SHORT AND SWEET SYDNEY THEATRE FESTIVAL – 2024 WEEK EIGHT @ TURNER HALL THEATRE
S+S SYDNEY 2024 Heat #8
Thursday 18th April 2024 until Sunday 21st April 2024.
The world’s biggest short play festival is back in Sydney.
SHORT AND SWEET Sydney 2024 aims to focus on new and unique ideas to drive the eight week season, and are all brought vividly to life, with an added emphasis on spotlighting the individual writers behind their extraordinary works, and also their process. Stylish theatricality galore, Character relationships, bewildering intrigue, together with magical story-telling.
Huge range of clever new works, all brought to the forefront. Of course there are the plays that are sharp comedies, existential dramas, character studies and family dynamics, surreal horror, poetry, musical, political and inspirational narratives, adventure, mystery, and some rather brilliant deductions required.
Short+Sweet 2024 is a celebration of play writing, plus the creation of original theatre via story-telling.
Over 70 plays are featured in the span of just eight weeks, and all are competing for a spot in the Gala Finals, where the best of the best receives their awards.
Prizes are awarded weekly (following after the 6:30pm Sunday performance), with dedicated programs to spotlight, some of the brightest creatives in the community, and a brand new award category for those original works, that have a truly unique concept.
WEEK eight PROGRAM
Thursday 18th April 2024 until Sunday 21st April 2024.
1 SMOKE AND MIRRORS
Written by Xeno Nemos (Leichhardt NSW)
Directed by Reena Akhtar (Ashfield NSW)
STARRING – Dominic Di Paolo (Harry), Laura Bray (Laura), Alex Baum (Harry’s Image), Hannah Lawson (Laura’s Image)
Audience comedy favourite, at the opening night performance. Set inside the dysfunctional couples bathroom. Comedy and drama as Harry and Laura, each talk with their mirror-mirror image.
2 CHANGING, ENGAGING, AGEING
Written by Maz Goldrick (Sydney)
Directed By Darrell Hoffman (Merrylands, NSW)
STARRING – Carolyn Neumann (Mum), Charlene O’Sullivan (Isabel)
Mother versus daughter drama, love-hate and together for 30 years. Daughter moving to Canberra.
3 COMING TO TOWN
Written by Keith Whalen (Peeksville, New York)
Directed by Deniz Gursoy (Baulkham Hills NSW)
STARRING – Dean Whittaker (Walter), Allegra Rodriguez (Arlene/N1&2), Erin Anikin (Arlene/N3&4), Jack Waters (Kenny)
Great comedy cast. Their gift of coal for their 35 year old son, who still prepares for Christmas in August. Christmas intensive storytelling, and there is NO SANTA etc.
4 A BRIEF HISTORY OF ME
Written by Phil Sanders
Directed by Benjamin La (Bankstown, NSW)
STARRING – Frank Byrne (Norman), Chloe Callow (Mother)
Audience drama favourite, at the opening night performance. Intensive drama, with chronologist writer at this typewriter. Having a conversation with his mother.
5 THE WRONG HEART
Written by Steve Wheat (Sydney)
Directed by Omer Aiaz (Sydney)
STARRING – Omer Aiaz (Dan), Heath Anderson (Karl)
Park bench intensive drama. Two strangers, Dan and Karl, but with his heart transplant at risk.
INTERVAL of 15 MINUTES
6 JUST CHRISTMAS
Written and Directed by Trish Koutrodimos
STARRING – Shelbie Brodie Marni Collier Stefanie Dobb Courtney Gallegos Jordan Gallegos Nick Hiebl
Family matriarch food comedy. Christmas lunch, with frozen turkey for dinner.
7 BRICKS
Written and directed by David O’Brien
ITC = Best Play Crash Test Drama Sydney 2023
STARRING – Robin Royce Queree (Sir Gareth Garson), David O’brien (Interviewer)
Famous actor has his new book, and has radio interview, but forgetting his lines.
8 TRANSCENDENT LOVE
Written by Skye Paez (Darlinghurst NSW)
Directed by Nita Wolf (Marrickville)
ITC = Controlled Chaos Productions
STARRING – Skye Paez (Aurora), James Coetzee (Francios)
Aurora, is a Transgender flight attendant. Trans storytelling with this message play.
