CALPURNIA DESCENDING

'Theatre may have changed since the Colosseum, my dear, but audiences have not. They're still not satisfied until they've tasted blood.'
Beverly Dumont

Sydney Theatre Company presents
a Sydney Theatre Company and Malthouse Theatre Production

CALPURNIA DESCENDING

by Sisters Grimm
Created by Ash Flanders and Declan Greene

Lights. Camera. Capsis!

Sisters Grimm (Little Mercy) return to Wharf 2 Theatre with the inimitable Paul Capsis as an irresistible new accompaniment. As The Daily Review says “it’s a match made in gay heaven”.

Taking their glam-grunge melodrama and high camp comic bite to hilarious new lows, Declan Greene and Ash Flanders are putting the silver-screen diva front and centre. Garbo, Collins, Davis, Taylor, Hepburn... and Beverly Dumont.

She’s spent a decade sequestered away from the bright lights of 42nd Street, but when a golden chance comes to resurrect her career and her reputation, Beverly Dumont will do what Beverly Dumont does best — scheme, scam and scream her way (back) to stardom.

In the wings stands Violet St Clair, with cheekbones that cut glass and a body to hold on to. Is she a starry-eyed ingénue or a calculating careerist? As rehearsals get underway for Beverly’s Broadway comeback, it’s clear that this will be a b***h-fight for the spotlight.

In the expert hands of Ash Flanders, Violet St Clair will be the talk of the town before the curtain descends: “Flanders plays the not-so-innocent ingénue perfectly, bringing the extremes of her ambitions to the fore with superb comedic timing.” The Daily Review

The Sydney Morning Herald raved about Capsis’ Dumont: “tempestuous, fearful and spotlight-craving... There are few performers who can make such an extreme character statement seem so flesh-and-blood credible.” Limelight Magazine said “the entire cast of Calpurnia is fantastic, particularly Paul Capsis as the fabulously crotchety Dumont.”

With a deliriously colourful mix of live video, lo-fi animation and outrageous gags, you’ll be hurtled into what the Sydney Morning Herald describes as “a huge technical, choreographic and imaginative effort mated with a mischievous sense of humour.”

“Like all fine parody the tone is often highly respectful, even while it seems to be relentlessly taking the piss. But the genius of this piece is the extent to which it goes beyond parody and beyond drag.” The Australian

Duration: 1 hour 20 mins (no interval)
Warning: contains smoking, strong language, nudity and sexual references.