snapshot of a family dealing with seasonal duty, personality clashes and global warming. ….There are plenty of laughs and the cast is uniformly good.
Broadway World by Jade Kops
Carter is beautifully grounded as the steadfast and caring auntie who treads carefully with her bumpy marriage.
O'Sullivan has grasped all the ingredients that create the day of conflicts, masked in festivities. The various dramatics are deftly intertwined and emphasis the reality of multiple family relationships. While it's a perfect example of a family's dynamics, a fresh insight would be welcoming. It may not be your own exact family scenario, but it has that similar level of interest, engagement and resignation that one can have about that clan gathering.
Northern Beaches Mum
The cast are perfect and each and every character is engaging. You will find yourself laughing and crying throughout this play.
City’s Hub Review by Mark Morellini
Written by Sam O’Sullivan and directed by Mark Kilmurry the cast of five does a remarkable job of captivating audiences for the duration of the play.
The Norman Conquests, Ensemble Theatre 2018- 2019
Arts Hub – Oliver Wakelin
4 ½ stars
As for this thrilling production, the performances are a joy to behold. I viewed all three shows on a single day, and by 9 o’clock the actors were into their 5th or 6th hours on stage, yet still full of vigour……..Danielle Carter as Sarah is a tower of strength, a backbone of power in these shows; she disappears completely into the character.
At times this production highlights how much has changed for the better since the 70s, and conversely how much remains the same (and perhaps how much further there is to go). I recommend you get along to these shows for a night of good feeling and fun.
Suzy Goes see – Suzy Wong
This revival, directed by Mark Kilmurry, is bright and bubbly, a compelling jaunt back in time that is surprisingly resonant…….The characters may sound like the past, but they are made to feel current, by an excellent, and tireless, uniformly captivating cast
Jason Blake SMH
This Mark Kilmurry-directed production is a cut above, with Ayckbourn’s somewhat heightened portraits coming across as fleshy and fully human. The personal impact of all that soul-sapping niceness and emotional obfuscation is beautifully relayed.
Frank Hatherley – Stage Whispers
Director Mark Kilmurry has assembled an ace cast.
Kevin Jackson’s Diary – Kevin Jackson
THE NORMAN CONQUESTS, are three plays: TABLE MANNERS, LIVING TOGETHER and ROUND AND ROUND THE GARDEN, by Alan Ayckbourn, written in 1973. They are famously recognised as one of many masterpieces from this author who has written some 82 plays and is still writing.
These three plays have the conceit of happening all at the same time, just in three different spaces. The first in the Dining Room. the second in the Living room, and the third in the Garden. Each play can stand independently and the entertainment hilarity is extremely rewarding. See all of them and the compound knowledge they you acquire about what is happening in the other spaces doubles and then trebles the comedy reward. They can, by-the-way, be seen in any order.
Directed by Mark Kilmurry, the plays are beautifully revealed and 'hum' along with all the confidence of a well oiled machine. The dramaturgical skill of the comic and dramatic formula of the writer's cleverness is immaculately understood. Mr Kilmurry has also selected a wonderfully accurate group of actors who have created real, vulnerable people, and who then, instinctively, have let their comic instincts stretch to the needs of the writing for it to reward the audience with six hours of blissful laughter, and an ultimate identification of compassion for these hapless, ordinary people, who, if we dare to contemplate, are much like ourselves and our extended families, extended or close.
Danielle Carter is the 'roaring' engine of this machine, and the neuroticism and self-possession of her Sarah drives and buoys the action. Ms Carter creates a wonderful energy while acknowledging the complexity of the frustrations of Sarah's predicament
This company of actors will, each, reward you, undoubtedly. Go see why Mr Ayckbourn is so revered. Highly recommended
Absolute Theatre by Paul Kiely
This is a good, tight play with a fast-paced story and believable characters…. Danielle Carter superbly plays the role of Sarah. In stark contrast to Annie, she is confident, self-assured, and very class-conscious……. I recommend catching this production if you can. Table Manners delivers on laughs, cast performances, and entertainment.
Stage noise by Diana Simmonds
Casting is important for any play’s success, but especially so for The Norman Conquests. Director Mark Kilmurryis both smart and fortunate enough to have assembled the very best for this tricky production and also get the best out of them.
The Norman Conquestsis one of Alan Ayckbourn’sgreatest achievements, not only because of its extraordinary intricacy of plot and telling, but also because of what it said – and continues to say – about men and women, what it is that makes us laugh or cry or be furious, and also about family. It’s also a great achievement for Mark Kilmurryas director and for the company of actors who effortlessly handle the huge undertaking, including the home-made wine and deckchairs which are unusual props for straight up comedy gold. Recommended.
