The story that brought Leah Purcell back to the stage

The Stage Show

Actor, director and writer Leah Purcell has been telling us her own stories and the stories of people close to her since the 1990s. Now Leah’s back – as the adaptor and director of the true tale of Aunty Ruth Hegarty, which take us into the heart of Australia’s post-colonial history, a powerful two-person play called Is that you, Ruthie?

The life of a performer on the road can be tough, but think about the partner who’s left back at home. Add a new baby to the mix and it can be challenging indeed. This was the experience of Kyle Falconer, the lead singer of Scottish band The View and his partner Laura Wilde. They tell their story in an indi musical No Love Songs. We're joined by the Australian cast Keegan Joyce and Lucy Maunder.

Damien Warren-Smith is the comedian behind Garry Starr, the (increasingly nude) clown who has toured highly successful shows like Garry Starr Performs Everything, Greece Lightning and now, Classic Penguins, which won rave reviews at the Edinburgh Fringe and is now coming to Australia. Garry may be a buffoon, but Damien takes clowning very seriously.