It is a delight for us to welcome back one of our favourite directors Benedict Andrews, who will direct a production of Jean Genet's The Maids, starring Cate Blanchett and Isabelle Huppert, here at STC in 2013. To mark the occasion, we take a look back at his long and distinguished career working at The Wharf.
Benedict's first production for STC was La Dispute, which was produced in 2000 following a series of workshops and featured a cast including Leeanna Walsman (pictured), Rose Byrne and Rhys Muldoon. (Photo: Tracey Schramm)
Later the same year Martin Crimp's Attempts on Her Lifein 2000, which was initally developed as part of STC's artist development program. (Photo: Tracey Schramm)
The following year he directed Fireface, by Marius von Mayenburg, as a co-production between STC and Sydney Festival, by arrangement with the Royal Court Theatre, London. (Photo: Heidrun Lohr)
Also in 2001, Benedict directed a production of Anton Chekhov's Three Sistersstarring Paula Arundell, Melita Jurisic and Rose Byrne. (Photo: Heidrun Lohr)
Benedict's last production in 2001 for STC was the world premiere of Beatrix Christian's Old Masters, starring Jacki Weaver and Robyn Nevin. (Photo: Heidrun Lohr)
Sophie Lee performed alongside Tim Richards, Felix Williamson, Simon Burke and Rita Kalnejais in Benedict's production of Mr Kolpert, produced in 2002 as part of STC Blueprints season. (Photo: Tania Kelley)
Also in 2002, Benedict directed a production of Pedro Calderon de la Barca's Life is a Dream, which he co-adapted with Beatrix Christian. (Photo: Heidrun Lohr)
The following year, Benedict directed Lynne Murphy, Peter Carroll and Jacek Koman in a STC and Sydney Festival co-production of Samuel Beckett's Endgame. (Photo: Heidrun Lohr)
In 2004, he directed Caryl Churchill's challenging dystopian drama Far Away, starring Sacha Horler and Brendan Cowell. (Photo: Tania Kelley)
In 2005, Benedict turned his hand to the work of William Shakespeare, directing a vast cast in a production of Julius Caesar. (Photo: Tania Kelley)
In 2007, he teamed up with the STC Actor's Company for a spectacular production of Patrick White's suburban drama The Season at Sarsaparilla, which featured surveillance video projected on screens, a three dimensional revolving house designed by Robert Cousins and memorable performances by the cast, which included Pamela Rabe and Amber McMahon. (Photo: Tania Kelley)
Benedict took the idea of scale even further with The War of the Roses, which was produced with the Sydney Festival in 2009. The eight hour epic, which featured the Actors Company plus guest artists Cate Blanchett and Robert Menzies, was staged in Sydney Theatre before touring to the Perth International Arts Festival. (Photo: Tania Kelley)
From the vast to the intimate, later in 2009 Benedict directed a beautifully scaled down production of Martin Crimp's The City, starring Colin Moody and Gigi Perry (pictured), plus Belinda McClory, Anita Hegh and Georgia Bowrey, and was performed in Wharf 2 on a magical set designed by Ralph Myers. (Photo: Emma Furno)
Benedict's most recent production at STC was Gross und Klein (Big and Small), which was staged at Sydney Theatre in 2011 and toured to Paris, London, Vienna and Recklinghausen in 2012. Written by Botho Strauss, this production featured an adaptation by Martin Crimp, set design by Johannes Schutz and performances by a large cast lead by Cate Blanchett as Lotte. (Photo: Lisa Tomasetti)
The Maids, Sydney Theatre, 8 June - 20 July, 2013.