The Ugly One
by Marius von MayenbergTranslation by Maja Zade
From the acclaimed team that brought you the multi-award winning The Pillowman, 23rd Productions presents the Brisbane theatre debut of The Ugly One.
The Ugly One is an audacious, witty and as sharp as a surgeon’s knife look at... well, our obsession with how we look. Lette has invented something revolutionary but discovers he is just too damn ugly to promote it. His wife admits he’s so ugly she can only look at him in his left eye. Enter a surgeon with a God complex and a talent for facial transformations and for a while Lette finally gets a life beyond his wildest dreams. Until everyone else changes their face to look like him…
THE UGLY ONE was premiered in the UK by The English Stage Company at the Royal Court Jerwood Upstairs on 13 September’07 directed by Ramin Gray.
For information on the playwright we recomend Alison Croggon's THEATRE NOTES
cast and crew
 Kat Henry Director |
The Ugly One marks Kat’s happy debut with 23rd Productions after a long association with its members. In 2009 Kat graduated from the Postgraduate Directing Course at NIDA and in 2010 she directed her multi-media, multi-discipline production of The New Dead: Medea Material (with text by Heiner Muller) for the La Boite Indie season, through her own production company Stella Electrika and after sell-out seasons in Sydney and the Adelaide Fringe. In 2010 she also directed the musical Miss Saigon for Ignations Musical Society and The Rover for UQ. At the Queensland Theatre Company Kat has been Assistant Director for Michael Gow on The Importance of Being Earnest and Jon Halpin on The Estimator and 2011 Kat will direct Orphans as part of the QTC Studio Season. For Warehaus Theatre Company Kat has directed Sondheim’s Assassins at the QPAC and for Zen Zen Zo and BGGS she has directed a production of Medea. Other major directorial works include shows at the Melbourne Fringe Festival, The Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Art and Metro Arts. Kat has directed the music video Safe in Silence for Sydney band Former Child Stars through Triple J, which premiered on Rage and went on to rotation on American MTV. As a performer Kat has worked with La Boite, Zen Zen Zo Physical Theatre, and performed around Australia and at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival Little Dove Theatre Art in the multi-award winning Six Women Standing In Front of a White Wall. She has also acted in Attempts on Her Life (directed by Kate Gaul in Sydney), Single True Things (short stories by Tim Winton), starred in the 2007 Tropfest finalist film Counter as well as the Pacific Film and Television Commission (PFTC) short film Passive Smoker. |
 Norman Doyle Sheffler |
Norman has been involved with the theatre in one way or another since narrating the Dr Seuss classic Horton Hatches the Egg for Twelfth Night Theatre, aged 10. He has since appeared in over 50 productions since his first childhood foray, including The Tempest, Much Ado About Nothing, Tosca, The Merry Wives of Windsor and two interstate touring productions of Amadeus for 4MBS, Parade (Warehaus) and Under Milk Wood (Fractal). Creative development projects include Empires Burning (Fractal/Eugene Gilfedder), Motherland (Three Sisters/Katherine Lyall-Watson), and most recently, Fractions (QTC/Marcel Dorney) winner of the 2010/11 Premier's Drama Award. 2001 saw Norman nominated for a Perform Award for his work in Ben Elton's Popcorn (Arts). He has also enjoyed a long and fruitful association with 23rd Productions, appearing in Closer, Motortown, multi-award winner The Pillowman. On screen, Norman has appeared in the films All My Friends are Leaving Brisbane (Bunker), Flight (QPIX) and But a Giant Leap for Mr Larkin (RinceMagic), a winner at the Tel Aviv Film Festival. As a writer and director, Norman’s short film The Letter was a grand finalist in the inaugural Courier-Mail Short Cuts Competition. In 1994, Norman became the state’s first qualified theatrical ‘audio describer’ as part of a Queensland Performing Arts Trust program to allow greater access to theatre for the vision-impaired at QPAC. A keen blogger, Norman is currently developing a live show around his whimsical blog, Bigmouthery. |
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Kathryn Fray trained at one of Europe’s most prestigious Drama Schools and has worked with renowned British director Michael Winterbottom. After graduating she worked in London, first in the premiere of the opera Brundibar, and as Bobbie Michelle in Last of the Red Hot Lovers. Kathryn then came to Australia and toured NSW in the award winning L’Amour est Bizarre, returning to the UK to perform at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. After some TV and short film work, Kathryn moved back to Australia where her performances include as Emma Goldman Assassins (Warehaus Theatre, QPAC 2005); Lizzie Phagan/Sally Slaton Parade (Warehaus Theatre, QPAC 2006), Georgie The Full Monty (Lickety Split Productions, QPAC 2006), Lady Juanita Much Ado about Nothing (The Queensland Shakespeare Ensemble, 2007), and on a locally produced feature film. With a commitment to bringing powerful contemporary international theatre to the heart of Brisbane, Kathryn launched 23rd Productions in 2007 with their acclaimed production of Closer in which she played Alice. In resent years she has played Marley / Helen in MOTORTOWN; worked on various corporate and television productions, as well as producing the hugely successful THE PILLOWMAN, Metro Arts 2009, and my night with harold, Brisbane Festival Under the Radar 2009. In 2010 she played UNA in the critically acclaimed BLACKBIRD as part of the inaugural La Boite Indie program. Kathryn is a program facilitator at GoMA and a proud member of MEAA. |
