Jean Kittson on TWO SISTERS
Gail Louw’s Two Sisters follows Edith and Rika as they grapple with a new secret that shakes their world entirely. It’s an exploration of siblingship through the lens of rivalry, politics, and emotional tension.
Performed inside the beautiful Emmanuel Synagogue, the two-hander stars Jean Kittson and Annie Byron, who previously worked together on a production of Calendar Girls.
Jean Kittson is one of Australia’s leading comedians and entertainers, with acting credits including Mum’s the Word, Calendar Girls and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. She is a regular guest on the ABC radio show Thank God It’s Friday and the author of several books, including You’re Still Hot to Me: The Joys of Menopause.
Are you excited to be getting back on stage?
Jean: I am always excited to be on the stage. I have just finished a tour with John Wood and Max Gillies in a show called Mono. It was a series of monologues which were a treat to perform and performing with Max and John was inspiring. I am greatly looking forward to this dramatized reading. Much of my performance work is solo, so the opportunity to work with Annie Byron, again – we worked together on Calendar Girls – is thrilling. I am particularly looking forward to working with the director Nicholas Papademetriou. He has an insightful vision for the play.
The play is being performed in a Synagogue rather than a traditional theatre – has this changed the overall experience?
Jean: I have not previously been to a Synagogue. Performing in this sacred space is a unique opportunity.
What is one thing you have learned from your character?
Jean: That as we get older, time is often measured by our memories. That memory and remembrance are two different sides of the one coin. As is love and conflict .
How is this play different to past shows you have been a part of?
Jean: The venue is perhaps the most prominent point of difference. I have performed in churches before, which also inspire reverence, and I have performed dramatized readings about relationships before, but this is my first play exploring the relationship between sisters. This reading is unique for me.
Why should audiences come and see Two Sisters?
Jean: The play is fun and funny and moving – it will be a great night out.
Two Sisters opens on May 19th at Emmanuel Synagogue, Woolahra.
