Backstage

Pamela Rabe on Beckett’s Happy Days

I’m joined by one of Australia’s most celebrated actors—Pamela Rabe. With a career spanning decades, Pamela has earned acclaim across stage and screen, and is also a respected stage director. Her versatility shines through in a wide range of genres—from musicals and comedies to powerful dramas.

You may have seen her in unforgettable productions such as:

• August: Osage County
• Seventeen
• The Cherry Orchard
• Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
• The Dance of Death
• My Fair Lady
• The Glass Menagerie
  ...and so many more.

She’s tackled the works of Shakespeare, Molière, Chekhov, Brecht, Noël Coward, Patrick White, and David Mamet—just to name a few.

Today, Pamela joins me to talk about her latest role as Winnie in Samuel Beckett’s Happy Days, now playing at the Sydney Theatre Company. It’s a demanding and iconic role, and we’ll dive into what it means to bring Beckett’s vision to life on stage.

Reginabotros.com

 

Alex Berlage - Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

In this colourful episode, Regina Botros is joined by the talented Alexander Berlage, the award-winning director and lighting designer, to dive into his dazzling new production of Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown at the Hayes Theatre.

How do you take a cult Almodóvar classic and reimagine it for the stage? Alex shares the creative journey behind bringing this bold, emotional, and hilariously chaotic story to life. From navigating the musical’s tone to crafting a visual world that captures the spirit of 1980s Madrid, this conversation is a must-listen.

🎭 Alexander Berlage has made a name for himself as one of Australia’s most exciting theatrical talents. With back-to-back Sydney Theatre Awards for Best Direction of a Musical (American Psycho and Cry-Baby), and a 2023 win for Best Direction of an Independent Production (A Streetcar Named Desire), his work continues to push boundaries and captivate audiences.

Tune in to hear how Alexander and his team bring passion, precision, and a touch of madness to the stage in this unforgettable production.

Jess Fuchs and Sex Jokes For Women

🎙️ Regina Botros in Conversation with Jess Fuchs
On this episode, Regina chats with the brilliantly chaotic Jess Fuchs about her upcoming comedy festival show, Sex Jokes for Women.

Jess is an Australian stand-up comedian, writer, actress — and self-proclaimed forgotten middle child. Known for her razor-sharp wit and unfiltered storytelling, she’s been called “whip smart,” “boisterous,” and “pure chaos” (in the best way possible).

She doesn’t just tell jokes — she invites you into her world, where oversharing is a superpower and awkward silence doesn’t stand a chance.

🎭 Catch Sex Jokes for Women:

• 15 & 16 May – Bondi Pavilion
• 17 May – Enmore Theatre

Tune in for laughs, insight, and a whole lot of honesty.

Tom Gleisner

Tom Gleisner joins Regina Botros to talk about his musical Bloom, playing at Sydney Theatre Company.

He's an Australian comedian, television presenter, producer, director, writer, occasional actor and author. Gleisner currently hosts Network 10's Have You Been Paying Attention?.

Izabella Louk

Izabella joins Regina to talk about her play These Youths Be Protesting a finalist for the 2024 Martin Lysicrates playwriting award.

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off meets Don’t Look Up, this new Australian play is a comedy about climate change, about the chaos of youth and how these intersect with the campaign trail of a federal election. The production will have its world premiere at Kings Cross Theatre (KXT) on Broadway, and will play from the 4th-19th of April. 

Izabella is a performer, writer, producer, and environmental activist. Since returning to Australia, Izabella produced and performed in sold-out hit “Much Ado About Nothing” at Flow Studios; had her play “FISH DOOF” published by Currency Press; was selected for ATYP’s writing mentorship program Fresh Ink; and has toured Australia performing children’s theatre. 

 

Lucy Clements

Lucy Clements joins Regina Botros to talk about her latest show Iphigenia in Splott at Old Fitz Theatre and her position as the Artistic Director of the theatre space.