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Since graduating from USQ (2001) Dirk has appeared in numerous film, theatre and musical theatre engagements across Queensland. Highlights include; The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Oscar), The Witches of Eastwick (Starlight Theatre), Children of Eden (Harvest Rain), The Rainbow Dark (Metro Arts), Godspell (Starlight Theatre), Assassins (Warehaus Theatre), The Watcher, Nightcap at the Studio (Metro Arts) and most recently the multi-award winning production and of The Kursk by Sasha Janowicz (Matrix Theatre / Metro Arts) which toured nationally throughout 2009. Dirk has toured extensively with children’s theatre in education productions including Tim Winton’s The Bugalugs Bum Thief with the Queensland Arts Council. He has appeared in a diverse range of short films and local television productions, making his feature film debut in the ‘schoolie’ movie BLURRED in 2002. He has directed for Echelon / Perform Youth (VIC), 23rd Productions and assistant directed The Laramie Project (Forward Movement). Dirk has been heavily involved with the production and creative realisation of several projects including Parade (Warehaus Theatre), A Slightly Sondheim Wedding (Oscar) and The 25th Annual Spelling Bee (Oscar) at the Roundhouse Theatre (2008). In 2010 Dirk accepted a four month internship as the Assistant Producer for the QUN international festival in Manchester. After a almost a year living and working in the UK, Dirk is happy to be home and excited to be joining 23rd Productions’ for their Queensland premiere of The Ugly One. |
Kevin Spink |
Theatre credits include: Pennies and Beggars (Brisbane cabaret festival), My Night With Harold (23rd Productions), Tashi (Imaginary Theatre), Peter Pan (Harvest Rain), The Last Days Of The New Theatricals (Re-staged Histories Project), Bronte (Three Sisters Productions), Magdas Fascination With Wax Cats (The Forward Movement), Beautiful (And Moor Theatre), The Laramie Project (Forward Movement), A Mid-Summers Nights Dream (4MBS – Classic Players), Dracula, Romeo and Juliet (Zen Zen Zo Theatre co), The Full Monty (Likety-Split), Duchess of Malfi (Trocadero Productions), The Tempest (Brisbane Arts), Flame (Logan City Theatre), 12th Night (Salisbury youth theatre/UK). Film credits: A House Share, Down Under Mystery Tour, Mullet Apocalypse, Simon Says, Sweet FA, Notation, Smashed. TV Credit: Heartbeat (ITV/Granada). |
 Jessica Ross Designer |
Jess graduated from the Queensland University of Technology’s (QUT’s) Bachelor of Fine Arts Course Majoring in Technical Production and Minoring in Art History, 2009. Jess then completed her Honours in Production Design in 2010. Previous Design credits include; Set Designer for Kat Henry and Stella Electrika’s Production The New Dead: Medea Material (LaBoite, 2010), Production Designer for Expression Dance Company’s Launch Pad (Judith Wright Centre Dance Studio, 2010), Production Designer for Sean Mee’s QUT Production’s Attempts on Her Life (Garden’s Theatre, 2010) and The Golden Age (The Loft, 2009), Set Designer for Ben Knapton’s Gaijin (Brisbane Powerhouse Visy Theatre, 2008), Design Assistant to Bruce McKinven for Brisbane Festival 2009 and Design Assistant to Jonathon Oxlade for Queensland Theatre Company’s Toy Symphony (Queensland Performing Arts Centre Cremorne Theatre, 2009). Jess also enjoys Stage Management for Theatre and Live Events, which keeps her very busy. Currently Jess is managing Standby Props for Channel 7 on their highest rating Children’s Television Show Toybox, a Beyond production. |
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Jeremy is an experienced vocalist who also plays keyboard, piano accordion and ukulele. In 2009, Jeremy travelled to Seoul on an Australia-Korea Foundation Scholarship to study Korean traditional music in Seoul, studying Daegeum and Sogeum (bamboo flutes) and majoring in Pansori (Korean Opera) at The National Theatre of Korea. Jeremy has worked extensively in composition and sound design for live performance, producing the soundtracks for the Tashi Stories (QUT / Imaginary), at QPAC’s Out Of The Box Festival and Brisbane Festival 2006. Jeremy wrote the score for Fleur Elise Noble’s interactive Filmic Theatre piece The 2 Dimensional Life of Her which has received wide critical acclaim and was voted ‘Best In Fest’ at the Brisbane Festival 2008 Under The Radar. The work has since toured nationally through Mobile States, and internationally to countries such as The Netherlands, Scotland and Iran. Jeremy has also worked as sound designer and composer on the LATT Children’s Theatre science fiction musical Strange Soup, a work that enjoyed a 4-month national tour of South Korea in 2009 / 2010. Most recently, Jeremy composed the soundtrack for Rob Thwaites' A Catch of the Breath as part of the 2010 Metro Arts Independents season. For his own company Red Moon Rising, Jeremy has produced the score for Sketches of Blood (2008 Melbourne Fringe, 2010 Adelaide Fringe - nominated for Best Dance) and The Oak’s Bride which premiered at the 2010 Next Wave Festival and was nominated for a 2010 Green Room Award for best Concept and Realisation of a Dance Work. |