9 BRAVE PEOPLE
Written by Allan Staples (Port Chester, New York)
Directed by Kai Paynter (Sydney)
STARRING – Jasmin Certoma (Nicole), Kirk Hastings (Ben)
Newly married couple, Ben and Nicole. Couple comedy at cancer clinic.
10 ABOUT FELICIA
Written by Bronwyn Elsmore (Auckland NZ)
Directed by Owen Gill (Waterloo NSW)
STARRING – Timothy Weston (Vet), Avril Vorsay (Mrs Hopper), Ben Webb (Animal)
Veterinarian comedy about strange pet, with awful corny jokes.
EXPECT – Some plays may contain “crude indecent” adult themes, adult concepts, and strong highly offensive profanities, offensive/coarse language, swearing + curses, and offensive foul material/themes, moderate alcohol usage, and issues relating to trauma. Recommended only for persons over the age of 18.
Pix by Luke Berman.
WEEK 8 is –
18-21 APR 2024
SEMI-FINALS are –
PEOPLES CHOICE SHOWCASE –
27 and 28 APR 2024
CREW CUT FINAL –
26 and 28 APR 2024
WILDCARD FINAL –
25 and 27 APR 2024
GALA FINAL –
3 and 4 and 5 MAY 2024
SHORT AND SWEET THEATRE – 2024 SYDNEY WEEK EIGHT @ TURNER HALL THEATRE
Thursday 18th April 2024 until Sunday 21st April 2024.
SHORT + SWEET ‘The Biggest Little Festival in the World!’
TICKETS – https://www.tickettailor.com/events/shortsweetsydney/
WEBSITE – https://shortandsweet.org/festivals/shortsweet-sydney-theatre-festival-2024
FACEBOOK – https://www.facebook.com/shortsweetsydney/
INSTAGRAM – https://www.instagram.com/shortsweetfest/
PROGRAMME – https://sydneyartsguide.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WEEK-8-SHORT-SWEET-SYDNEY-2024-PROGRAMME.pdf
This festival is proudly partnered with TAFE NSW
Photography/Filming is not permitted during performances
Multiple dates and times.
WHEN
Thursday 15th February 2024 until Sunday 5th May 2024
WHERE
TAFE building B – Northern Entrance – location is upstairs B1.04.HALL
Turner Hall
19 Mary Ann Street, Ultimo, NSW 2007
Near to the corner of Harris Street
SYDNEY NSW Australia
HANDICAPPED ACCESS and LIFT available – from the rear entrance on the Ground Floor – at the Southern Entrance to the building.
SYDNEY BUSES 501 from RAILWAY SQUARE, to Harris Street Bus Stop.
S+S WEEK 8 RESULTS
The final week of ten-minute theatre has come to a close – performing to a full house with audiences voting for their favourites to take part in the Finals this weekend. Four plays have advanced through this weeks audience and judges votes, and we are also pleased to announce additional plays that have qualified for the finals based on their overall season percentages.
JUDGES CHOICE winners are –
1st Place – BRAVE PEOPLE
=2nd Place – SMOKE AND MIRRORS
=2nd Place – TRANSCENDENT LOVE
=4th Place – BRICKS
=4th Place – ABOUT FELICIA
BRAVE PEOPLE advances directly to the Gala Final as the winner of the judges vote in Week 8.
BRICKS and ABOUT FELICIA both advance to the Wildcard Final as they are the highest ranked runner’s-up in judges vote [that did not advance to the semi-finals via Peoples Choice or CrewCut (eg Transcendent Love).]
CREW CUT winners are –
THE WRONG HEART
PEOPLES CHOICE winners are –
1st Place – BRAVE PEOPLE
2nd Place – SMOKE AND MIRRORS
3rd Place – TRANSCENDENT LOVE
TRANSCENDENT LOVE advances to the Peoples Choice Showcase as BRAVE PEOPLE has already advanced to the Gala Finals and unfortunately, the cast of Smoke & Mirrors are unavailable for the semi-finals.
Congratulations to COMING TO TOWN which has also been invited to the Semi-Finals.
Tickets are selling fast – come and support your favourites:
