2020-21 Matilda Awards Winners

2020-21 GOLD MATILDA WINNER:

PAUL DELLIT OAM

Compassionate and tireless, Paul is driven by his passion for the performing arts and those who work within it.

Currently Manager of the Moncrieff Entertainment Centre in Bundaberg, Paul was Producer for QPAC for many years, and, in particular, from 2003 to 2021, was President of the Actors’ & Entertainers’ Benevolent Fund of Queensland.

He has spent years raising the profile of the Benevolent Fund, spearheading fund-raising campaigns to help performers in need, arranging public memorials for major arts industry figures, and looking for practical ways to support emerging artists.

Queensland arts and entertainment industry would be the poorer without Paul Dellit. 

BEST video DESIGN

WINNER

Craig Wilkinson, Boy Swallows Universe (Queensland Theatre, Brisbane Festival and QPAC)

Demonstrating phenomenal skill, the video design for Boy Swallows Universe was a technical marvel, encompassing the canvas stage created by Renee Mulder. The video design took the audience across time, and literally to space, and back seamlessly. Craig's projection work shows again why he is the most sought-after video designer for the stage in Queensland.

BEST Lighting Design

WINNER

Jason Glenwright, Your Song (The Little Red Company)

From the minute you entered the theatre for this production, it shouted Elton John and it stayed true to his character the whole night. 

Jason worked closely with the creative team to carefully craft a design that was full of surprise, colour and movement. The design was sensitive to the memorable moments shared by everyday people but also delivered the fun highlighting the eccentric moments which brought the audience to their feet. Elton John once said, “You should never take more than you give”. This design did just that.

BEST Sound Design/Composition

WINNER

Anna Whitaker & Ben Ely, Cowboy (Michael Smith & The Farm, Presented by Brisbane Festival & Metro Arts)

Exceedingly witty, fresh, and inventive, sound was intrinsic to the mime world of Cowboy. 

The audience was cleverly taken to the Wild West with a delicate, yet highly controlled playfulness. The aural landscape helped define the action in such an encompassing way as rarely seen on Queensland stages in the joyful work.  

ShORTLIST

Studio Gilay & Wirrim Media, Weredingo (Karul Projects. Presented and Co-commissioned by Brisbane Festival and Metro Arts. Produced by BlakDance)

Nathan Sibthorpe, Horizon (Playlab Theatre)

Nathan Sibthorpe, The Holidays (Queensland Theatre)

Craig Wilkinson (Video) & Sean Dowling (Illustration), Avoidable Perils (Counterpilot & Optikal Bloc. Presented by Brisbane Festival, West Village & Metro Arts. Produced by Metro Arts)

Craig Wilkinson, Fourthcoming (shake & stir theatre co and QPAC)

ShORTLIST

Daniel Anderzipf, Sea Wall (THAT Production Company)

Christine Felmingham, The Bull, the Moon and the Coronet of Stars (Presented by The Hive Collective and Metro Arts)               

Jason Glenwright, The Holidays (Queensland Theatre)

Jason Glenwright, Your Song (The Little Red Company)

Ben Hughes, Boy Swallows Universe (Queensland Theatre, Brisbane Festival and QPAC )

David Walters, Horizon (Playlab Theatre)

ShORTLIST

Jamie Taylor, Your Song (The Little Red Company)

Brady Watkins, Sea Wall (THAT Production Company)

Guy Webster, Fourthcoming (shake & stir theatre co and QPAC)

Guy Webster, Undertow (Shock Therapy Productions)

Guy Webster, Naked & Screaming (La Boite Theatre)

BEST Costume Design

Briefs Factory, Dirty Laundry (Briefs Factory International)

After 10 years of selling out festivals worldwide, the Briefs team delivered a spectacular line of costumes for their production Dirt Laundry. Featuring luxurious dresses, heals, and wigs each customised and unique to each individual on stage, the costume work for this production both perfectly complimented the shows political undertones while striking a bold and sensual image on the Southbank piazza stage. The craftmanship while exquisite in visual execution also impeccably served the performers practically allowing them to complete intense physical acts unincumbered. Special shout out to the creative use of bubbles during the laundromat fantasy scene.

BEST Set Design

Bill Haycock, Of Mice and Men (Ad Astra)

This skilfully executed design transformed a small uncompromising space into an atmospheric fluid working environment for a complex naturalistic play. The use of found timber underlined the roughness of the lives of the working men and grounded the piece in a world of physical strength and economic powerlessness. The creation of different spaces for individual characters reinforced the theme of loneliness and allowed director and actors scope to particularise the human dilemmas at the heart of this profound and moving classic play.  

