Skip Miller's Hit Songs

WORLD PREMIERE
SKIP MILLER'S HIT SONGS
BY SEAN RILEY

Adelaide Fringe award

Winner of the John Chataway Digital Technology Award - Adelaide Fringe 2011

Skip Miller doesn't take pretty pictures but he collects good music. A celebrated frontline photojournalist, he has spent years documenting the war zones of Africa and the faces of the dispossessed. A homeless wanderer amidst millions, Skip is on an endless search for the next assignment - the next best shot.

Meanwhile in a refugee camp, Basil Mgembe searches for his missing family and, in Australia, the newly arrived Patience Lugor comes face to face with her own image on bus shelters and billboards, in newspapers and magazines.

This multi-narrative ensemble work for African and Australian actors and musicians is an intimate, honest and open-hearted exploration of lives caught between two worlds.

Season 16 Feb - 5 Mar (previews from 12 Feb) 2011
Venue Odeon Theatre, Norwood
Times Mon-Sat 7.30pm, Sat matinee 2.30pm

Companion Card

The world premiere of Skip Miller's Hit Songs was presented at Odeon Theatre, Norwood on 16 February 2011 by Brink Productions

The development of Skip Miller's Hit Songs was supported by Maureen Ritchie and Graham F. Smith Peace Trust
Skip MIller's

WRITER Sean Riley DIRECTOR Chris Drummond
DESIGNER Wendy Todd MUSIC DIRECTOR Quentin Grant
FILMMAKER James Kalisch LIGHTING DESIGNER Geoff Cobham
PRODUCER Kay Jamieson

CAST Lizzy Falkland, Mondli Makhoba, Assina Ntawumenya
Chris Pitman, Rory Walker, Adolphus Waylee and musicians
Quentin Grant, Jerome Lyons and Lamine Nanky

Read the writer's and director's notes

At a glance: what the critics have been saying.

“Brilliantly provocative... compelling and imaginative, providing its audience with a slow and tantalising feast.” Australian Stage

“A show which should not be missed, Skip Miller’s Hit Songs is an emotional journey without a happy ending. You might not leave the theatre dancing a jig but you will be touched and moved.” The Barefoot Review.

“This is lyrical, wondrous theatre that explores human relationships, love, loss and the need to accept the past and embrace the present.” The Week

“Everything about Skip Miller’s Hit Songs has been done extremely well... This is a remarkable production that deserves to be seen by as many people as possible.” Rip It Up

“Each actor has numerous chances to shine, and shine they do, with their drastically changing circumstances and the effects on their personalities taking their toll.” Glam Adelaide

“Sean Riley’s latest script, born of much collaboration over almost three years, becomes a very rich piece of theatre indeed: textually, visually and aurally. Riley’s play is filled with insight and understanding and is deftly handled by director, Chris Drummond, with his usual care and attention to detail.” Glam Adelaide

“This is yet another very fine piece of work from Brink that engages and challenges and should be on your Fringe list.” Glam Adelaide

“It is accessible, funny moving, aesthetically and aurally beautiful, and offers something for all levels of arts enthusiasts.” InDaily

“The stagecraft is superb as it gently and powerfully uplifts the storyline, propelling the characters and their personal struggles to the forefront. This is theatre with great heart as it bridges the disparate social structures of two countries... Riley has written multi-layered characters for a multi-cultural story.” Australian Stage

“This is an amazing body of work – clever design and cunning direction as one.” Festival Freak

“Wonderful performances – both onstage and off – and a strong, compelling story.” Festival Freak

“Brink Productions are no strangers to success... this production goes from strength to strength and will no doubt linger in the minds of its audience, ready to electrify the next.” Mhairi McIntyre, Lowdown Magazine

“The production of Skip Miller is incredible... magnificent.” Kryztoff ★★★★

“Lyrical, poetic and wondrous theatre...” Australian Stage

“This is theatre with genuine heart.” ShoGo

“Chris Pitman in the lead role of Skip is a joy to watch, his internal struggles are clear from curtain up.” The Barefoot Review

