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SHADOWS OF ANGELS 2023 PROGRAM
SHADOWS OF ANGELS
Presented by Anglesea Performing Arts
Written by Fleur Murphy
Directed by Iris Walshe Howling & Janine McKenzie
Original Music by Kirstin Honey
Cast: Julie Fryman (Femme 1), Lina Libroaperto (Femme 2), Nikki Watson (Femme 3) and Stacey Carmichael (Femme 4)
Set in the city slums of 1920s Australia and based on true events, ‘Shadows of Angels’ sees four women recollect the part each played in a crime on one hot, volatile day. The horrific event set in motion an investigation and opened up a mystery from the past that connected these four very different individuals.‘Shadows of Angels’ explores the desperate lives and dangerous minds of female criminals, challenging ideas of gender, sexuality, poverty and crime.
Wicked women, seductive sinners, vicious vixens – thanks to Hollywood, the Femme Fatale is typically depicted as a glamorous, gun-toting, red-lipped, curvaceous blonde. Shadows of Angels, written by Melbourne playwright Fleur Murphy, exposes the real and gritty lives of women in crime. Four very different women, with cleverly interwoven stories, challenge our ideas of gender, sexuality, poverty and crime. Set within the city slums of Melbourne, Australia in 1929, the play explores the desperate lives and dangerous minds of the female criminal in this gripping piece of contemporary theatre.
Fleur Murphy (Writter)
“Australian playwright Fleur Murphy’s powerful uncompromising script holds storytelling close to it’s heart, offering us an opportunity to work towards an aurally rich, visually striking production. The challenge for the actors has been the emphasis on the exploration of the power of language as the text’s inherent rhythm provides the piece with an internal rhyme through heightened poetic language.”
Iris Walshe- Howling (Director)
Iris Walshe-Howling - Co Director
Iris has been acting and directing in the Melbourne Independent Theatre scene for many years. A member of the La Mama theatre in the early days, she continued her involvement over the years. Over the last eighteen year she has brought exciting, often confronting theatre to the Surf Coast and beyond with the award winning Anglesea Performing Arts company. Currently the emphasis being contemporary Australian playwrights.
Janine McKenzie - Co Director
Janine has worked as an actor and director with companies including Back to Back, Comic Genius, APA, Geelong Repertory, TTT and Theatre of the Winged Unicorn. Acting roles include The House of Bernarda Alba (Poncia), The Importance of Being Earnest (Lady Bracknell), Picnic at Hanging Rock (Diane de Poitiers). Janine received the Drama Victoria Regional Teacher of the Year Award in 2015 and was awarded Geelong Theatre Best Director Award (with Iris) for The Hope Song.
Fleur Murphy - Writer
Fleur has a B.A. in Theatre Performance - Acting from the University of Ballarat, Arts Academy and completed a Masters in Writing for Performance at VCA in 2019.
Fleur’s first full-length play, Shadows of Angels premiered at the Adelaide Fringe Festival in 2012, and received further acclaim at the SheppARTon Arts Festival and the Owl and the Pussycat Theatre in Richmond in 2013. Shadows Of Angels was also long-listed for the Theatre503 Award in London. www.fleurmurphy.com
Sheshtin (Kirstin) Honey - Composer & Musician, Sound & Projection Design
Sheshtin is an award winning multi-instrumentalist, composer & visual artist. Her composition history ranges from Post Rock, Dark Wave, Electronica, Alt Folk to Madrigals. Her theatre composition highlights include Back to Back Theatre, Glen Shea, Skin of Our Teeth and Project Connect. They are delighted to be working with Anglesea Performing Arts once again.
soundcloud.com/kirstinhoney - kirstinhoney.bandcamp.com
Sarah Crowe- Production Co-Ordinator
Sarah is passionate about performing arts and has been her whole life. Sarah spent her youth learning ballet, contemporary as well as many different cultural dances, whilst also studying music and singing. She also taught ballet and contemporary dance to children for a few years, before having a break from performing and the Arts. In 2021 Sarah joined APA and has reinvigorated her passion for all things theatre. Sarah recently performed with The Theatre of the Winged Unicorn as Mrs Bradman in Blithe Spirit.
Julie Fryman - Femme 1
Julie developed an interest in theatre and performance in primary school. This led to studying Performing Arts at Monash University, and (quite a few years later) a job in Theatre in Education. Over the past 12 years Julie has performed in many productions with Theatre of the Winged Unicorn and more recently in 6 award-winning plays with Anglesea Performing Arts. Julie loves the never-ending learning she encounters in theatre.
Lina Libroaperto - Femme 2
Lina has a diverse background in theatre, including performances with LaTrobe Uni Student Theatre and directing productions at Pentridge jail. Her involvement with APA spans 20 years and includes many roles. These have included The House of Bernada Alba, All Souls, Medea, The Hope Song, Love Loss and What I Wore and The Bleed Tree. in 2014 she won Best Female Actor at the Anglesea One-Act Play Festival and in 2016 received the Geelong Theatre Best Female Lead Actor Award.
Nikki Watson - Femme 3 & Costume Design
Nikki is a performer, director, producer and dabbles in costume making and wearable art. As a producer at Back to Back Theatre, Nikki has travelled extensively to theatre festivals, supporting artists on the global stage, when not working in the theatre space collaborating with Anglesea Performing Arts, you will find Nikki as an ICU Nurse at University Hospital Geelong.
Stacey Carmichael - Femme 4
Stacey is a director, choreographer, actor, dancer and teacher. She has directed award- winning productions of The Pirates of Penzance and Exit the King (Best Director, Geelong Theatre Awards). Stacey’s most recent acting credits include Lizzie (The Hope Song), Cecily (The Importance of Being Earnest), Daughter (The Bleeding Tree). Stacey has completed short course studies in acting and directing with RADA (London), NIDA, Brave Acting Studio and Frantic Assembly (London) and holds a Bachelor of Contemporary Arts in Dance / Drama. www.staceyccreative.com
THANK YOU
Lorne Community Connect, Clonard College
Bruce Stebbins, Janene Meaden, Katrina Martin, Haley Rem, Sue Cartwright, Wendy Elsum, Nikki Thompson, Coastline Advice, David Keele, Maggie Evans, Tim Watson and lots of other amazing people
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