sitting, screaming
by Madelaine Nunn

A WORLD PREMIERE

“I could crack open the footpath until nothing fragile is left undestroyed.”

Shortlisted for the Rodney Seaborn Playwright’s Award and longlisted for the Griffin Award, sitting, screaming is a raw and confronting new Australian play about family, adolescence and the abuse of power.

Sam’s in her last year of high school, her dad’s just been diagnosed with testicular cancer. ‘Too much wanking!’ Her mum says, it’s a joke but no one finds it funny. It’s safe to say no one’s coping very well, least of all Sam. Not that anyone is noticing. It isn’t until she ends up in the office of Mr David that she feels like she can finally open up, that she can let it all out.

Award winning writer – director duo Madelaine Nunn and Lucy Clements take to the stage with this fierce new Australian play. sitting, screaming champions the strength, resilience and courage of young women.

★★★★★
“ought to be on award shortlists for the best of 2024.”
– Stage Noise

★★★★
“an occasion of memorable storytelling”
– Suzy Goes See

★★★★
“great that it is told with the integrity on display in sitting, screaming.”
– Sydney Arts Guide

“It’s hard to believe that a new play could hit the mark so well”
– Stage Whispers

“Clare Hughes is superb as Sam…It is a tour de force performance“
– Theatre Now

“holds an air of Prima Facie about it”
– Theatre Thoughts

“masterfully subverts a narrative that could have fallen into the cliche trap of so many before to give a voice to those unheard and empower the courageous.”
– Australian Arts Review

“the equivalent of a Caprice for Solo Violin by Nicole Paganini… Clare Hughes as the solo actor gave a virtuosic performance equal to the violin master himself.”
– Eastside FM

Cast and Creative Team

Producing Company: New Ghosts Theatre Company
Playwright: Madelaine Nunn
Director: Lucy Clements
Producer: Emma Wright
Production Manager: Amy Norton
Costume & Set Designer: Hailley Hunt
Composer & Sound Designer: Sam Cheng
Lighting Designer: Luna Ng
Lighting Design Mentor: Veronique Benett
Stage Manager: Natalie Baghoumian
Assistant Director & Understudy: Jade Julian
Assistant Sound Designer: Natesha Ham
Assistant Producer: Helena Cielak
Production Assistant: Elyse Zouroudis
Photographer: Phil Erbacher
Cast: Clare Hughes

Dates + Ticketing

Season: September 20 – October 5

Note- previews are 20/09 & 21/09, opening night (invite only) is 22/09

Times: 6.45pm Tues-Sat, 5pm Sun + a 2pm matinee on Saturday 28/09

Ticket Prices:

Previews & Cheap Tuesday: $38.50 + booking fee
Adult: $49.50-82.50 + booking fee
Concession: $39.50-60.50 + booking fee

SITTING, SCREAMING is offering an allocation of complimentary tickets to First Nations peoples. Please contact Virginia at boxoffice@oldfitztheatre.com.au to claim.

Note- purchase tickets to both paired shows in the New Works Festival for 10% off your tickets.

Approximate Run Time: 70 minutes

Content Warnings: this production contains mature themes, sexual references, grooming and descriptions of self-harm