theatre

Meet the Director and Playwright Emily McKendry

Once Upon A Grimm Night

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Emily McKendry is a multi-talented director, actor and playwright originally from Taree in NSW. Her first two plays, “The Haunting” and “Murder by Invitation” were very well received. Emily co-founded Odyssey Theatre in 2023 alongside Rebecca Smith and Caitlin Addinell. Today we take the time to meet Emily, writer and director of “Once Upon A Grimm Night”, an immersive storytelling escape room experience currently being performed in Sydney.

About Emily McKendry

What’s your favourite fairy tale from childhood? Why?

It’d have to be Cinderella. I used to love the Disney film with the little mice and their corn, then was a bit shocked when I read the Brothers Grimm version: naaaasty. The live action remake is right up there with my favourite comfort films.

Which character from Once Upon a Grimm Night is most similar in personality to the actor/actress who plays them, and how?

I’d have to say Jared as The Narrator and myself as The Witch. Originally, I had thought that I would play the role of The Narrator but I always like to hold open auditions because you never know who will walk through the doors. We’d asked Jared to prepare for The Grimm but when he came in he’d prepared for The Narrator instead. His take on this wonderfully cabaret manic style Narrator inspired me to totally rewrite the character for him. As for The Witch – she’s socially anxious and prefers cats and crosswords to people – I did not set out to write myself but here we are.

What makes your show different from other interactive experiences?

I think the various types of interactivity blended within the one show whilst still maintaining a strong narrative structure. Most of the show is in fact scripted narrative, then on top we’ve got audience improvisation, escape room puzzles, and interactive potion making.

 

Once Upon A Grimm Night
Once Upon A Grimm Night

Why did you decide to perform your theatre experience at Old Government House?

You just can’t beat the immersive nature of an actual heritage location. We could try and replicate it somewhere else but it would cost a pretty penny and still never achieve the same ambience. One of my favourite parts of the show is when the audience enter The Witch’s lair – the gasps and audible appreciation of the setting give me little bursts of joy every time.

Do you have any funny or interesting stories of how people reacted during the last season of your show?

How long do you have? Audience interaction means that no two shows are the same. Unfortunately, a lot of them reveal spoilers for the show but The Witch scene always gets some hilarious audience responses.

There is a section where The Narrator asks the audience to consider their futures. One show Jared walked up to a lady and joked that he saw a lot of cats in hers, then with absolute glee she ripped her jacket open and revealed a T-shirt that was printed with the faces of all her 10+ cats. We couldn’t have written that better if we’d tried.

I know you’ve written 2 plays in the past. What inspired you to write this storyline in particular?

I used to write and be a Theatre Production Manager for Dark Stories Theatre, and a few years ago they got approached to create a production in a winery for a winter festival. It didn’t end up happening because there just wasn’t enough time to create it, but I got inspired by the idea of winter and harvest. Traditionally what would you do at that time of year? You’d gather around a fire and tell stories. BOOM; Grimm was born.

If there was any magical object you could bring into this Earth realm from Ever After…what would it be?

I’ve got to go with a classic – a magic wand. I grew up on Harry Potter and desperately wanting to be a witch and not a muggle. I’ve got my bibbity bobbity boo and levi-o-sa down pat.

Is there a sequel in the pipeline so we can see the adventures The Witch and Grimm Volkov get up to next?

You know, so many people have asked me that! I did leave the play open ended on purpose purely because I love the stories that linger with you and make you consider different possibilities. When writing the ending I’ll confess I created a rough outline of their future adventures but as for a sequel, who knows? Never say never.

Where can patrons book tickets?

To book tickets to Once Upon A Grimm Night, please visit https://www.odysseytheatre.com.au/once-upon-a-grimm-night-parramatta.

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Black Swan State Theatre Company Announces Bold 2026 Season

2026 Season Black Swan Theatre

“2026 is a vibrant mix of powerhouse performances, uncompromising original commissions, lauded emerging voices and inspiring collaborations.” Kate Champion, Artistic Director.

Black Swan State Theatre Company is thrilled to announce its 2026 Season — a dynamic year of daring stories, fresh voices and visionary collaborations. Showcasing bold new Australian works alongside reimagined classics and international gems, the program reflects Black Swan’s commitment to delivering theatre that celebrates our diversity and highlights the unique voices within it.

