theatre

Actor Presence & Vocal Technique With Laura Field

Feature-Actor Presence & Vocal Technique

Hummingbird Theatre Company (HTC) is partnering once again with Cambridge based voice and communication specialist Laura Field to present Actor Presence & Vocal Technique, a live online professional development workshop for actors on Saturday 5 September 2026.

Following the success of HTC and Field’s previous online workshops, the new session focuses specially on the actor’s voice and the relationship between vocal technique, physical freedom and performance.

The practical workshop will explore three areas: Breath & Focus; Physical Ease & Balance; and Presence, Projection & Expression. Participants will work with breath and vocal release, physical tension and vocal flexibility, and the use of resonance, texture, articulation and projection to communicate character, text and emotion.

Actors are encouraged to bring a monologue, audition piece, script extract or other material they are currently preparing, allowing techniques to be applied directly to their own performance practice. Workshop texts will also be provided.

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HTC CEO and Artistic Director Rhys Becks said the workshop builds on the company’s commitment to providing practical development opportunities for performers.

“Our previous collaborations with Laura demonstrated just how valuable focused voice work can be. Voice is integral to performance, and this workshop gives actors an opportunity to explore how projection, articulation, physical freedom and emotional expression work together, before applying those ideas directly to text and performance.”

Field has more than two decades of experience helping people develop clarity, confidence and presence in how they speak. She holds a Master’s in Professional Voice Practice from Birmingham School of Acting, a Postgraduate Certificate in the Teaching of Shakespeare in collaboration with the Royal Shakespeare Company, and a Level 5 Certificate in Coaching and Mentoring.

Delivered live via Zoom, the workshop is open to actors worldwide, with places limited to 12 participants to encourage active participation and individual engagement.

EVENT DETAILS
Actor Presence & Vocal Technique | Laura Field
Saturday 5 September 2026 | 4.30 pm AEST / 7.30 am BST
Live via Zoom | Open worldwide | $55 AUD | Limited to 12 participants
More information and bookings: https://shorturl.at/p8uMA

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James Graham’s The Man Directed By Jo Bradley Premieres At Sydney Fringe

Feature-The Man

This September, Jo Bradley directs the Australian premiere of The Man by James Graham. This uniquely structured, interactive one-man show is perfect for Fringe, combining both the intimacy of a small venue, with the talents of the Olivier Award-winning playwright behind Dear England, Ink and Quiz. Mike Howlett (Bell Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night and A Midsummer Night’s Dream) leads this ambitious monologue, spanning both drama and comedy.

Director/Producer Jo Bradley, Sydney Fringe Festival’s 2025 “Best Emerging Artist”, returns to the fringe after last year’s hit Gia Ophelia by Grace Wilson (which premiered at Fringe before transferring to KXT on Broadway, and then touring to Canberra Theatre Centre in association with Canberra Youth Theatre). She continues her work on contemporary, intimate, actor-focused scripts, after the success of the Old Fitz’s 2024 Snowflake, which will transfer to Ensemble Theatre in October this year.

Tax makes Ben anxious. As a sole-trader he’s been hoarding receipts all year. Now he has to go through them all–and the audience is going to help. In this darkly funny interactive one-man play, every receipt tells a short story, and every audience member gets a receipt.

One at a time, the actor will call upon a random audience member to hand them a receipt, and then tell the corresponding story. Every performance will therefore be totally unique, with the performer having no idea which receipt they will get handed at any time.

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“This is my first tax return. Thank you
erm for offering to
 for helping. I realise it’s a bit weird. It’s just. This is
it’s the only way I can think to make it better. The only way I can think to do it. With other people. Like this.

Fans of Duncan Macmillan’s Every Brilliant Thing and re:group’s POV, will love the interactive and non-linear nature of Graham’s script. It’s the perfect Fringe show for audiences who are excited by a totally unique theatre experience that is different every night.

The Man is a portrait of late twenties, depicting a man looking back at his life so far with disappointment, as he wrestles with the hopes he had for himself, and the reality of what he’s actually achieved. These themes, and the script’s depiction of Ben’s struggles with early adulthood, dating, career, grief and poor mental health, offers a wide appeal to Sydney audiences. The story will particularly resonate with artists, sole-traders, and anyone who has ever had to deal with the frustrating bureaucracy that comes with growing up.

DATES & VENUES
The Man will have its Australian Premiere at Pottery Lane Performance Space, Lane Cove on September 1-4th at 6pm (Runtime: approximately 75 mins).

