Archived

Persona

Conceived by Adena Jacobs, Dayna Morrissey & Danny Pettingill
Director Adena Jacobs
Based on the film by Ingmar Bergman

  • Venue Upstairs Theatre
  • Dates 24 July – 18 Aug 2013

    A Fraught Outfit production.

    Adena Jacobs’ staging of Ingmar Bergman’s film packed out houses at Melbourne’s Theatre Works in 2012. It was one of the finest pieces of theatre in the country all year.

    Elizabeth is an actress. One night, in the middle of Elektra, she falls silent. Nervous breakdown? Spiritual crisis? Illness? Attention seeking? No-one can say. She is sent to the seaside to recover. As Elizabeth’s silence continues, her nurse Alma begins to speak and Bergman’s signature themes kick into life: enigmatic acts of love and kindness, dangerous heights of obsession and need…

    Persona pulls off a remarkable feat: it recreates the famous intimacy of the great Bergman’s finest film on a stage. This is a consummate theatrical close-up about our basic human need to be seen and known by another person.

    image description

    Team

    Conceived by Adena Jacobs, Dayna Morrissey & Danny Pettingill
    Based on the film by Ingmar Bergman
    Director Adena Jacobs
    Translation Keith Bradfield
    Production Designer Dayna Morrissey
    Lighting Designer Danny Pettingill
    Sound Designer Russell Goldsmith
    Stage Manager Edwina Guinness
    Assistant Stage Manager Katie Hankin

    Persona is presented by arrangement with Hal Leonard Australia Pty Ltd, on behalf of Josef Weinberger Ltd London. Translation provided by Marion Boyars Publishers Ltd. The Australian premiere of Persona was presented by Fraught Outfit in association with Theatre Works in 2012.

    Cast

    Sean Campbell
    Brandon Easson
    Meredith Penman
    Daniel Schlusser
    Karen Sibbing

    image description
    image description
    image description
    image description
    image description
    image description
    image description
    image description
    image description
    image description
    Production images by Ellis Parrinder
    image description
    image description
    image description
    image description
    image description
    Production 2012 production images by Pia Johnson

    Reviews

    Subtle, detailed and truthful, this collaboration transfers the mystery at the heart of Bergman’s film intact, while entirely remaking it. As I said, miraculous.

    Alison Croggon | Theatre Notes

    Persona is electrifying … an act of majestic ambition and an affirmation of what great theatre can do.

    Cameron Woodhead | Behind the Critical Curtain

    … excellent performances and smart direction … this is a weird and wonderful theatrical experience.

    Elly Varrenti | The Age

    A startlingly original work performed with extraordinary precision and passion, it’s stylishly austere, confronting and deeply intelligent. As theatre, wholly riveting.

    Alison Croggon | The Monthly

    Persona is brave, exciting and harrowingly beautiful theatre.

    Jason Blake | The Sydney Morning Herald

    Keep up to date with the latest news at Belvoir