Backstage

In this episode I'm taking you backstage at Belvoir Street Theatre for a closer look at The Birds — not Hitchcock, but a tense, immersive stage adaptation of Daphne du Maurier’s story. This striking one‑woman work, performed by Paula Arundell, is as much about sound and atmosphere as it is about narrative, pulling the audience into a world of unease and sensory intensity. I’m joined by writer Louise Fox and director Matthew Lutton to talk about how this adaptation came together — from shaping the text for a solo performer to building a sonic landscape that carries so much of the storytelling weight.

Come Backstage with Giuseppina Grech. The Phantom of the Opera is back on Sydney Harbour from 27 March, and this episode goes behind the scenes with one of its most delightfully outrageous characters: Carlotta Giudicelli. Australian‑Italian soprano Giuseppina Grech brings the temperamental prima donna to life on the spectacular Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour stage. She previously performed the role in the in‑theatre national tour across Sydney and Melbourne, but this marks her first time tackling Carlotta outdoors, on one of the biggest and boldest stages in the world. Known for her razor‑sharp comic timing and fearless embrace of Carlotta’s larger‑than‑life ego, Giuseppina talks about why she loves leaning into the character’s outrageousness, how comedy shifts on a vast open‑air stage, and what changes when a famously dramatic diva performs against the Sydney skyline.

Regina Botros is joined backstage by Mark Leonard Winter, whose Mark Antony has emerged as the standout performance in Bell Shakespeare’s bold 2026 production of Julius Caesar. Making his Bell Shakespeare debut, Mark brings a volatile, magnetic energy to Antony in a contemporary staging set in 1990s Eastern Europe and directed by Peter Evans. A Helpmann Award winner and founding member of independent theatre company Black Lung, Mark is known for his fearless, risk‑taking performances across Australia’s major stages, including Sydney Theatre Company and Melbourne Theatre Company. His acclaimed turn as Antony has drawn glowing reviews, with critics praising its wild charisma, mercurial shifts, and unsettling modernity — a performance that commands attention and divides opinion in all the right ways. We talk about Antony as both Caesar’s confidant and political operator, the choices behind finding the character’s duplicity, and how Mark approached a role often overshadowed by Brutus. He also reflects on breaking the fourth wall, including the production’s much‑discussed funeral speech moment, and what it means to play Shakespeare with such direct audience connection. Bell Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar runs at• Sydney Opera House: 7 March – 5 April 2026• Canberra Theatre Centre: 10 – 18 April 2026• Arts Centre Melbourne: 23 April – 10 May 2026

Director Zindzi Okenyo joins Regina Botros to talk about Purpose — the most awarded new American play of 2025, now on at Sydney Theatre Company in its first production since Broadway. Branden Jacobs‑Jenkins’ drama centres on a powerful African American family whose public legacy begins to crack when the estranged youngest son returns home with an unexpected guest. Stepping into this sharp, funny, emotionally volatile play: what drew Zindzi to it, how did she navigated the tension between public image and private truth, and how did she shaped the dynamic between a civil‑rights patriarch and the matriarch trying to hold everything together, while it falls apart. Featuring Grace Bentley‑Tsibuah, Deni Gordon, Markus Hamilton, Tinashe Mangwana, Maurice Marvel Meredith, and Sisi Stringer.

In this episode of Backstage, Regina Botros speaks with Gabrielle Scawthorn, the writer and director of The Edit, and Matilda Ridgeway, one of its powerhouse performers. The Edit, now on stage at Belvoir, is a sharp, provocative work born from Gabrielle’s deep dive into the world of reality television. Drawing on countless interviews, the play explores the blurred lines between truth and performance, and what happens when our lives become content.

Photographer Alex McClintock joins Regina Botros on Backstage to talk about his latest collaboration with audio documentarian Mike Williams: 24 Hours in Kings Cross, a genre-bending live documentary showing at Sydney Fringe Festival. Captured over a single sleepless day, the show is a gritty, glamorous tribute to Sydney’s infamous red-light district, blending McClintock’s evocative street photography with Williams’ immersive audio storytelling. Together, they shine a spotlight on the misfits, lovers, drag queens, tattoo artists, and party-goers who make the Cross pulse with life. From sunrise to sunrise, this multimedia experience is a love letter to a suburb that never sleeps. 📍 24 Hours in Kings Cross runs from September 10–20 at Sean & Dolly’s, as part of the Sydney Fringe Festival .

In this episode, Regina Botros sits down with legendary lighting and set designer Nick Schlieper to explore the hauntingly beautiful world of Grief is the Thing with Feathers, now playing at Belvoir Theatre. Co-adapted by Schlieper alongside Simon Phillips and Toby Schmitz, this theatrical reimagining of Max Porter’s acclaimed verse novel dives deep into the surreal and poetic terrain of grief, memory, and transformation. Nick shares insights into the creative process, the challenge of translation, and the character of Crow. On at Belvoir Theatre.