“Assina Ntawumenya is beautifully natural...” The Barefoot Review

“Rory Walker has a beautiful naivety and exposes his insecurities with such honesty.” The Barefoot Review

“Lizzy Falkland plays Skip’s partner Alison Caldicott with strength and conviction.” The Barefoot Review

“...eye-catching performances. Adolphus Waylee’s Basel is especially outstanding and stands out in a cast of great veterans.” Fringe Benefits

“Untrained in stagecraft, Assina Ntawumenya, as Patience, has a beautiful stage presence.” The Advertiser ★★★★

“Rory Walker is delightfully human as the warm, loving and needy Neville Miller, Skip's brother.” Australian Stage

“Chris Pitman captures the essence of the jaded soul and his is an arresting performance.” The Advertiser ★★★★

“Deeply touching is Rory Walker’s sweetly ungainly interpretation of the brother, Neville Miller.” The Advertiser ★★★★

“As ever, Chris Drummond’s smooth direction pulls some strong evocative strings.” The Advertiser ★★★★

“James Kalisch’s strongly evocative film is confidently – but never pretentiously – used to create mood and a sense of emotion and drama. This, along with Geoff Cobham’s lighting and the excellent musicianship of Quentin Grant, Jerome Lyons and Lamine Nanky, is key to demarcating shifts between scenes, times and places, while establishing an overall continuity of atmosphere.” Ben Mylius, Lowdown Magazine

“(The projection) is used to great effect, acting like another player in the show rather than just highlighting scene changes and locations.” The Barefoot Review

“Technically this production was stunning to watch. Designer, Wendy Todd and lighting designer Geoff Cobham have created the perfect world for this script. Scored by a live band the music heightens emotion and underpins the tension.” The Barefoot Review

“Geoff Cobham’s evocative lighting transforms they many locations extremely well.” Glam Adelaide

“...not forgetting there are wonderful musicians on stage and that the set features terrific widescreen projections and sand underfoot.” The Advertiser ★★★★

“Director/Dramaturg Chris Drummond and Designer Wendy Todd have combined forces to produce stunning stagecraft skilfully illuminating this beautiful script. Geoff Cobham’s lighting is once again inspired and Quentin Grant’s music vibrant.” Australian Stage

“The strength of Brink’s philosophy of collaboration is evident from the moment the action beings: the cross-pollination of writer, director, musician, designer and actor creates an immediate sense of gravity, and thoroughness, which resolves into a strong and memorable performance.” Ben Mylius, Lowdown Magazine

“Brink Productions does it again.” Fringe Benefits

“Brink have continually pushed boundaries and exceeded themselves over the past few years... quality theatre right here in Adelaide? Look no further.” Fringe Benefits

“It is this feeling that Brink’s productions create – a sense of reflective possibility, of involvement in art transcending the borders of the theatre – that is perhaps their greatest characteristic.” Ben Mylius, Lowdown Magazine

“Undoubtedly, the people at Brink know they are making art; but it is their drive to achieve new things through collaboration, and their fervent desire to tell stories in new ways, which defines their work, and makes them so important to contemporary South Australian theatre. Skip Miller is a work highly recommended, from a company we should be glad calls Adelaide home.” Ben Mylius, Lowdown Magazine

“Brink adds another joyful and moving production to its repertoire.” InDaily

“Brink produces theatre that even your non-theatre-loving friends would enjoy.” InDaily

“Brink Productions is developing a reputation for leaping into the unknown and creating world class theatre.” Australian Stage

“There’s something special about a Brink production; maybe it’s the calibre, or the refinement, or the tone of the performances that lingers with you long after you’ve left the theatre.” Festival Freak

“It has that Brink feel about it – proper theatre, with impeccable production values.” Festival Freak

Lowdown Magazine - Ben Mylius

Adelaide Now/The Advertiser - Samela Harris