Jade Kops BMW Review
The work is brilliantly executed with incredible performances that capture the humor of the often-relatable bickering family and also the ridiculousness of the physicality of the situations that arise.
The cast assembled, which cover all three stories, work wonderfully together and utilize the intimate space to optimum advantage, knowing that little gestures and pointed looks will easily be captured by the audience. Kilmurry blends in the absurdity of real life which in combination with the various personalities leads to moments of ridiculous physical comedy
THE NORMAN CONQUESTS is an enjoyable and intriguing theatre experience particularly if you have the time to catch all three shows and revel in the added amusement of watching the puzzle pieces fall into place. A fabulous mystery that explores human nature and family dynamics as relationships are tested, patience stretched and promiscuity pondered whilst the need to belong is proven to be eternal.
Jo Listen, The Daily Telegraph
Kilmurry has gathered a fine cast and directs them to plumb the hurt, frustration and pathos beneath the comic surface……… The cast is terrific, their characters becoming ever more believable and understandable as the plays progress.
FURY, Red Stitch Theatre, 2018
Time Out, Time Byrne.
Carter is magnificent as Alice, spiky and pleading and utterly convincing.
Melbourne Reviews Fury | Red Stitch Actors Theatre DOUG KNIGHT 07 JUNE 2018
We’re your punishment. And your ours” Play defining words from a mother looking on with baffled despair at an unapologetic son accused of defacing a mosque. From one of Australia’s most acclaimed playwrights, Red Stitch Actors’ Theatre's description of Joanna Murray-Smiths’ Fury as, ‘a scintillating, often hilarious and profoundly provocative work,’ feels somewhat understated for failing to mention “Seat flinching discomfort.” Parent against Parent against Teacher against Mother against Father against Child and all possible combinations against social expectations of class and decency, Fury leaves us like a troubled jury playing witness to unsettling clashes of unfolding revelation. With exploration of conscience and propaganda, this is a sharply observed, clever and disturbing drama. Deftly staged on Chloe Greaves well pitched design, directing duo Brett Cousins & Ella Caldwell have pushed their cast to ensure the pulse of Fury never falls below rapid. Joe Petruzzi and Danielle Carter are well cast to hover between love and contempt. Scratching at themselves and each other to source blame, we see a well-connected portrait of a marriage traversing self-interest and the magnitude of legacy.
Cameron Woodhouse, The Age
The production boasts a strong ensemble performance. Petruzzi and Carter are sharply credible as rich, inner-urban Guardian-istas, their anguish and their prejudices, their resentments and vulnerabilities – and the patina of moral vanity about them.
Alex First, The Blurb
Fury is a provocative and brilliant work with some powerhouse performances.
E- Baby, Ensemble Theatre, 2016
The Blitz Magazine by Carly Fisher
The Ensemble Theatre’s second last show for 2016 is set to leave audiences excited about what next year may hold after an interesting and fabulously performed production of ‘E-Baby’ by Jane Cafarella. The show follows two women – one, a mother of two who is eager to share the joy of motherhood with others, and another, whom after eighteen rounds of IVF and eleven years of failed attempts has turned to surrogacy as a final attempt at having her own child. As they each struggle with their place in this new relationship, with their husbands and with the changes – or lack thereof – in their bodies, the pair each must learn to appreciate the other for what she offers but also accept her for her weaknesses. What ensues is an interesting story of a relationship that is gradually becoming more common in the 21st century, and yet still remains largely under-represented – that between a woman and her surrogate.
On Scawthorn and Carter’s performances, all there really is to say is that both of these women displayed a level of skill and a mastery of their craft that it seems is too rarely seen on this stage. Both women are actors I hope to see grace the Sydney stages soon – I’ll definitely be seeing whatever they are in next based on the caliber of their work in this show.
This show is definitely worth seeing! It hasn’t got the glitz and glam of many of the other shows currently gracing the Sydney stages, however, it offers so much more in its wonderful execution of a beautiful story and its masterful actors at the helm. Get tickets before this one sells out.
The Guardian
The well-meaning if uptight Australian lawyer Catherine (a brilliantly skittish Danielle Carter) lives a privileged life in London with her younger architect husband. But after 11 years of trying for a baby and rounds of increasingly traumatic IFV, she still cannot conceive.
It’s lucky then that Carter and Scawthorn bring such life to their roles. Both are utterly believable – in equal parts loveable and frustrating – and the heartbreak, when it comes, is visceral.