Black Swan begins 2026 with the captivating talents of multi-award-winning Meow Meow and her unique brand of subversive and hypnotising storytelling in Meow Meow’s Red Shoes. From fauns to swans to dazzling showgirls, Meow Meow leads us through a riotous journey of music, movement, and meaning. In Hans Christian Andersen’s tale, a girl is cursed to dance forever—yet Meow Meow wonders: what if she could never start dancing at all? Directed by Kate Champion, co-produced with Belvoir St Theatre and Malthouse Theatre and presented in association with Perth Festival, Meow Meow’s Red Shoes is at His Majesty’s Theatre for a strictly limited season 26 February to 1 March.

“Sensuously articulate and creatively comic, Meow Meow has the unique ability to seduce your brain while she reinvigorates your soul, turning tears of laughter into tender recognitions,” Kate Champion, Artistic Director.

Back by popular demand, Australian legend Heather Mitchell returns in her award-winning performance as Ruth Bader Ginsburg in RBG: Of Many, One. Written by Olivier Award-winning playwright Suzie Miller, directed by Priscilla Jackman and produced by Sydney Theatre Company, this intimate theatrical portrait of one woman who changed history, returns to Heath Ledger Theatre, 19 March to 4 April.

“If our record-breaking waiting list for tickets to RBG in ‘24 was any indication, you will want to book early for this one. Witness Heather Mitchell in a career highlight as she becomes Ruth Bader Ginsberg before your eyes. An amazing real life icon, a trailblazer like none before her. This is definitely a ‘don’t miss’ production!” Kate Champion, Artistic Director.

Commissioned by Black Swan and premiering at Heath Ledger Theatre 9-31 May, is the powerful reimagining of Tim Winton’s The Shepherd’s Hut, directed by Tim McGarry. Fifteen-year-old Jaxie Clackton, angry and alone, flees across WA’s salt lands. Instead of freedom, he finds Fintan MacGillis, a disgraced priest exiled to a crumbling hut at the edge of the world. As the unlikely pair form a fragile bond, buried secrets rise, forcing both to reckon with their pasts and confront life-changing choices. Directed by Matt Edgerton and starring George Shevtsov, The Shepherd’s Hut is a raw and poetic exploration of masculinity, isolation and the violence of hope.

“Quintessentially West Australian, Tim Winton’s writing has no comparison in its ability to capture how our human nature is inextricably linked to the landscape we inhabit. The Shepherd’s Hut, cleverly adapted by Tim McGarry, takes us into the probing isolation of nature in search of personal redemption and release,” Kate Champion, Artistic Director.

2026 Season Black Swan Theatre

Who decides where care stops and control begins? This age-old question is explored in The Almighty Sometimes at Subiaco Arts Centre, 19 June to 5 July. Anna has been medicated for as long as she can remember. At 18, she wonders who she is without all that: could she fall in love, go to uni, even just feel like herself? Her mother, Renée, clings to the fragile calm they’ve fought to keep—but Anna’s choices are no longer hers to make. Written by Kendall Feaver and directed by Emily McLean, The Almighty Sometimes is a gripping portrait of a mother and daughter wrestling with love, risk and identity.

“The Almighty Sometimes is the deeply affecting early play by Australian author Kendall Fever. Such an impressive debut, this play captures the heart-wrenching dilemma of any parent who has had to learn to let their offspring finally steer their own course alongside the experience of a young adult who needs to rebel in order to test their own boundaries – even at the expense of heartbreak and damage. Did I mention it’s also funny?” Kate Champion, Artistic Director.

From the pen of well-known West Australian writer and artist Will O’Mahony comes the world premiere of Day (After Day) In The Life Of The Useless. Pete’s wedding is off. Dumped and branded “a robot,” he turns to AI for guidance. Its advice? “Live well”. Easier said than done. What follows is a freefall of outrageous encounters, comic disasters and spectacularly bad luck. When life boots you off the bus of life, can you ever climb back on—and is AI already driving? Directed by Adam Mitchell, Day (After Day) In the Life Of The Useless is at Heath Ledger Theatre 29 August to 20 September.

“An artist long associated to Black Swan and fondly familiar to its audiences, Will O’Mahony’s brand new play Day (After Day) In The Life of Useless is a deftly woven, giddy portrayal of a character who, with best intentions to rise above, descends ever lower into own goals and unfortunate circumstances. New writing, locally generated, bold, exciting and original,” Kate Champion, Artistic Director.

Associate Artistic Director Naomi Pigram-Mitchell leads a stellar cast of Broome’s finest musicians, vocalists, dancers and performers in a concert that pays homage to the legendary artists who came before and amplifies the voices shaping the future. Following a sold-out 2025 Perth season, Raised in Big Spirit Country is heading home to Broome to the Goolarri Amphitheatre 3-5 September.

