SOMETHING NATURAL BUT VERY CHILDISH
Nestled into the backstreets of Woolloomooloo, the iconic Old Fitz boasts a lush history of diverse independent theatre. It’s a history, new residents the Sydney Independent Theatre Company (SITCO) aim to build on with their unique style and vision. “We are thrilled to take on this intimate theatre with its wonderfully creative atmosphere,” says artistic director, Julie Baz.
Kicking off this new residency is the Sydney premier of Something Natural But Very Childish. Inspired by the short stories of Katherine Mansfield, it’s a delicate tapestry of love – imagined, promised, faded – set in the quaint reserve of Edwardian England. Weaving its way around three pairs of would-be lovers and with a touch of the surreal, it makes a vibrant tribute to the brevity and preciousness of life. Mansfield herself died of TB as a young woman and clung to life for all it was worth. It’s about “the yearning for much more than the mundane,” says Baz, “and a great way for us to show what we are about as a theatre company.”
Classic drawing room comedy with wicked doses of humour and Chekhovian-like suspense. (GW)
Apr 30 – May 25, The Old Fitzroy Hotel Theatre, Dowling Street Woolloomooloo, $32, www.sitco.net.au
