Chain Play @ Bangarra Studio Theatre Sydney Theatre Company

One of the doyens of Australian playwriting David Williamson has contributed to Playwriting Australia's group play fundraiser
One of the doyennes of Australian playwriting David Williamson has contributed to Playwriting Australia’s group play experiment

Playwriting Australia, the national organisation supporting new writing for the stage, is presenting the inaugural Chain Play, a celebrity fundraising gala crammed with the best playwrights and theatre artists from around the country.

Twenty of Australia’s most exciting and celebrated playwrights will join forces to offer Sydney audiences a raucous night of group creativity.

The way that CHAIN PLAY works is that each writer has been asked to contribute a scene of a brand new play. Once the nominated playwright has written the opening scene then he/she passes the play onto the next playwright to write their scene and so it goes until the play has been completed.

The playwrights that Playwrighting Australia have invited to contribute are amongst some of Australia’s finest. They include

David Williamson, Joanna Murray-Smith, Andrew Bovell, Lally Katz, David Milroy, Hannie Rayson,  John Romeril, Lachlan Philpott, Kate Mulvany, Jane Bodie, Angela Betzien, Declan Greene, Nakkiah Lui and Michele Lee.

These writers have all got behind the project because they believe in the vital contribution that Playwriting Australia is making to contemporary Australian playwriting.

Of this  exciting project David Williamson said, “This bizarre exercise can’t help but produce a bizarre outcome but I was so glad to be part of it. Do come along and see a play like no other you’ll ever see, and help give the often unsung hero of Australian playwrights, Playwriting Australia, a boost on finances and visibility.I can’t imagine this country without its stories which is why we should celebrate.”

Tim Roseman, the current Artistic Director of Playwriting Australia, said, “The sheer tonnage of talent involved in the Chain Play is overwhelming. Together, these writers represent every corner of our playwriting landscape, and the joyful truth is we had over fifty writers we wanted to invite to participate.

“The Chain Play is a unique experiment in play-making, but with twenty of the greatest artists writing today all bringing their humour, generosity, curiosity and wisdom to the play, I like our odds for success. Australia has never before seen such a collection of brilliance in one evening, and Playwriting Australia is delighted to celebrate their mastery with them.”

Some of Australia’s finest actors have been recruited to present the group play. This one-off gala fundraising event, presented in partnership with the Sydney Theatre Company, will take place on Thursday 19th November at 7pm at the Bangarra Studio Theatre, Wharf 3, Sydney Theatre Company.

Tickets are $200 and that includes both the show and the after party. Book now at www.pwa.org.au/the-chain-play.