“Raised in Big Spirit Country is a co-production which we are extremely proud of. It harks back to Black Swan’s foundation as one of the first major theatre companies to champion original Aboriginal plays and musicals. Naomi Pigram Mitchell has nurtured this production into life where its Perth debut was a sold-out hit. It is now returning to its roots in Broome where it will continue to develop and evolve its magical mix of song and story-telling,” Kate Champion, Artistic Director.

The second half of 2026 brings together two of WA’s leading theatre companies, Black Swan and Yirra Yaakin, for a bold new co-production that is as confronting as it is hilarious, and personal as it is political. Jacky is a biting new play about family, work, culture and the compromises we make to survive. With wit, grit and a wicked sense of humour, Declan Furber Gillick shines a light on the cost of navigating identity in contemporary Australia through Jacky, a smart and enterprising young Aboriginal man making a life for himself in the city. Directed by Kate Champion and Maitland Schnaars, Jacky is at Subiaco Arts Centre 23 October to 8 November.

“Another early play from an outstanding young Australian playwright – Declan Furber Gillick. Jacky received outstandingly positive reactions from critics and audiences alike in Melbourne and Sydney. I’m thrilled that we’re able to present an original production of this provocative play in collaboration with our Perth-based artistic neighbours Yirra Yaakin,” Kate Champion, Artistic Director.

Concluding the 2026 season is the ever-popular The Pool, ready to make a splash in regional WA, including Port Hedland, Karratha, Newman and Wagin before a special return season at a new aquatic centre in Perth. Written by Steve Rodgers and directed by Kate Champion, audiences are invited poolside to share, via personal headsets, a glimpse into the lives of people who call their local pool their second home.

“After its extremely successful Perth Festival ’24 debut, our production of The Pool will tour regional WA in ’26. Celebrating each local community who gravitate towards these venerated public spaces, we look forward to sharing the delight this production brings to pool lovers of every age and aquatic ability,” Kate Champion, Artistic Director.

The 2026 Black Swan season is on sale to Friends of Black Swan on 7 October and to the General Public on 14 October. Tickets: blackswantheatre.com.au

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Samson

Samson

Samson Rating

★★★★★

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Samson, the stunning debut production from Luminar Theatre Company, opens with a hauntingly beautiful performance of Nick Cave’s ‘O children.’ From the very first notes, I had goosebumps over my entire body; from the first scene to the very last Samson had me utterly entranced.

Samson centres around a group of teenagers in a small seaside town, who are grieving the sudden loss of a friend they’ve known their whole life when he dies tragically and unexpectedly in an accident. Julia- Rose Lewis’ script is visceral, raw and brimming with vulnerability and emotion, masterfully brought to life with sensitivity and zeal by director Chloe Callow.

It’s difficult to believe that Samson is Chloe Callow’s debut production as a theatre director. Everything about this production, from its striking visuals to its beautifully tempered emotionality, was perfectly curated. With a debut production of this quality, I’m eager to see what Callow has in store for the future.

The cast brought boundless energy and a grounded authenticity to the characters, as well as an unexpected but welcome dose of humour. Samuel Ireland was brilliant as Sid, bringing a marvelous complexity to a character that, in the wrong hands, might have just been dismissed as a bully. Ireland’s performance was deeply moving, his moments of humour landing perfectly with spot-on comedic timing.

 

Samson
Samson
Samson

 

Ava Jones’ portrayal of Beth was perfectly delivered- her grief felt so raw and genuine, and her character’s complicated relationship with God and religion was a fascinating exploration on the theme of spirituality and faith, and the ways in which belief can be both a comfort and a weapon in times of grief.

Henry Lopez Lopez is a brilliant ball of energy as Rabbit, equal parts sparkling vivacity and striking vulnerability. His chemistry with Rhiannon Jean as Essie was perfect. Jean’s performance was deeply emotional, and her journey is, in many ways, the heart of the show. Lopez and Jean both also deserve an honourable mention as the show’s producers.

Samson is carried by spectacular performances and thoughtful direction, and the production is full of little touches that really make it sing. Max Shaw’s set design beautifully captures the essence of a small town, and his work as fight choreographer elevates the dramatic scenes beautifully. Rhiannon Jean also did some incredible work as sound designer, adding a polish and dimensionality to the show.

The most wonderful thing about Samson is how life affirming it is. It’s a story about grief, but within that, it’s a story about resilience. The experience of watching Samson was deeply affecting- I laughed, and I cried (a lot) but I left feeling uplifted. I highly recommend seeing this production as soon as possible- Samson is one not to be missed.

Samson, presented by Luminar Theatre Company, is on at The Greek Theatre in Marrickville until October 11th.

To book tickets to Samson, please visit https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/samson-tickets-1564791747239.

