JUDITH

Radical British playwright Howard Barker is coming to Bondi. Well, his play Judith is anyway. The dramatist, who has written over 70 plays and is best known for developing his ‘Theatre of Catastrophe’ rarely has scripts performed in Australia. Judith is based on a Biblical story and is about a woman who plans to seduce the General of her enemy army before cutting of his head. I spoke with the lovely actor, Anna Houston, who has described the script as heady (pardon the pun) and enigmatic.  “I was attracted to grappling with Barker’s concepts and weighty ideas of sex, love, death and power,” she explains. “But the script is also very funny. That’s one of Barker’s great gift; to challenge the audience through humour. A lot of the text is shocking and dense but he does it in a way that is mysterious and exciting.” Houston attended a Catholic primary and high school and the NIDA graduate is enjoying researching the ancient history in preparation for the role. “It’s amazing going back over this Biblical narrative and realising most my Catholic schooling has gone out the window,” she says laughing. “My teachers would be shocked.”

Oct 18-Nov 6, The Bondi Pavilion Theatre, Queen Elizabeth Drive, Bondi Beach, $21-33, 8019 0282, rocksurfers.org