GRIFFIN THEATRE COMPANY ANNOUNCES LEE LEWIS AS NEW ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Griffin Theatre Company Chair Michael Bradley today announced that Lee Lewis has been appointed the company’s new Artistic Director, set to take over from Sam Strong on 1 January 2013.Lewis is currently Associate Director at Griffin and one of the country’s leading directors, having worked for numerous main stage companies, including Sydney Theatre Company (Honour, ZEBRA! and Love Lies Bleeding), Belvoir (That Face), Bell Shakespeare (Twelfth Night), and Griffin (Silent Disco, The Call and The Nightwatchman). She has also directed widely for independent theatre companies in Sydney.Griffin Chair Michael Bradley said “Lee Lewis is the perfect person to take over Griffin at this stage of its development. She has a deep personal passion for Griffin’s mission to be the voice and heart of Australian writing in the theatre. She is also a brilliant director and nurturer of new work. Griffin has enjoyed wonderful success in recent years and is rapidly becoming recognised as a critically important Australian cultural institution. Lee’s appointment marks the beginning of the next exciting phase for the company, its artists and its audience.”Lewis trained as an actor at Columbia University in the United States, working on Broadway and Off-Broadway productions, before returning to Australia to study directing at NIDA. She has been an outspoken advocate for increased cultural diversity on Australia’s main stages, and a leading voice for the representation of female directors and playwrights.Of her new appointment, Lewis said: “I am excited to champion the works of Australian writers on the Griffin stage, around the country and internationally so that the company is increasingly recognised for the vital work we are so passionately committed to: the development and staging of the best Australian stories.”The appointment comes at a time of great momentum for Griffin, with many shows in the last two years selling out, attracting both audience and critical acclaim. The company’s work has recently been nominated for four Helpmann Awards, including two for the 2012 Sydney Festival production of The Boys, and for Paul Capsis’ one-man show Angela’s Kitchen, currently on a national tour. Outgoing Artistic Director Sam Strong will be taking up a new position at Melbourne Theatre Company in the New Year and is thrilled to be handing over the reigns to his colleague. “Lee is one of the country’s finest directors, a passionate and persuasive advocate of new writing, and a person and artist of deep integrity. She has been a vital part of Griffin’s current success and she is ideally placed to lead the company into an even more exciting future” said Sam Strong.Response to the appointment from with the arts has been overwhelmingly positive. Sydney Theatre Company’s Co-Artistic Directors Andrew Upton and Cate Blanchett commented “It’s a wonderful appointment. Lee is a genuine developer of new work and a great collaborator. We look forward to continuing to work with her in her new role.” John Bell, Artistic Director of Bell Shakespeare and director of the first production ever to take place in Griffin’s SBW Stables Theatre in 1970, said “I am delighted to hear that Lee Lewis has been appointed Artistic Director of Griffin. For many years now she has been achieving wonderful theatre and is a great advocate of new writing. Lee’s enthusiasm, energy and freshness of approach will be a great asset to her new role.” Lewis’ most recent directing work includes A Hoax, currently playing at Griffin’s SBW Stables Theatre until Saturday 1 September, Highway of Lost Hearts for Darwin Festival, and School for Wives, currently touring the country for Bell Shakespeare. In 2013, Lewis will direct Rupert for Melbourne Theatre Company, and a new work for Griffin. The Griffin 2013 season will be announced on 3 September.

A Hoax - Review

Love it, love it, love it! I thoroughly enjoyed the opening night.  A Hoax is written by Rick Viede which won the 2011 Griffin Award.
 A Hoax is about an author Ant (Glen Hazeldine) who writes about a young Aboriginal girl called Currah (Shari Sebbens). The problem is that Currah is not really Currah. Ronnie (Sally McKenzie) a literary agent, who was once known to have the Midas touch, is keen to get back her former glory and when she meets Currah she sees gold. Ant is flung aside and Currah is suddenly the person everybody wants to meet.  There is another character Tyrelle (Charles Allen), as he says to Currah he is a "biracial homosexual from a working-class background". He finds comfort in Currah's story and is humbled by her strength so when he discovers the truth it is almost too much for him and you wonder, for a second, how far he will go.
The script and characters are amusing and sometimes laugh out loud.  It has many double standards for example; Ant says he has to sign the contract because Currah has been known to be exploited and when Tyrelle talks about hating the taxi drivers because they are "racist transphobic homophobic towel heads".  The theme of abuse is runs through the play on many levels; Currah was physically abused, Miri (Kurrah) abuses her relationship with Ant, they all abuse the trust of the public that the story is true, hence the title A Hoax.  The end of Act One has one of the funniest lines when Currah declare to an audience that "Life's like a big fucken dick. It's hard."  In some ways that sums up the whole play, life is hard and some people will do anything to get to the top.
All the actors performed brilliantly and I have to say my favourite character was Ronnie. Sally McKenzie seemed very at home playing the slightly drunk, has been, literary agent.
The director Lee Lewis did a great job putting this together is the confines of the SBW Stables Theatre.  The use of music and film added just the something extra every now and then. It was short and sweet, so gave an instant "wow that was cool"!

A Hoax is playing at the SBW Stables Theatre in Darlinghurst until 1 September.