Add Category
Kate Miller-Heidke and Keir Nuttall’s musical, Bananaland, about a rock band that pivots into kids’ music, won best musical or cabaret and also best composition/sound design.
Bananaland won two Matilda Awards. Credit: Dominic Lorrimer
Stunt Double by Gold Coast-based The Farm, which premiered during Brisbane Festival, was named best circus or physical theatre production, and also won awards for best ensemble and best set design.
Actor and director Ngoc Phan collected a remarkable three awards on the night: two as part of the cast of Stunt Double, plus best performance in a supporting role in a mainstage production for her multiple parts in Queensland Theatre’s Vietgone, including a scene-stealing performance as the heroine’s demanding mother.
Metro Arts’ Every Brilliant Thing, a play in which the audience participates by reading from cards found on their seats, won awards for best independent production and best lead performance in an independent production for Jason Klarwein.
Jason Klarwein rehearsing Every Brilliant Thing, a comedy about depression that involves the audience.Credit: Kenn Santos
Chenoa Deemal won the award for best performance in a leading role in a mainstage production for Stolen Generations play Is That You, Ruthie?, adapted and directed by Leah Purcell.
Other awards went to actor Cameron Hurry (Grand Horizons); Delvene Cockatoo-Collins and Peter Keavy for costuming La Boite’s Capricorn; and to Ben Hughes for lighting spectacular Brisbane Festival dance piece Salamander.
Darryl Keys of QPAC won the peer-nominated QUT School of Creative Practice Behind the Scenes Award.
Video Designer Nevin Howell won the Bille Brown Award for best emerging artist. The Gold Matilda Award was presented to Suellen Maunder, founding director of JUTE, Cairns, for services to regional theatre in Queensland over more than 30 years.
Rider said that the judges had been to 100 shows in 2023 and a significant 19 of the nominations were for shows from regional Queensland.
Loading
The theatrical Matildas have existed since 1987, although chair of the awards’ executive committee, Jan Irvine, acknowledged that the name had a different meaning for many.
“Like our namesakes, the Matildas soccer team, we need our Sam Kerrs, the stars up front thrilling audiences,” she said. “But we need our [behind-the-scenes people like TV soccer coach] Ted Lassos too.”
The full list of winners can be found on the Matilda Awards website.