David Hare's SKYLIGHT Opens in June at MTC

David Hare's contemporary classic Skylight returns to Melbourne Theatre Company's stage 20 years after its Australian premiere. Led by newly appointed MTC Associate Director Dean Bryant (I'll Eat You Last, Next to Normal), Skylight opens on Thursday 23 June at Southbank Theatre, The Sumner.

Colin Friels (Endgame, Red) and Anna Samson (Birdland, The Sublime) feature as estranged lovers who reunite and old passion sparks. But just as quickly as they are reminded of what brought them together, they realise their opposing ideologies and mutual desires are as incompatible and self-destructing as ever.

Award-winning director Dean Bryant said, 'Rarely do the personal and political come together in such an exciting and theatrical evening. It's a thrilling opportunity to experience actors on fire up close. Skylight is funny, sexy, sad and even more relevant to who we are as a society now than it was twenty years ago.'

A few years ago, Kyra broke off her relationship with a wealthy married man, having caused more hurt than she could bear, and settled for a more meaningful life as a teacher in a disadvantaged school. But is it idealism that drives her or her need for repentance? When her former lover Tom tracks her down to her cold London flat to rekindle their relationship, she must decide whether she could ever again be the person she once was.

Director Dean Bryant makes his debut as MTC Associate Director with Skylight, having previously directed I'll Eat You Last and Next to Normal. He worked at the Company as Associate/Assistant Director on The Drowsy Chaperone, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (and STC), Urinetown (and STC) and Hitchcock Blonde. Dean directed Sweet Charity for Hayes Theatre Company, receiving the 2014 Helpmann Award for Best Director of a Musical - this production toured the country in 2015. Recently he directed Anything Goes for Opera Australia/GFO, Gaybies for Darlinghurst Theatre Company (also writer), Once We Lived Here (2014 London premiere) and La Cage Aux Folles (Production Company). Other credits include Straight (Red Stitch), DreamSong (Theatreworks), Prodigal (45Downstairs), The Last Five Years (Stables) and for The Production Company; The Producers, Pirates of Penzance and Jerry's Girls. Dean won a Green Room Award for writing Prodigal and Once We Lived Here, and is a graduate of WAAPA.

David Hare is one of Britain's most internationally performed playwrights. Born in Sussex in 1947, he had a long association with Britain's National Theatre, which produced eleven of his plays successively between 1978 and 1997. He is the author of 29 plays for stage, including Plenty, Racing Demon, Amy's View, The Blue Room, The Secret Rapture, The Breath of Life and Stuff Happens. His many screenplays include The Hours and The Reader.

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