Bille Brown Award – Best Emerging Artist

Pierce Gordon, Against the Wall (Passion Productions)

Pierce Gordon has declared himself as an artist to watch in the Brisbane performing arts ecosystem. Having already carved out a screen presence, Gordon turned his attention to the stage in 2018 and has dedicated himself to mastering multiple aspects of the craft including writing, directing and acting, In the Anywhere Theatre production of Against the Wall he took on the difficult task of directing a production staged in a small residential apartment. In addition he plated two roles Mike and Leo displaying an ability to deliver an emotional depth and intensity to both characters.

ShORTLIST

Lisa Fa’alafi, Leah Shelton, Demolition (Polytoxic. Developed with the assistance of Metro Arts)

Chloe Greaves, That’s What She Said (The Good Room, Commissioned by Metro Arts)

Bill Haycock, Of Mice & Men (Ad Astra)

Renee Mulder, Triple X (Queensland Theatre)

Sarah Winter, Away (La Boite Theatre)

ShORTLIST

Chloe Greaves, Naked & Screaming (La Boite Theatre)

Chloe Greaves, That’s What She Said (The Good Room, Commissioned by Metro Arts)

Lisa Fa’alafi, Leah Shelton, Leigh Walker & Helen Clifford, Demolition (Polytoxic. Developed with the assistance of Metro Arts)

Renee Mulder, Triple X (Queensland Theatre)

SHORTLIST

Toby Angus, This Ain’t No Pussy Show (Kate Harman with Toby Angus, Brisbane Festival & Metro Arts. Produced by The Farm)

Lucy Heathcote, Our Town (Queensland Theatre)

Joe Klocek, Boy Swallows Universe (Queensland Theatre, Brisbane Festival and QPAC)

Jayden Popik, Mouthpiece (QPAC and Queensland Theatre)

Isabella Tannock, Get Her Outta Here (Broccolini Productions)

Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role

Jodie Le Vesconte, Anatomy of a Suicide (Presented by Metro Arts and BC Productions Qld in association with e.g and Big Scary Animal)  

What makes Jodie Le Vesconte’s work in Anatomy of a Suicide so special is she refuses to play the stereotype in an industry where queer women are often forced to hide themselves behind these stereotypes in order to get work.

 Vesconte brings a humorous authenticity to the role of Jo the Fisherwoman desperate to connect with her emotionally fragile and closed-off lover.

If that weren’t enough, Vesconte manages to bring three dimensions not just to Jo but a plethora of other roles across this production filling each one with a unique sense of self while still being grounded in time and space with each other.

Vesconte brings an overwhelming authenticity and heartfelt humour to her work which makes her more than deserving of this award.

BEST MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Darcy Brown, Animal Farm (shake & stir theatre co and QPAC)

Post Covid lockdowns many of us felt like total pigs but Darcy Brown was the one really rolling around in the mud.

Brown’s performance as Squealer in Shake n Stir’s Animal Farm was a triumph.

He managed to be both porcine and human in what was a captivating physical performance.

The role of propaganda Minister demands both charm and cunning and a large dose of animal magnetism

Orwell’s work demands someone who understands the power of words. Brown was just what the farmer ordered.

BEST FEMALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Emily Burton, Naked & Screaming (La Boite Theatre)

Emily Burton’s performance as a young mother in Naked and Screaming is raw, real and utterly compelling. The demanding structure of this piece sees the actors snapping at breakneck speed through a montage of moments, from the briefest of highs, to crushing lows, all the way through to sleep-deprived space-staring, and Burton delivers at this pace on a 360-degree stage flawlessly. Burton’s portrayal of the brutal impact of the devastating chain of events in Naked and Screaming is honest, heartbreaking and leaves the audience reeling and revisiting events long after its conclusion. 

