Theatre Company: Ensemble Theatre
Writer: Annie Baker
Director: Shannon Murphy
Cast: Jenni Baird, Chloe Bayliss, Alan Dukes, Paul Gleeson and Eliza Logan
Location: Ensemble Theatre (Kirribilli, Sydney)

Synopsis (from the flyer):

Over the course of six weeks, five adults gather to explore themselves through the elusive and often hilarious medium of drama. Some of them are there to become stars, others to follow a long-lost dream, and some just yearn for a connection with their fellow classmates. Through a series of exercises, their teacher Marty leads them deeper into the sharing of their own stories. As the weeks pass, their real, offstage lives gradually infiltrate the classroom, revealing insights and transformations, both humorous and heartbreaking.

My Thoughts:

This was a brilliant play that was well executed - resulting in a most enjoyable night of theatre.
What made the writing so good was that the individual stories were weaved together and presented so beautifully through the weekly drama lessons - complete with awkward ‘acting’ exercises. It was great to get to know each character, and watch them develop, over the course of the class.
The Ensemble Theatre’s production was really strong. We really were transported to a local community centre where we could engage with each of the well-cast characters.
This is the first play that I have seen at the Ensemble Theatre and I was really impressed!