Old Fitz Theatre Launches First Act Of 2024

In 2024, Sydney's iconic Old Fitz Theatre enters a new chapter, led by Artistic Director Lucy Clements and Executive Producer Emma Wright.

On Wednesday the 13th of December, the duo announced the first of three acts of their inaugural season, a continuation of the Fitz's rich legacy of celebrating the intimate to the epic in the basement of Australia's last remaining pub theatre. 

With an Irish classic from one of the world's favourite playwrights, an award-winning queer love-triangle-mystery fresh from London, a world premiere of a women-led Australian gothic drama, and an exciting variety of late night experiences - Act One is only the beginning of an unforgettable year at the Fitz. 

The year begins with a classic: Martin McDonagh's The Lonesome West. The writer of Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, In Bruges, The Banshees of Inisherin and The Beauty Queen of Leenane, The Lonesome West is Martin McDonagh's savage, uproarious tale of two warring brothers. The final installment of the acclaimed Leenane Trilogy, this pitch black comedy is sure to shock, thrill and delight. Presented by Empress Theatre and directed by Anna Houston (Cyprus Avenue), the production will be brought to life by actors Ruby Henaway, Abe Mitchell, Lee Beckhurst, and Andre de Vanny. 

The second slot is an Australian premiere of Isley Lynn's The Swell, a mind-bending romantic drama, and a 90 minute journey through love, betrayal, attachment and care. Described as the “best piece of new writing in London” (The Arts Desk), The Swell is a gripping queer love triangle that will leave you gasping. It lands at the Fitz, presented by Akimbo + Co, and directed by Julia Billington, fresh off its debut 2023 season in London which won Lynn an Evening Standard Theatre Award for Most Promising Playwright. Platforming queer voices in the 2024 Mardi Gras season, Lynn's masterful journey of tangled emotions, subtlety and surprise is a must-see. 

Concluding Act One is a world premiere production of Emily Sheehan's gothic thriller Frame Narrative, presented by New Ghosts Theatre Company, and directed by Artistic Director of the Fitz, Lucy Clements. A metatheatrical, genre-bending, world-class new work drawing inspiration from Mary Shelly's Frankenstein, Frame Narrative traces the evolution of gothic literature to 90s

trashy horror, and asks whether you can ever truly separate a work of fiction from its author. This production highlights Lucy & Emma's continued commitment to supporting new Australian writing at the Fitz, as well as championing women in the arts as they have done so for many years at New Ghosts Theatre Company. 

A second event will be held at the Fitz on January 5th to officially launch the first three Late Night slots of the year. Late Night programming will feature throughout 2024, the very first of which will play alongside Isley Lynn's The Swell. 

Lucy & Emma extend enormous thanks to Red Line Productions, particularly Andrew Henry & Dino Dimitriadis, for their continued support and extraordinary contributions to Sydney's theatre sector. 

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