Jason Cavanagh

In November last year 5 actors and 5 guest directors produced from start to finish 5 very different plays over the course of 5 weeks. Thus recreating the old style of repertory theatre. We call it…
5pound’s of Repertory theatre

5pound theatre have a vision to wind the clock back on theatre in order to reconnect with it’s roots and it’s audience base, to make a more intimate and visceral experience for the theatregoer by having a more strings and all approach, to create a challenging and fruitful experience for the theatre makers, and to revive a lost form of expression in order to reach out to the wider community.

The general practise in Australia today is to have a period of 4-8 weeks of rehearsal before a play is seen by the public. Luxury we say! Let’s take that down to one! … or rather 5- 5 productions in 5 weeks.

Okay... Why?

Judi Dench, Ian McKellen, Harold Pinter, Patrick Stewart, Michael Caine… just some of the many names to earn there stripes by treading the boards for repertory theatre.

We want to challenge the mental, physical and artistic capabilities of this group of theatre makers, to see what will emerge when they are asked to create shows in this older form.

The aim of this is to create a high calibre of performance that is also fresh, immediate and vibrant. A celebration of theatre as an art form. Fun, exciting, engaging, entertaining for audience, entertaining and challenging for the actors and production crew and a bonding experience for actor and audience alike.
At the helm of the individual productions are some of the most exciting young theatre makers in Melbourne, the theatre makers that are part of the grass routes of Melbourne theatre. These are the people that are part of the community, rely on the community, and in the past where strongly supported by the local community.

This project seeks to help re establish that connection. As we attempt to rediscover some of the routes of modern theatre companies, we seek to rediscover this connection with the community.

But most of all it’s just going to be a whole lot of fun for everyone involved- actor and audience alike. There will be lines lost, improvisations made, the wheals could completely come off! The roof could fall in! It could be absolute chaos! And that possibility… just the possibility that everything could go horribly wrong, encapsulates everything that is great about live theatre.

By challenging the theatre makers in this way it is our belief that very quickly pretence and preciousness will be lost, barriers put up and broken down, endurance and concentration levels questioned and challenged. But above all it will give those involved with an all new, and everlasting appreciation for the term… the show must go on.

Here are the productions we have coming up this year...


And now let me introduce you to the fabulous people we have involved...

The money raised will go toward production costs, including, set, costume, and marketing. Also it will help contribute to us being able to guarantee the artists a salary. We strongly believe that it is important to pay actors and directors for their time and for their work, and in this case it is extra importantas the actors will be here working day and night. WHich means if we don't pay them, they don't eat. And we want them to eat.

All in all things went very swimingly last year but still there where a few things we thought we could tweak for this year...

This year we have a longer pre production period (we've been working on this since January!)

We moved the opening night to Wednesday so we now have the absolute luxury of a preview performance... just to take the stress off.

We have expanded our team behind the scenes... many hands an all that.

We also have recruited an individual designer for each production to make sure every one has it's own unique flare, and there is more focus on making a completed, fully rounded and finished production each week.