Cate Blanchett Checks Out “The Histrionic” Opening Night

During a recent interview with Gotham, Cate and Andrew talked about the magnificent program they’ve put together over the years at the Sydney Theatre Company.

Upton began, "We are incredibly fortunate to have Jacki Weaver playing Nana and John Bell playing Serebryakov, and it’s definitely been—for us personally as artistic directors—one of our favorite projects. I think [this production of Uncle Vanya] has all the things that separate good theater from a great theater experience. There was just this serendipity around the way that piece of programming happened. It found its own voice, it found its own time, it found its own cast, it found its own director, and now it is finding this lovely extended life."

Cate added, "But I think when more theater companies tour to New York with increasing regularity, you start to get a sense of the breadth and the interesting nature of the work that is going on in Australia, because Australia is not necessarily internationally associated with a strong theatrical culture. As you said, Nigel, film is such an international medium, and our sporting prowess is well understood internationally, but I think, on a diplomatic level it does diversify the perception of what Australia is capable of culturally. That was a big ambition for Andrew and me when we returned to Australia to lead the company. We knew from direct experience the depth of talent in Australia, and it was a big ambition for us to get the work out."