Riverside Theatres Takes on DIVING FOR PEARLS

Riverside Theatres and Griffin Theatre Company will present of one of Australia's greatest plays still startlingly relevant today, Diving for Pearls by Katherine Thomson, from 8th to 10th November 2017.

Painting a searing portrait of Wollongong in the 80s, this play exposes the continuing ramifications of the political decisions of the time, which planted seeds of divide we continue to witness today. Darren Yap directs Helpmann Award-winning actor Ursula Yovich in a story about aspiration, reinvention and the desire to be our own agents of change.

With the town she grew up in changing all around her, Barbara (Yovich) is determined to change with it. Hopeful of a way out, she sets her sights on landing a job at one of the new resorts popping up. Meanwhile her partner Den (Steve Rodgers) must also reinvent himself to survive, when the steelworks where he has worked his whole life is sold.

Artistic Director of Griffin Theatre Company Lee Lewis said, "Katherine Thomson is one of the best writers in the country. Her gaze is unwavering and this play has a heart of the like we don't often see. It quietly questions who we want to be in the complicated future of this country."

Ursula Yovich is one of Australia's most versatile actors. Her recent mainstage credits include acclaimed performances in Sydney Theatre Company's Power Plays, The Golden Age and Love and Information. Other notable stage roles include Queensland Theatre's Mother Courage and Her Children, Belvoir's A Christmas Carol and her Helpmann Award-winning performance in Capricornia.

Steve Rodgers embedded himself in audiences' memories with his role in Griffin Theatre Company's 8 Gigabytes of Hardcore Pornography. Other recent stage credits include Sydney Theatre Company's Power Plays and Belvoir's Jasper Jones and A Christmas Carol, as well as an extensive list of film and TV credits.

Director Darren Yap, Set & Costume Designer James Browne, Lighting Designer Benjamin Brockman, Composition & Sound Design Max Lambert & Roger Lock, With Michelle Doake, Jack Finsterer, Steve Rodgers, Ebony Vagulans, Ursula Yovich

What: Diving for Pearls
When: 7:30pm from 8th to 11th November, 11am on 10th November (plus Q&A with Katherine Thomson and Darren Yap) and 2:15pm on 11th November (plus Q&A with Darren Yap)

Location: Riverside Theatres - Corner of Church and Market Streets, Parramatta

Tickets: Adult $52, Concession $47, Under 30's $38
Discounts available for Riverside Theatres' Members. Transaction fees: phone $4.60, web $3.60 and counter $2.60.

Bookings: riversideparramatta.com.au or (02) 8839 3399