‘Seventeen’ revival features Australian theatre royalty

Coming to the Seymour Centre in late September is a masterful example of Australian play writing that is making a return to a New South Wales stage for the first time in ten years.

Actress and producer Di Smith has brought back Matthew Whittet’s Seventeen for a limited run at the Reginald Theatre with a stellar cast of Australian theatre royalty that will make this production one of the 2024 season’s most memorable stage moments.

“It (Seventeen) has been inexplicably ignored since 2015, and it is such a beautiful play that when I saw the Belvoir production I bought the play script and decided that I would do it one day,” Di Smith, co-producer, Wild Thing Productions said.

Seventeen is set on the last day of high-school when a group of six friends gather in a playground to mark the passing of their youth as they face an uncertain future in the world outside.

Through a fog of booze secrets are revealed, alliances change and confessions are made as they say goodbye to their youth and hello to their futures.

The twist in this brilliantly written paean to youth is that all the characters are played by much older actors.

“Matthew is interested in the moments in life where you launch yourself into a different era, and leaving school is one of those things,” Smith said.

“When you are watching the play you are watching contemporary 17 year-olds, but what he has written is a beautiful duality played by people who have already made the choices in life that they may have made on a night such as this.”

For Smith some of the most powerful moments in the play are when one of the characters asks “Do you think we will remember this night?” as another says “I am not ready to say goodbye to the person that I was.”

“What we have is a room full of people who have had wonderful careers on stage and on screen and they deal with that with such a delicate emotional touch,” Smith said.

Casting for a play with such nuance in the text caused Smith to think very carefully about who to approach, but she was delighted when all said “yes” straight up.

“They all said “yes” and they have all loved Seventeen and that is why they are here,” Smith said.

“Experience and capability is what is required and you can’t put a play like this into anyone’s hands.”

Joining Smith onstage will be veteran actor Peter Kowitz, Noel Hodda (seen recently in the Old Fitz production of Cut Chilli) and Colin Moody, who has travelled from his home in Ireland to join this production.

Also in the cast is Di Adams, who Smith said “has amazing comedic talents” and Katrina Foster, who opened the Wharf Theatre with Smith in 1984. The production is directed by Mary-Anne Gifford, who has 40 directing credits to her name.

“You have a room full of theatre royalty and everyone knows their stuff so well the energy is immense,” Smith said.

Seventeen
Seymour Centre, Cnr City Road and Cleveland Street, Chippendale
27 September to 19 October
https://www.seymourcentre.com/event/seventeen/