Anatomy of a Suicide
Written by Alice Birch
"My mother always said to Live Big. Live as much as I could."
Discover a startlingly beautiful and truly unique theatrical experience about three generations of mothers and daughters.
For each woman, the chaos of what has come before brings with it a painful legacy. Three stories intertwine in such a way that every audience member will have their own unique interaction with the show.
A sensation at The Old Fitz Theatre in 2019 and nominated for four Sydney Theatre Awards, Anatomy of a Suicide returns in 2022 for a powerful, unflinching look at how one family struggles to live alongside the impact of pain passed from one generation to another.
This is theatre doing what it does best: taking on the big taboos—guilt, loss, addiction, regret—and illuminating them beautifully to provide a shared understanding and relief.
Played Seymour Centre in Chippendale, Sydney from 6 to 29 October, 2022
Co-Presented with Chopt Logic
Written by Alice Birch
Director Shane Anthony
Set Design Shane Anthony & Gus Murray | Costume Design Siobhán Jett O’Hanlon | Lighting Design Morgan Moroney
Composition Damien Lane | Sound Design Nate Edmondson | Dialect Coach Danielle Roffe
Stage Management Sarah Watson | Assistant Director Vada Gock
Producer Gus Murray | Producer Shane Anthony
Starring
Jack Angwin, Danielle Catanzariti, Harriet Gordon-Anderson, Anna Houston, Teale Howie,
James O’Connell, Guy O’Grady, Natalie Saleeba, Anna Samson, Kate Skinner
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Sydney Theatre Awards 2019 Nominations
Best Ensemble
Best Female Actor in a Leading Role in an Independent Production - Kate Skinner
Best Stage Design of an Independent Production - Shane Anthony & Gus Murray
Best Costume Design of an Independent Production - Siobhán Jett O’Hanlon
GLUGS Awards 2019
Nominated for Most Outstanding Independent Production
Nominated for Most Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role in a Play - Andrea Demetriades
Winner of Most Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play - Contessa Treffone
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This event is supported by the Australian Government through the Office for the Arts
This event was originally produced in association with Red Line Productions at the Old Fitz Theatre
“Haunting and immersive, yet subtle in its manoeuvring of the complexities of motherhood and female pain.” ★★★★
— TimeOut Sydney
“A remarkable production on all levels. When you book, book twice because this is a play of infinite depth and excellence, and curiosity will drive you back. Standing on the pavement afterwards asking your companion why they gasped at a time when you were laughing won’t satisfy.” ★★★★1/2
— Judith Greenaway
“Birch’s intricate cross-referencing requires actors to weave a complex tapestry of words and images and the play is unflinching to the point of unrelenting in its depiction of women at their lowest ebb. It demands performances of finesse and range.” ★★★★
— Jason Blake, Audrey Journal
“In this highly inventive play, the… simultaneous storytelling is an unusual form, but it well serves the play’s subject matter. It suggests that what happens to one woman echoes down the generations; an eternal present in which the corrosive past lingers.” ★★★★
— Joyce Morgan, Sydney Morning Herald
Gallery
Production Photography Phil Erbacher | Promotional Photography Johnny Nicolaidis