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This is Hamish's third show for 23rd Productions, having designed the lighting for the company's productions of Closer & Motortown.Hamish is an Australian lighting designer and economist. Recently in Brisbane, he has worked with Flipside Circus on the show Alice... the Short+Sweet Festival, designing the 2010 program as well as the Metro Arts Independents show A Catch of the Breath. Further afield he has designed for and worked with Darwin Festival, The Adelaide Fringe Festival, The Garden of Unearthly Delights, Spicks and Specks, Trafficlight and Token. As an economist he has written about economic epistemology, development economics, the economics of migration and the economic ramifications of civil war. |
Christopher Sommers
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Christopher graduated from Queensland University of Technology with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA Acting) 2002. Theatre credits include: QLD Theatre Company: FAT PIG, THE CRUCIBLE, SCHOOL OF ARTS, The Exception and the Rule (Qtc Education ) ANATOMY TITUS FALL OF ROME (Qtc and Bell Shakespeare Company) & PROOF, QLD Premier Drama Awards 2010, The Works 2007, Young Playwrights Awards 2007 & 2009. HOODS* (Realtv, Sydney Opera House, Melbourne Arts Centre, Dschungel, Vienna Austria, Teatro im hof, Bolzano, Italy ) La Boite Theatre: HAMLET, National Tour of ZIGZAG STREET. Other theatre credits: BEAUTIFUL. (And moor) Forward Movement and Springboard Theatre Company’s THE LARAMIE PROJECT , 23rd Productions: CLOSER., Restaged Histories Project: OMON RA (Brisbane Powerhouse & Adelaide Fringe 2006), TRIVIA (Bunker Productions) SLEEPING AROUND (Downstairs Belvoir) THE ORACLE (Osmosis Dance Theatre) and STAINED (Darlinghurst Theatre) His Film credits include: Jucy, The Horseman, Singh is King, AFI award winning Unfinished Sky, All My Friends Are Leaving Brisbane. His Television credits include: TerraNova,(US) Sea Patrol(series 5), The Strip, Monarch Cove(US), The Starter Wife(US) and Love Bytes(Aus/Uk). In 2006 Christopher was nominated for a Matilda Award for Best Emerging Artist. In 2009 Christopher was the Emerging Artist for Queensland Theatre Company. In 2009 Christopher attended Master classes in Los Angeles, California at The Ivana Chubbuck Studio and Margie Haber Studios after receiving a Lord Mayors Young and Emerging Artist Fellowship from the Brisbane City Council. He will appear on stage for QTC in 2011. |
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Charleen Marsters is a Griffith University Graduate, with a Bachelor of Arts (Applied Theatre) in 2010. While at Griffith she has performed in such plays as The River the dirt and us, Mother courage and her children and Motel chronicles. Outside Griffith University Charleen has performed in The Vagina Monologues (That Production Company), 2006 & 2007 productions of Paradise the musical (Backbone Youth arts), Hope Tour (Contact Inc.) Charleen is one fourth of an ensemble (Whisk-it!) in which they have staged their own devised performances, Scrub it, Just a spoonful off..., Qhac Hats show. Charleen has performedseveral Brisbane secondary schoolsworking with Theatrescope (Griffith University) to develop and perform plays such as, Uni-reach ‘Staying on Track’ and Live Stories. Off the stage Charleen is a freelance applied theatre practitioner. She has worked on various applied theatre projects such as Living Libraries (Sunnybank RSL & Griffith Theatrescope) and Drama! (Brisbane Youth Detention Centre & Griffith University). She has also worked backstage on various stage productions and festivals such as, Icon Creative Summit (Breakthrough), Blackbird (23rd Productions). |
 Justin Boase Stage Manager |
Theatre has not always been on the agenda for Justin Boase. It wasn’t until he was subject to it in his high school years that he really thought he’d be able to pursue it as a career. After a couple of years finding his feet in the world of tertiary education he settled in to the bachelor of applied theatre degree at Griffith University. Whilst studying at Griffith he tried to be a part of as many productions as he could, he landed the lead role of Mark in Shaun Charles’ The River, The Dirt and Us. He made his professional debut in THAT production companies Spring’s Awakening. Justin Strives to be a well rounded theatre maker and has done his share of behind the scenes work. He was a part of the design team for his final year showcase of Mother Courage. He has also directed for his co-founded independent theatre company Whisk-it!. This is not the first time Justin has worked with 23rd Productions as he was assistant stage manager for their production of Blackbird. Justin is happy to be working with 23rd productions once again and is thankful for their faith in him to stage-manage The Ugly One.Looking to the future Justin hopes to propel Whisk-it! into the Brisbane theatre scene and the public eye of the general Brisbane community. |
Jeremy Neideck
Hamish Clift