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Interactive Storytelling Once Upon a Grimm Night

Once Upon a Grimm Night

Once Upon a Grimm Night Rating

★★★★★

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Picture this. It’s 8pm and you’re driving through a forest. It’s pitch black, except for the beam of your headlights cutting through the stillness. Lining one side of the single gravel road, silhouettes of inky branches reach over, like fingers beckoning you to continue to the house. Old Government House in Parramatta, Sydney. I have to shake off thoughts of ghoulish entities and murderous strangers hiding in the shadows! Maybe my imagination had run awry because we’d just entered Halloween month. Most likely though, it’s because I was on the way to see Once Upon a Grimm Night, an interactive play by Odyssey Theatre! Just the title had scary connotations.

I need not have worried, because I arrived safely and in one piece at Old Government House’s door. After we were greeted by The Narrator, it became clear that in Once Upon a Grimm Night, guests were adventurer travellers and not hapless victims, and this was going to be a live theatre experience with tons of humour, not horror.

Once Upon a Grimm Night is the brainchild of Emily McKendry, who wrote and directed the play. Emily says that her love of all things magical and fantastical inspired her to write about characters from the fairy tale realm. Once Upon Grim Night is set in the world of Everafter, and due to cosmic forces, our world and theirs have crossed for a short time, and we needed to help find a special something.

The Narrator, played with delicious relish and cheeky trickery by Jared Gerschwitz, was a chaos-loving mischievous character who reminded me of Loki with wicked laugh. He guided us in a quest to save Everafter, introducing the wayfarer travellers along the way to the other characters.

We first met Cly, AKA The Maiden, in the garden playing with a frog. Cly had an earnest innocence about her. I loved the way Phoebe Lumley Tow portrayed Cly, who was quick to deliver some very funny lines in response to audience participation . As Cly started singing, I had the impression that she was channelling Snow White, or Cinderella, or any another female stereotypical female fairytale character (which I think may have been the point).

 

Once Upon a Grimm Night
Once Upon a Grimm Night

 

The third character whose namesake is in the title, is Grimm Volkov, resident Everafter’s hero / heartthrob with fabulous fairytale prince-like hair. Grimm is played with a natural charm by Harlee Timms. Grimm assisted us travellers (or, “Princes” as he nicknamed us all) in the quest to find what we needed to save the realm.

Grimm led us to meet The Witch, a character who we could not help but warm to because of her sarcastic yet hilarious humour. Emily McKendry portrayed The Witch, and her spin on this character was unique. She wasn’t really an evil wicked witch as fairytale land stereotypically paints witches to be. Emily was quick to improvise answers with funny quips and respond to our questions, making us feel comfortable in her dark and dank basement. One of the highlights of the performance was held in the basement, where The Witch chose different audience members / travellers to interact with the magic potions to uncover a mystery.

The set up of Once Upon a Grimm Night is very original, with physical puzzles for us travellers to discover and solve in certain rooms. The Narrator was there to encourage us to work together and to ensure that most guests had a turn.
The costumes of all the characters added to the fairy tale feel. The cast had taken care to ensure their characters looked the part, right down to little details like the jewellery they wore, (especially The Narrator’s extended silver sharp finger ring) waist belts, corsets, billowy sleeves and black boots.

Odyssey Theatre selected the heritage-listed Old Government House as a fitting location for their performance. It was a former country residence, home to Governors and their families from 1800 to 1847. The play was performed both outdoors and indoors, allowing the audience to explore the rooms and experience a set that matched the story. The performance lasted one hour, though I would have liked more time to explore the house and its rooms.

Once Upon a Grimm Night was a unique and enjoyable experience. The small group I attended with was lively, and there was a lot of laughter throughout the evening as the audience banded together to solve puzzles. The interactive nature of this play would be an excellent opportunity for companies to bring their staff together for bonding. With the holiday season coming up, it would make a fantastic choice for an end-of-year Christmas party. Whether you go solo or with a group of friends, it is certainly worth taking a trip into Everafter where you can enjoy a hands-on potion-making activity and take part in clue-solving challenges that are perfect for clue finding sleuths.

Season run: Friday 3 October – Saturday 25 October. 3 session available at 5.30pm, 7pm and 8.30pm
Duration: One hour, no intermission
Old Government House. Parramatta Park, Pitt St entrance. Limited parking is available nearby.
Tickets: www.odysseytheatre.com.au/once-upon-a-grimm-night-parramatta

To book tickets to Once Upon a Grimm Night, please visit https://www.odysseytheatre.com.au/once-upon-a-grimm-night-parramatta
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