Lucy is the Founder, Managing Director and CEO of New Ghosts Theatre Company Inc, and the Artistic Director of the Old Fitz Theatre. She specialises in the creation and presentation of new theatrical works and strives to champion playwrights & women in theatre. In 2019 she established the IGNITE Collective - a women-led, inclusive collective of theatre makers from across the nation, formed with the mission of putting new women-driven stories on Australian stages.

In her time with NGTC and IGNITE, Lucy has been at the helm of seven world premiere and four Australian premiere productions, and has worked across Sydney, Perth, Darwin, Melbourne and New York. Her production of 'Albion' won the Sydney Theatre Award for Best Independent Production 2022, for which she also won Best Direction of an Independent Production. Lucy begins her tenure at the Old Fitz Theatre in 2024.

Keegan Joyce - No Love Songs

Keegan Joyce joins Regina Botros to talk No Love Songs using songs from the real life Scottish musician Kyle Falconer from his band The View.

You might have seen Keegan in Rake and Please Like Me. He was also the longest serving 'Oliver' in the history of the production "Oliver!" where Keegan from the age of 12, toured Singapore, Sydney, and Melbourne for over a year. He's done heaps!

NO LOVE SONGS is a powerful and uplifting modern love story that packs an emotional punch with beautifully written songs and honest storytelling that will star KEEGAN JOYCE (Rake, Please Like Me) and LUCY MAUNDER (Chicago, Mary Poppins).

Tom Wright and Picnic at Hanging Rock

Tom Wright joins Regina Botros to talk about his adaptation of Picnic at Hanging Rock at Sydney Theatre Company.

Wright's adaptation of Picnic at Hanging Rock for the Sydney Theatre Company has received rave reviews. It's  an eerie, beautiful, and visionary take on Joan Lindsay's gothic tale. The production, directed by Ian Michael, features a talented cast and combines modern elements with the haunting mystery of the original story.

 

Tom Wright started as a member of Barrie Kosky’s Gilgul Theatre in the early 1990s, then with Michael Kantor’s Mene Mene in the late 1990s.

He has worked as an actor and director at the Melbourne Theatre Company, STCSA, Sydney Theatre Company, Playbox, La Mama, Company B, Anthill, Gilgul, Mene Mene, Bell Shakespeare Company, Chunky Move, Black Swan Theatre, Chamber Made Opera and the Adelaide, Sydney, Edinburgh, Vienna, Perth and Melbourne Festivals.

He was Artistic Associate at Sydney Theatre Company 2004–2008 and Associate Director of STC 2008–2012. He joined Belvoir as an Artistic Associate in 2016. 

More about Tom here. 

Alana Valentine and her new work Nucleus

Alana joins Regina Botros to talk about her new work for the stage Nucleus at the Seymour Centre as part of the Griffin season.

Alana Valentine is a librettist, playwright and director.

Photo (c) Brett Boardman

Gabriel is a nuclear engineer. Cassie is an anti-nuclear campaigner. For nearly thirty years their lives have collided and entwined, with Cassie’s cause dominating public opinion across the decades. But with political change rumbling underfoot, Cassie’s life’s work could yet be undone—and it’s all led to this explosive night.

Shiv Palekar in 4000 Miles

Shiv joins Regina Botros to talk about how he came to acting and his role in 4000 Miles for STC.

Shiv Palekar was born in India, raised in Hong Kong and is now based in Sydney, Australia.

Since graduating from NIDA, Shiv has appeared in Counting and Cracking (Belvoir); The Tempest, The Real Thing, The Beauty Queen of Leenane, and Disgraced (Sydney Theatre Company); The Sound Inside (Melbourne Theatre Company); The Almighty Sometimes (Griffin Theatre Company); and has toured nationally twice in The Merchant of Venice and The Players (Bell Shakespeare).

 

Photo Credit:credit Derek Henderson