Theatre Now Alana Kaye
Carter as perfectly coiffed and sleek Catherine gives a polished performance. Her agony and desperation is well observed without being gratuitous. Both give empathetic, insightful and moving performances.
The Blurb Magazine Kevin Jackson
It is the performances by Ms Carter and Ms Scawthorn that are so personably secure, so empathetically contrasted, drawn with humour as well as head-butting ideological battlements that, essentially, keeps at bay too much carping about the relative suspense-comedy that we are given. The actors are a disarming and charming coupling. They draw us irresistibly into the situation that the Playwright and Director offers and, cumulatively, one is well satisfied with an entertainment that is cathartic as well as, lightly, educational.
I had a very satisfying experience. I recommend the journey.
he Music by Fiona Cameron
E-Baby is a very rare theatrical beast: a two-handed play by women, starring women and about issues that affect women viscerally. Indeed, another such production doesn't readily spring to mind.
This play offers great writing by Jane Cafarella, brought to life by two powerhouse actresses, Danielle Carter and Gabrielle Scawthorn, led by another outstanding woman, director Nadia Tass. And the men in the characters' lives, well, they were so peripheral as to be almost incidental
This is a play about hope and trust and how two women who would otherwise never have crossed paths are connected by a surrogate pregnancy.
Each character is finely drawn, three-dimensional and fully realised, right down to the handbags and accessories. Catherine, portrayed by Carter, is a globe-travelling lawyer who presents as a classic type-A personality; ambitious, driven and used to ensuring she gets what she wants thanks to organisation, preparation and determination. So when it comes to having children and finding nature uncooperative, the tools she relies on in every other aspect of her life come into play here too.
Alt Media ( MS)
It’s hilariously funny (especially when it comes to Catherine’s obsessive ideas), bitter sweet, topical and raw. The characterisation is clever, well developed and multi-layered. It’s economic in having only two characters, but with plenty of mentions of both women’s spouses written into this comedy.
Sydney Arts Guide, David Kary
I found E-BABY to be a very engrossing night in the theatre. The play gave so many insights into a world which I, and I suspect many others, know precious little about.
The piece worked excellently well as a drama. The characters were brought to life so well by the two actresses and there was plenty of tension generated as the outcome hung in the balance right up till the very end.
Oz Baby Boomers John Rozentals
It took a little bit of thought but I eventually realised that the answer to my question of what was the secret to the success of e-baby lay in the name of one of Ensemble’s recent productions — The Casting Couch.
Director Nadia Tass’s choice of Danielle Carter and Gabrielle Scawthorn to play out this contemporary and poignant two-hander was inspired.
Carter is spot-on as Catherine, the successful, humourless, formality-driven London-based Australian lawyer who desperately wants the child she can’t carry herself.
I doubt Catherine could make love to her husband until all conditions and possibilities were rigorously documented. All crossed and dotted exactly as appropriate, and heaven-forbid if there’s an urge for spontaneity.
Scawthorn plays perfectly the role of Nellie, the young Massachusetts woman who accepts cash payment to carry Catherine’s child, hand it over soon after birth, then exit the scene.
She’s naive. Her life experience has been less than worldly. Her outlook may be simple but she isn’t stupid and at least she has a heart and a pulse.
Catherine’s law firm has a branch in New York, so there is plenty of face-to-face contact but experiences are mainly shared through more modern devices such as mobile phones, texts and Skype.
You know that there wouldn’t be a play in this if it was all smooth sailing and everything fell perfectly into place — and so it doesn’t.
To talk too obviously about the traumas would require an equally obvious spoiler alert, so I won’t go there.
But I will say that the two women do encounter plenty of speed humps on their journey, and that Director Tass does a fine job in bringing Jan Cafarella’s provocative, dilemma-laden work to the Ensemble stage in Kirribilli.
And special mention must go the production’s AV Designer, Christopher Page, for constructing on-stage systems that worked a treat and provide the reality necessary without ever coming across as clunky.
Upstaged Reviews Emily Richardson
e-baby is a two woman show. Danielle Carter plays Catherine and Gabrielle Scawthorn plays Nellie…and what a team they are. Perfectly cast, they are beautifully complementary with completely contrasting personalities, able to unite through this deeply personal experience. Together, their comic timing is idyllic. They have the audience eating out of the palm of their hand and have a gorgeous rapport. Carter is efficacious and immaculately put-together as Catherine, with a desperate longing to be a mother. Scawthorn is haphazard and effervescent as Nellie with a relatable disregard for the absurd health tricks and tips levelled at mothers. But overwhelmingly, she has a desire to do something important. As a Catholic woman, this is a fascinating seesaw of altruism and the religious weigh-in to the moral and ethical debate.
