Archived

The Sapphires

By Tony Briggs
Director Wesley Enoch

  • Venue National & International Venues
  • Dates 25 Feb 2010 – 12 March 2011

    Winner of the 2010 Sydney Theatre Awards Judith Johnson Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Musical (Christine Anu)

    The Sapphires raised the roof at Belvoir in 2005. Then in 2010 and 2011 the production toured extensively around Australia before heading overseas to the Daegu Opera House in South Korea and the Barbican Centre in London.

    1969. Vietnam. Bombs are dropping and the world is exploding in protest. Back at the Tiki Club in St Kilda, four Koori sisters from country Victoria catch the eye of a big-city talent scout with their Supremes cover group. But for the MacCrae girls, the realisation of a lifelong dream to perform overseas isn’t quite what they had in mind. They’re off to sing for the troops on the front line.

    This swinging celebration of all the joy and heartbreak of family tells the true story of The Sapphires as they shake it for the troops and push sibling love to its limits. Wesley Enoch’s terrific production features the soul hits that defined a generation. And we’re thrilled that two great indigenous songstresses, Christine Anu and Casey Donovan, are stepping into the shimmery frocks for this long-awaited revival. Relive the reliving!

    Team

    By Tony Briggs Director Wesley Enoch Musical Director Peter Farnan Set Designer Richard Roberts Costume Designer Tim Chappel Lighting Designer Trent Suidgeest Choreographer Tony Bartuccio Sound Supervisor/Operator Tom Brickhill Assistant Director Kyle Morrison Assistant Musical Director Simon Burke Touring Company Manager Michael Norman Production Manager Ashley Page Technical Production Manager Christopher Page Casting Director Annie Murtagh-Monks Stage Manager Rebecca Gibbs Assistant Stage Manager Holly Woollard Rehearsal Stage Manager Peter Sutherland Wardrobe Manager Sacha Mahoub

    Cast

    Aljin Abella Hollie Andrew Christine Anu Jimi Bani Simon Burke Ben Collins Daniele Di Paola Casey Donovan Kylie Farmer Peter Farnan Markus Hamilton Lisa Maza Ngaire Pigram Kenneth Ransom Megan Sarmardin Andrew Weir Oliver Wenn

    Reviews

    The songs are great and delivered with velvet sleekness and thrilling attack.

    The Guardian

    [The actors] deliver increasingly raw, spine-tingling renditions of Motown classics, generating an irresistible, rare and real rapport on stage.

    Time Out London

    Staged with clarity and assurance by Wesley Enoch and snappily choreographed by Tony Bartuccio, The Sapphires is an upbeat celebration powered by four truly engaging performers: Deborah Mailman, Ursula Yovich, Rachael Maza and Lisa Flanagan.

    The Sydney Morning Herald

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