THE COCKTAIL PARTY
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| 19th – 23rd September, 2017
| Studio One, UNSW | Written by T.S. Eliot | Directed by Andrew Signor | Produced by Natalie Marcarian About the play
"It will do you no harm to find yourself ridiculous".
London. Friday night. The war is over. A bunch of high flying socialites are coming over for a cocktail bash. You’ve got the outfit. You’ve got the booze. The house is looking just marvellous. But we're missing our hostess. Well-to-do lawyer Edward cannot figure out why his wife Lavinia would abandon him at such a crucial hour. There are people to impress and appearances to keep! The guests take turns at offering unsolicited opinions and dangerous advice, but as the alcohol and anxiety intertwine, people’s faces turn into a cantankerous clutter of putrid nothing. Almost truly alone, a solitary wallflower beckons. This Unidentified Guest looks into Edward’s very soul, and finds the roadblocks hindering Lavinia’s return. This invites the unexpected; a train of events beyond anyone's control. Nobel prize winning poet and playwright T.S. Eliot turns a seemingly familiar British drawing room Comedy of Manners into a rich surrealist journey of the human psyche. The Cocktail Party is a frenetic dismantling of love, destiny, and self-determination, all done piece by piece, with the need to see if they ever truly fit together. |
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Cast:
Edward Chamberlayne: Michael Giglio
Lavinia Chamberlayne: Erika Felton Celia Coplestone: Caitlin Adler Sir Henry Harcourt-Reilly: Dan Tompson Julia Shuttlethwaite: Lauren McNaught Alex MacColgie Gibbs: Andrew Hwang Peter Quilpe: Lyndon Carney |
Crew:
Director: Andrew Signor
Producer: Natalie Marcarian Stage Manager: Rachel Guest Lead Design: Laura Anderson Production Mentor: Keri Tsaoucis Dramaturg: Isabella M-White Videographer/Photographer: Aaresh Madon Publicity: Chiara Middleton Set Design/Construction: William Gammel Costume Design: Adrienne Dell Sound Design: Liam Jarvis Lighting Design: Vanessa Gregoriou Graphic Design: Guy Segev Assistant Stage Manager: Jordan Mah Assistant Lighting Design: Jacqui Orme Sound Operator: Sarah Stormont Lighting Operator: Jasmine Borsovszky Hair and Make Up: Casuarina O'Brien |