The Ugly One to Close Griffin Independent Season

Following critically acclaimed productions across Australia, and notably a sold-out season with the Melbourne Theatre company in 2010, Sydney audiences will now have the chance to experience one of the hottest plays to come out of Germany in recent years. The Ugly One by Marius Von Mayenburg is a black comedy twisted into social satire that asks the question: how far would you go to fit in?

Playing at SWB Stables, Kings Cross from 23 November, The Ugly One is the story of mild-mannered Lette, who has always thought he was normal. But he’s wrong. When the dire state of his personal marketability and his ugliness (which even his wife sees) bans him from presenting his newly-invented plug at a Swiss convention, he decides to take action with some extreme aesthetic cosmetic surgery. It’s a smashing success and Lette’s popularity skyrockets. What follows that seemingly positive transition, however, is a darkly modern allegory about whether or not there could be such a thing as too beautiful.

This premiere Sydney season is the final Griffin Independent show for 2011 and will be directed by Sarah Giles, a young up-and-comer. She doggedly pursued the rights to the play, winning out amongst strong competition from a group of many other young and established directores. Giles, who most recently directed Money Shots for STC, is a NIDA graduate and 2009 Resident Director at Griffin. This production marks her return to the SBW Stables Theatre following her debut direction of The Pigeons for Griffin Independent last year. Giles has a strong interest in new writers – both locally and internationally – and an inclination towards the absurd.

Cast: Jacinta Acevski, Gig Clarke, Eden Falk, Jo Turner
Director: Sarah Giles
Designer: Michael Hankin
Lighting Designer: Tom Willis
Sound Designer: Caitlin Porter

Previews: 23, 24 November
Season: 26 November – 17 December
Performance Times: Monday – Saturday, 7pm
Matinee: 17 December, 2pm  
Venue: SBW Stables Theatre,10 Nimrod St, Kings Cross

Prices: Full $30; Seniors $26; Concession/Preview/Matinee $23; Group $26; Under 30 $26 (Monday-Thursday)
$15 Rush tickets available every Monday evening (supported by Foxtel)

All tickets unsold one hour prior to performance are $15 (max 2 tickets per person)
Booking: 02 8019 0292 or www.griffintheatre.com.au