Preview is September 1st, and Opening Night is September 2nd. Tickets are between $25-44 and can be purchased here: https://sydneyfringe.com/events/the-man/

THE MAN
By James Graham
Directed by Jo Bradley
Produced by JB Theatre Co
Starring Mike Howlett
Director/Producer Jo Bradley
Assistant Director/Understudy Joseph Tanti
Assistant Producers Liminka Pather and Emily Smith
Sound Designer and Composer Otto Zagala
Costume Designer Bella Welstead
Performer (“Ben”) Mike Howlett
Voice Performer (“Inland Revenue”) Claudia Leon

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Pygmalion

Pygmalion

Pygmalion Rating

★★★★★

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George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion, brought to you by the Irish Theatre Players, and presented at the Old Mill Theatre in South Perth, brings its familiar story of transformation, class and identity to the stage with plenty of charm, humour and energy.

Holly-Jean Williamson and Joshua Crane brought the characters of Eliza Doolittle and Henry Higgins to life with an authentic charm and energy that filled the stage. Their relationship carried much of the humour and emotional weight of the story.

The story follows Eliza, a Cockney flower girl whose accent and mannerisms reflect her working-class background. She encounters the arrogant yet brilliant phonetics expert Professor Henry Higgins, who makes a bet that he can transform Eliza into a sophisticated “lady” by teaching her refined English within six months.

While the story is comical, it carries serious undertones. Higgins’ attempt to transform Eliza raises questions about control, independence and what it truly means to change someone. Supporting characters provided plenty of warmth and humour throughout the production. Seasoned actors Ron Arthurs and Susan Lynch, as Colonel Pickering and Mrs Higgins respectively, brought a mature and measured presence to their roles. Peter Bruderlin as Alfred Doolittle, added further comical moments and depth to the story as the reason Eliza has struggled all her life, and reflecting the part of the working class that does not envy the lifestyle of the upper class. Supporting characters, Sanna Ansaldo as Mrs Pearce, Juliette Basini as Parlour Maid, Michael Hewson as Freddy, Sydnee Gould as Clara and Tamar Basini as Mrs Eynsford-Hill, brought warm and texture to the production, each adding a different shade of humour or heart.

 

The stage design was simple but effective. White furniture, floral arrangements and decorative fabrics created an understated Edwardian atmosphere while allowing the actors to remain the focus. The use of the entire stage, particularly by Crane, whose energy remained consistently high, created a dynamic and engaging performance.

And credit to the wardrobe! The costumes were beautiful, elegant and impressively detailed, perfectly suited to the period. From layered dresses and elaborate hats to crisp white suits and waistcoats, the costumes also helped reinforce the social divisions between the characters. Eliza’s transformation was particularly striking as she evolved from an unkempt, working-class flower girl into a sophisticated young woman.

Overall, Pygmalion offers an engaging combination of period style, strong characterisation, humour and classic Shaw wit. The cast created a convincing world around the central characters, resulting in a visually appealing and entertaining night of theatre.

Highly recommended, particularly for fans of My Fair Lady.

To book tickets to the Irish Theatre Players production of Pygmalion, please visit https://www.taztix.com.au/itp/.

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Every Villain Has A Story: Enchanted Encounters Reimagines Opera Through Immersive Performance

Feature-Enchanted Encounters: Villains

This October, Enchanted Encounters invites Perth audiences to step into a world where opera, theatre and storytelling collide in Villains – an immersive concert experience celebrating music of the world’s most famous villains. Presented in the atmospheric Liberty Theatre, Villains explores the stories behind iconic characters through a powerful program of opera, music theatre and folk song. Featuring music by Puccini, Alan Menken, Schubert and more, the production blends exceptional live vocals with theatrical staging, inviting audiences to experience familiar characters from an entirely new perspective. Villains transforms the concert experience into an intimate theatrical journey. Rich lighting, immersive design and cinematic storytelling create an environment where audiences are drawn into the emotional complexity of characters often misunderstood.

Created by Noah Humich, Enchanted Encounters was created to make classical music more accessible and relevant to a new generation of classical music lovers. “We’re so excited to bring Enchanted back to Liberty Theatre this October. This year we return to our roots, exploring the spooky and the evil unlike any other event in Perth” – Noah Humich, Artistic Director & Creative Producer

Feature-Enchanted Encounters: Villains

Featuring performances by some of Perth’s leading established and emerging vocalists, Villains showcases the talents of Brigitte Heuser, Brett Peart, Noah Humich, Sam Claxton, Charis Postmus, Nathan Breeze, Shoreina Pereira and Bridget Hutchinson (piano). Designed specifically for audiences discovering the genre for the first time, Villains offers an accessible and visually captivating evening where classical music meets contemporary storytelling.

Villains is an immersive concert experience exploring some of musical theatre and opera’s most iconic antagonists, featuring music from Les MisĂ©rables, Hansel & Gretel, Samson & Delilah and Little Shop of Horrors.

Enchanted Encounters: Villains
Liberty Theatre, Perth
Thursday 1st October – Saturday 3rd October 2026, 7:30pm – 9pm
Tickets https://events.humanitix.com/enchanted-encounters-villains

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