Tass’ direction is flexible in navigating the emotional crevasse of this story and performances by Carter and Scawthorn are divine. When an audience is effortlessly made to think, laugh and cry, a slice of the human experience is shared – what more could you ask for.
My Zinc Bed, Ensemble Theatre, 2015
Upstaged Reviews-Emily Richardson
An achievement of the play is the painting of several layers in each character, no one is discarded as a “worthless drunk” to use Hare’s words from the play, but rather each person is immensely significant to another through their entangled relationships. The actors bring unique warmth to their roles, allowing the audience to perceive their strengths and weaknesses as a person. This can be difficult to achieve when the audience is dubious about the decisions the characters are making, however Kilmurry’s direction allows the audience to empathise with the characters’ positions.
O’Sullivan takes a compassionate approach to this role so that the audience is rooting for Paul,
desperate for things to work out. Danielle Carter performs as Elsa and has a similar effect on the audience despite her provocative ways and tainted past. It is wonderful when an audience has a vested interest in a character’s wellbeing, a testament to the actor’s ability to suspend their disbelief and become totally immersed in the emotive qualities of the character.
Time Out Sydney
Superb performances benefit David Hare’s all-talk no-action three-hander about addiction
As Elsa, Danielle Carter is a brittle mix of neediness and aloofness, with a sensuality that is ever
present but never overwhelming.
John Shand, SMH
This is a worthy enough play flattered by exceptional acting in a compassionate production.
Suzy Goes See
Mark Kilmurry’s direction is interested in all the philosophical content of the text, and succeeds in making his play a relentlessly thoughtful one, while maintaining a dramatic tension that keeps us
engaged throughout. Characters in the play are not particularly likeable, but their experiences are readily identifiable, and Kilmurry ensures that their exchanges never fail to fascinate.
There are breathtaking performances to be found in the production. All three actors demonstrate a thorough understanding of text and characters, and their interactions are consistently powerful. Every line is delivered with the sizzle of subtext and mystery, and we are seduced into worlds of imagination and reflection.
Danielle Carter’s part requires her to display extraordinary inner complexity and also to portray the somewhat customary femme fatale with a forceful allure, both of which she performs with tremendous impact
Sydney Arts Guide
MY ZINC BED, by award-winning and provocative playwright David Hare, made its debut at The Royal Court Theatre, London, in 2000. Its carefully crafted eloquence and finesse continues to attract audiences. Mark Kilmurry’s current production is vibrant and funny with an appropriate underlying sadness throughout.
Danielle Carter creates an intriguing and exotic character in Elsa. It is easy to see why both men are in love with her.
This is a thought-provoking and intriguing play, well worth seeing.
Stage Noise, Diana Simmonds
The three performances are mesmerising individually and together.
Danielle Carter more human than vamp (as written) in the director’s reading, she is able to maintain her position between the two men with clarity and credibility throughout.
ArtsHub Australia
It is a superbly written and punctuated piece of theatre that has the audience rolling with laughter
at one moment and feeling prickly and raw at others. And with an exceptionally talented cast assembled by Artistic Director Mark Kilmurry, that subtlety and strength is ‘made believable’ in their hands.
Is it a subtle sexuality that Carter plays, and perhaps less suggestive than Hare’s text, but one that tends to build credibility and greater tension in Else’s feelings for both men.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Stage Whispers
Directed with particular passion by Mark Kilmurry, this three-hander by David Hare delivers a handsome and unexpected punch.
Danielle Carter was born to play Elsa. Silkily attractive, she remains aloof and mysterious throughout, handling Hare’s often-opaque dialogue with aplomb.Lynnes Theatre Notes
The direction is sensitive, with a light touch and the acting is superb with bravura performances from all three of the cast . Hare’s erudite beautifully scripted play is at times cuttingly witty and at others searingly passionate and revealing. Structurally the play is basically a series of conversations.
The scenes between Paul and Elsa crackle with intensity. Danielle Carter as Elsa is stunning. She is head of a large charity organization and beautifully blonde and elegant. She seems strong , confident and captivating , a mix of alluring femme fatale and complexity – yet in reality is vulnerable , she hides a couple of secrets and anxiously bemoans the fact that she can’t give Victor children .
A splendid production with glorious performances .Thoroughly recommended.
The Culture Concept Circle
Danielle Carter oozed an initial confidence that purposefully and gradually allowed the vulnerability of an addicted personality to filter through her character’s portrayal.
She was dynamically stylish, alluring and compelling.