ShORTLIST

Ellen Bailey, Taming of the Shrew (Queensland Theatre)

Asabi Goodman, The Revolutionists (The Curators)

Barb Lowing, Ishmael (QPAC, Dead Puppet Society and Brisbane Festival in association with Screen Queensland)

Ngoc Phan, Boy Swallows Universe (Queensland Theatre, Brisbane Festival and QPAC)

Christen O'Leary, Triple X (Queensland Theatre)

ShORTLIST

Andrew Buchanan, Boy Swallows Universe (Queensland Theatre, Brisbane Festival and QPAC)

Leon Cain, The Taming of the Shrew (Queensland Theatre)

Pierce Gordon, Against the Wall (Passion Productions)

Benjin Maza, Weredingo (Karul Projects. Presented and Co-commissioned by Brisbane Festival and Metro Arts. Produced by BlakDance)

Steven Rooke, Rising (A Playlab Theatre production presented in association with Metro Arts)

ShORTLIST

Ling Cooper Tang, Rising (A Playlab Theatre production presented in association with Metro Arts)

Judy Hainsworth, Margaret Fulton The Musical (Jally Entertainment)

Irena Lysiuk, Your Song (The Little Red Company)

Ngoc Phan, Horizon (Playlab Theatre)

Isabella Tannock, Get Her Outta Here (Broccolini Productions

BEST MALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Jayden Popik, Mouthpiece (QPAC and Queensland Theatre)

Equal parts provoking, gripping and heart breaking. Jayden Popik perfectly executed his performance of Declan in Kieran Hurley’s gripping two hander Mouthpiece. His standout characterisation of the role effortlessly drew us into the volatile home life of an isolated young man desperate for connection with raw heartfelt authenticity. We could not have asked for a better mouthpiece to share this story with Queensland audiences.

Best Circus or Physical Theatre Work

Ingress, Bridie Hooper

Ingress is Bridie Hooper’s first production as a solo artist, taking full advantage of her extensive experience as an international circus performer. Ingress coupled a beautifully executed concept with amazing physical feats to produce an impactful and breathtaking performance. Hooper impressively utilized a diverse range of circus skills, conveying the limits of the human psyche through the ecstatic force of her body. Cohesive collaboration was evident with production elements working exquisitely together to successfully support Hooper in her performance. 

Best Musical or Cabaret

Your Song, The Little Red Company

Your Song was a montage of intimately told stories of Elton John’s musical impact on real human lives told by sensitive storytellers with mellifluous voices. This delightful heart-warming show was rendered through four brilliant musical performers and a knockout band performing captivating musical performances, phenomenal musical arrangements, tight balanced harmonies, pristine sound design and accompanied by a beautiful set design and stunning lighting.

ShORTLIST

Toby Angus, This Ain’t No Pussy Show (Kate Harman with Toby Angus, Brisbane Festival & Metro Arts. Produced by The Farm)

Johnny Balbuziente, Fourthcoming (shake & stir theatre co and QPAC)

Jackson McGovern, Naked & Screaming (La Boite Theatre)

Steven Rooke, Sea Wall (THAT Production Company)

Michael Smith, Cowboy (Michael Smith & The Farm, Presented by Brisbane Festival & Metro Arts)

ShORTLIST

Auntie’s Fiafia Night, Casus Circus

Collision, Casus Circus, Mad Dance House, Presented by Metro Arts. Produced by Cluster Arts

Cowboy, Michael Smith & The Farm, Presented by Brisbane Festival & Metro Arts

Demolition, Polytoxic. Developed with the assistance of Metro Arts

Wolfgang's Magical Musical Circus, Circa and QPAC

ShORTLIST

Friends! The Musical Parody, SK Entertainment

Lesbian Love Stories, The Local Lesbians, Presented by Metro Arts

The Tap Pack, The Tap Pack Pty Ltd, SK Entertainment

There's Something about Music, The Little Red Company

Tick, Tick … Boom, THAT Production Company

Best Independent Production

Wilbur the Optical Whale, indelabilityarts. Presented by Brisbane Festival & Metro Arts

Journey into an underwater wonderland, rest on a marine beanbag or hide in a sea-inspired cubbyhouse and prepare to be delighted.  Wilbur the Optical Whale boasts colourful characters, in playful costumes living in a beautifully appointed ocean set design, highlighted by an ambient lighting design. The world of Wilbur the Whale inspires the imagination. Join in the heartfelt storytelling by playing the games the characters do. Overcome division with compassion and understand the story of an invisible disability through sensitivity and joy.

Best Mainstage Production

Naked & Screaming, La Boite Theatre

Naked and Screaming, by Mark Rogers and directed by Sanja Simic is a deep, dark dive into the first year of Emily (Emily Burton) and Simon’s (Jackson McGovern) first year of parenthood. Initially peppered with humour and heart-warming foibles of well-meaning young parents, this play takes a brutal turn which leaves the audience breathlessly scrambling to come to terms with the swift unravelling of the relationship and lives of its central characters. Naked and Screaming explores the fissures that are forced open when gender roles, relationships, and self-care are pressed under the at-times unbearable pressure of parenthood.   