In this episode, Regina Botros speaks with Jessica Arthur, director and dramaturg of Koreaboo, a bold new work for Griffin Theatre Company. Currently the New Work Associate - Artist Development at Malthouse Theatre, Jess has held key creative roles at Sydney Theatre Company, including Resident Director (2019–2022), Directing Associate, and Richard Wherrett Fellow. Her directing credits span Belvoir, Griffin, La Mama, Kings Cross Theatre, Old Fitz, Melbourne Theatre Company. In this conversation, we dive into the making of Koreaboo, its cultural resonance, and Jess’s process of developing new work that speaks to contemporary audiences. From The Dictionary of Lost Words to The Wolves, Jess’s career is a testament to innovation, collaboration, and the heart of storytelling.

In this colourful episode, Regina Botros is joined by the talented Alexander Berlage, the award-winning director and lighting designer, to dive into his dazzling new production of Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown at the Hayes Theatre. How do you take a cult Almodóvar classic and reimagine it for the stage? Alex shares the creative journey behind bringing this bold, emotional, and hilariously chaotic story to life. From navigating the musical’s tone to crafting a visual world that captures the spirit of 1980s Madrid, this conversation is a must-listen. 🎭 Alexander Berlage has made a name for himself as one of Australia’s most exciting theatrical talents. With back-to-back Sydney Theatre Awards for Best Direction of a Musical (American Psycho and Cry-Baby), and a 2023 win for Best Direction of an Independent Production (A Streetcar Named Desire), his work continues to push boundaries and captivate audiences. Tune in to hear how Alexander and his team bring passion, precision, and a touch of madness to the stage in this unforgettable production.

Tom Gleisner joins Regina Botros to talk about his musical Bloom, playing at Sydney Theatre Company. He's an Australian comedian, television presenter, producer, director, writer, occasional actor and author. Gleisner currently hosts Network 10's Have You Been Paying Attention?.

Lucy Clements joins Regina Botros to talk about her latest show Iphigenia in Splott at Old Fitz Theatre and her position as the Artistic Director of the theatre space. Lucy is the Founder, Managing Director and CEO of New Ghosts Theatre Company Inc, and the Artistic Director of the Old Fitz Theatre. She specialises in the creation and presentation of new theatrical works and strives to champion playwrights & women in theatre. In 2019 she established the IGNITE Collective - a women-led, inclusive collective of theatre makers from across the nation, formed with the mission of putting new women-driven stories on Australian stages. In her time with NGTC and IGNITE, Lucy has been at the helm of seven world premiere and four Australian premiere productions, and has worked across Sydney, Perth, Darwin, Melbourne and New York. Her production of 'Albion' won the Sydney Theatre Award for Best Independent Production 2022, for which she also won Best Direction of an Independent Production. Lucy begins her tenure at the Old Fitz Theatre in 2024.

Tom Wright joins Regina Botros to talk about his adaptation of Picnic at Hanging Rock at Sydney Theatre Company. Wright's adaptation of Picnic at Hanging Rock for the Sydney Theatre Company has received rave reviews. It's an eerie, beautiful, and visionary take on Joan Lindsay's gothic tale. The production, directed by Ian Michael, features a talented cast and combines modern elements with the haunting mystery of the original story. Tom Wright started as a member of Barrie Kosky’s Gilgul Theatre in the early 1990s, then with Michael Kantor’s Mene Mene in the late 1990s. He has worked as an actor and director at the Melbourne Theatre Company, STCSA, Sydney Theatre Company, Playbox, La Mama, Company B, Anthill, Gilgul, Mene Mene, Bell Shakespeare Company, Chunky Move, Black Swan Theatre, Chamber Made Opera and the Adelaide, Sydney, Edinburgh, Vienna, Perth and Melbourne Festivals. He was Artistic Associate at Sydney Theatre Company 2004–2008 and Associate Director of STC 2008–2012. He joined Belvoir as an Artistic Associate in 2016. More about Tom here.

Shiv joins Regina Botros to talk about how he came to acting and his role in 4000 Miles for STC. Shiv Palekar was born in India, raised in Hong Kong and is now based in Sydney, Australia. Since graduating from NIDA, Shiv has appeared in Counting and Cracking (Belvoir); The Tempest, The Real Thing, The Beauty Queen of Leenane, and Disgraced (Sydney Theatre Company); The Sound Inside (Melbourne Theatre Company); The Almighty Sometimes (Griffin Theatre Company); and has toured nationally twice in The Merchant of Venice and The Players (Bell Shakespeare). Photo Credit:credit Derek Henderson