Theatre Now
Danielle Carter is enviably alluring as Victor’s wife, and manages to find complexities in her character that weren’t necessarily written in the text. It seems that her marriage to Victor is based more on
sympathy than love, and Carter manages to find the balance between victim and femme fatale perfectly.
Richard the Third, Ensemble Theatre, 2014
Daily Review, Lloyd Bradford Skye
The fine-boned Danielle Carter plays Queen Elizabeth, a woman surrounded by aspirant repos and a sworn nemesis of Richard. Carter’s carriage and clarity makes her a very fitting queen.
Suzy goes see, Suzy Wrong
Danielle Carter’s portrayal of Queen Elizabeth is enigmatic and very strong. Her impressive presence is utilised effectively, and the solid stillness in her performance contrasts and stands out from a busy production. Carter’s scenes of confrontation with Kilmurry are especially dynamic.
he chemistry and timing between both actors are phenomenal, forging moments of gold for fans of high drama……..Kilmurry is a leader of fabulous talent. His show is brilliantly put together, and everyone he enlists is showcased marvelously.
Sydney Arts guide, Lynne Lancaster
Danielle Carter of the exquisite alabaster skin was tremendous as Queen Elizabeth and Prince Edward.
Stage noise, Polly Simons
There are excellent performances too from the supporting cast, particularly Danielle Carter and Toni Scanlan as Queen Elizabeth and the Duchess of York respectively, both left with nothing after sacrificing husbands, brothers and sons to the bloody power struggle between the houses of York
and Lancaster.
Samesame Matthew D’Silva
Danielle Carter as Queen Elizabeth is anguished and tormented and brings a sense of darkness to the stage….
Arts Hub, Martin Portus
Danielle Carter shines as Queen Elizabeth, mother of the ill-fated boy princes…….
SOYP
Danielle Carter's innocence and grief fill the stage with energy…..
The Spell of Waking Hours
Danielle Carter’s Queen Elizabeth is a frizzy-haired lion, every inch the she-wolf Shakespeare wrote, and more than a match for Richard……
The Gingerbread Lady, Ensemble Theatre 2012
Carter plays the vain, self-absorbed Toby with excellent pace and immaculate timing. She carries off the flamboyance of her character well, especially in an over-the-top, self indulgent tantrum. She is funny and appealing.
Stage Whispers - Carol Wimmer
The exquisite, beautifully elegant Carter gives a magnificent performance as Toby, who is always conscious of her beauty and femininity, and uses it to great effect to look after herself.
Arts Hub - Lynne Lancaster
As the self-obsessed and self-deluded ageing beauty Danielle Carter is great fun, delivering very much a show-stealing performance in her hilarious monologue.
Oz Baby Boomers - Geraldine Worthington
Tamblyn Lord's Jimmy and Danielle Carter's Toby hit their stride, both delivering some truly great comic scenes with their on-stage breakdowns
Daniel East MC Reviews
Danielle Carter is a delight as her best friend.
David Kary Sydney Arts Guide
My Wonderful Day, Ensemble Theatre. 2011
Danielle Carter has the unenviable task of having to arrive at full stretch very late in the piece and be a hard-nosed but wisecracking bitch into the bargain. She does it beautifully and is very funny.
Stage Noise - Diana Simmonds
Danielle Carter is hysterical and captivating… She knows how to command the space and boy does she know comedy!
SameSame By Matt D'Silva
Using the clever conceit of role reversal to accentuate the ‘Oh My God’ factor of his play, Ayckbourn ensures that never has deplorable – and plain silly – adult behaviour seemed more juvenile than here, viewed through the eyes of a sensible and perceptive child. That ‘child’ is Ugandan born Belinda Jombwe, a young woman in her 20s. She is at the centre of a fine cast: Mark Owen-Taylor as Kevin, Shareena Clanton as Laverne, Matilda Ridgway as Tiffany, Danielle Carter as Paula (outstanding) and Brian Meegan as Josh.
ABC Blog - Jenny Blain
There’s the house’s owner Kevin ( Mark Owen- Taylor) – a rambunctious “minor TV Celebrity”
whose tempestuous wife Paula ( Danielle Carter) has just walked out because she suspects Kevin is banging his dippy secretary Tiffany ( Matilda Ridgway). And there’s Kevin’s dithering, somewhat pathetic but kindly mate (Brian Meegan).
All Four are wonderful characters beautifully played.They carry more baggage than a freight train but, in the end, they’re quite likeable – and that’s a testament to the quality of the acting.
Oz Baby Boomers John Rozentals
Danielle Carter makes a strong late play
appearance as his feisty wife
SMH Jason Blake
Danielle Carter makes a major impression with her scene where she catches her husband out
Sydney Arts Guide