BEST DIRECTOR

Sanja Simić, Naked & Screaming (La Boite Theatre)

Simic’s direction of this heartfelt and harrowing story of new parenthood is realized with skill and sensitivity. Simic exacts precision performances from her actors, who lead the audience moment-by-moment through the first year of baby Dylan’s life, and the gradual unraveling of their own. Under Simic’s direction, the set, lighting and sound design play with time and space to realistically render the dangers, delights and delirium of Emily and Simon’s year of parenting. Despite the challenging pace of Naked and Screaming, the audience are held fast in the vice-like grip of the narrative from the warmth of the opening moments to its shattering conclusion.

ShORTLIST

Against the Wall, Passion Productions

Boyle & Waters in Leotard, Debase Productions. Presented by Metro Arts

Cowboy, Michael Smith & The Farm, Presented by Brisbane Festival & Metro Arts

Sea Wall, THAT Production Company

Undertow, Shock Therapy Productions

ShORTLIST

Away, La Boite Theatre

Boy Swallows Universe, Queensland Theatre, Brisbane Festival and QPAC

Fourthcoming, shake & stir theatre co and QPAC

Prima Facie, a Queensland Theatre presentation of Griffin Theatre Company's production of Prima Facie

Triple X, Queensland Theatre

ShORTLIST

Daniel Evans, Away (La Boite Theatre)

Nelle Lee & Nick Skubij, Fourthcoming (shake & stir theatre co and QPAC)

Lee Lewis, Mouthpiece (QPAC and Queensland Theatre)

Sanja Simić, Caesar (La Boite Theatre)

Timothy Wynn, Sea Wall (THAT Production Company)

QUT CREATIVE INDUSTRIES BACKSTAGE Award

WINNER

Jeremy Gordon

Jeremy Gordon is a stage manager, technician, video designer and performance maker but most of all he’s the type of artist for whom going above and beyond is par for the course.

As the technical manager and touring stage manager for Wilbur the Optical Whale Jeremy’s application, commitment and attention to detail was second to none.

He learned Auslan to ensure the show, audiences and actors are included authentically. Gordon made it his business to understand the needs of the show and provide a level of support for the tour that exceeded any expectation.

Wilbur the Optical Whale is a uniquely challenging show in that the Stage Manager is not only managing the production but also needs to be acutely aware of the specific needs of the artists within the ensemble who live with some very serious medical conditions. As well as this, the SM/operator needs to understand Auslan in order to ensure that the Auslan interpreter (which is part of the digital design and pre-recorded) is in sync with the actors on stage. Jeremy went out of his way to learn the Auslan version of the show so that he could ensure his cueing was accurate for all shows. His efforts ensured deaf audiences were provided with the same show as hearing audiences.

The Lord Mayor’s Award for Best New Australian Work

WINNER

Cowboy, Michael Smith & The Farm (Michael Smith & The Farm, Presented by Brisbane Festival & Metro Arts)

To describe Michael Smith solo work Cowboy as a contemporary dance work severely undersells this extraordinary piece. 

In just over 45 minutes, Smith takes the audience on a journey into a classic old western, surfing trains, taming horses, wandering the dessert and indulging in saloon brawls. Every balcony rail and doorway is lassoed into Smith’s imaginary world in a physical piece that tests the limits of the human body. 

But by the light of the campfire and to the sound of the harmonica, Smith asks much more of the audience. 

Can you have a complete and meaningful experience as an imagined self? What will we let define and restrict us? 

Set to an original score composed by Ben Ely of Regurgitator, the piece presented by Queensland dance-theatre company The Farm is both tragically sad and at times insightfully funny. 

It’s audacious and life affirming as well as just plain exhausting to watch.

ShORTLIST

Fourthcoming, Nelle Lee (shake & stir theatre co and QPAC)

Return to the Dirt, Steve Pirie (Queensland Theatre)

That’s What She Said, The Good Room (The Good Room, Commissioned by Metro Arts) 

Undertow, Hayden Jones & Sam Foster (Shock Therapy Productions)

Wilbur the Optical Whale, Karen Lee Roberts (indelabilityarts, Presented by Brisbane Festival & Metro Arts)