SUNSET STRIP
by SUZIE MILLER
9 July – 3 August 2024
“Look, I’m a fuck up, but maybe there’s some beauty in just surviving.”
How far will you go in the name of family?
Sisters Caroline and Phoebe have charted very different courses in their lives. While one escaped their hometown, the struggling holiday hamlet of Sunset Strip, for a high-lying legal career, the other has stayed, caring for their aging father and battling her own demons.
Now Caroline has returned, recovering from chemotherapy, to find the ever-optimistic Phoebe newly in love and determined to make life fabulous, despite dad’s decline into dementia.
From Olivier Award-winning Australian playwright Suzie Miller (Prima Facie, RBG: Of Many, One) comes this heartwarming examination of family love, the unique relationships between father/daughter and sister/sister, and surviving the worst that life dishes up with humour and resilience.
In the end, there’s always hope.
“Tenderly gripping and frequently funny” Sydney Morning Herald
creative team
Director & Set Designer Annette van Roden
Lighting Designer Casey Moon-Watton
Sound Designer Jay Murrin
Assistant Director Martin Kelly
Stage Manager Marc Monnet-Demarbre
LX/SX Operators Jay Murrin, Violet Powter
cast
Shane Davidson
Molly Haddon
Vincent Melton
Erica Nelson
dates/times
Preview Tue 9 Jul 7:30pm
Opening Night Wed 10 Jul 7:30pm
Thu – Sat 7:30pm, Sun 2pm
Final performance Sat 3 Aug 2pm
Running time: 1 hr 45 mins including intermission
Please note: this production features adult themes, coarse language, smoking on stage and depictions of drug use.
Please note: latecomers will be admitted at a suitable break in the performance
tickets
Full $37
Concessions, Groups (6+) $32
New Theatre Members $25
Thrifty Thursdays $25
Preview $20
(Booking and transaction fees apply)
★★★★.5 “This is a play where the audience will be left to ponder what will happen to these characters long after the curtain falls. Multiple themes are conversation starters, and this is one of the highlights of Suzie Miller’s script, and New Theatre’s production.” It’s On The House
★★★★ “A compelling drama. Director Annette van Roden gives Miller’s play a strong production that comes to a well realised, heart melting resolution which will stay long in the memory.” Sydney Arts Guide
“Blends humour and heartache, delving deep into the complexities of family bonds … The cast breathes life into Miller’s characters with nuanced performances that feel entirely authentic and deeply moving.” That Show Blog
“Suzie Miller rocketed to fame with the success of her plays, ‘Prima Facie’, and ‘RBG’. New Theatre has made a smart choice to stage her earlier work … There is great ease and truth of dialogue and wit, plus having an intimate ensemble who can give it genuine blood … An amusing, thoughtful and tender experience.” Stage Whispers
“Director/designer Annette van Roden’s production encloses the large space to give us intimacy, with a playful set that evokes a much larger environment … Miller is a great writer and this is a great chance to play catch-up with her early work.” Cultural Binge
“For theatregoers seeking a character-driven Australian drama, ‘Sunset Strip’ could be just the ticket.” Arts Hub
“Sound designer Jay Murrin creates a lakeside soundscape with sounds of nature, dread and tension. Casey Moon-Watton’s dramatic lighting design enhances the intrigue and anticipation in the story. Director and set designer Annette van Roden has brought to life the sense of loss of childlike naivety and the cruelty of time with a dilapidated lakeside scene with a boat and no water, assisting the domestic drama to build and build.” Theatre Travels
“Shane Davidson, Molly Haddon, Vincent Melton and Erica Nelson are an utterly wonderful ensemble, bringing powerful performances to the stage while never overshadowing or pulling focus. Each actor creates a character of depth and dignity.” Australian Arts Review
“A reminder to stay optimistic when life gives you lemons and to embrace the challenges it serves.” Theatre Thoughts
“Humorous and heart-warming … The story continues in your head or in the after show discussions — always a good thing for any piece of art.“ City Hub
Patrons please note: New Theatre is now EFTPOS-only
at Front of House for both ticket and bar sales.
COVID- Safe protocols:
QR code and vaccination checks are no longer required.
Face masks are not mandatory, but recommended.
Main image: © Seleznov Oleksandr/Shutterstock
Production images: © Chris Lundie