Welcome to essendon theatre company

Since our formation in 1976 we have produced more than one hundred productions.

On average our show attract 400 people per production season, and is steadily growing. Also, we have many members of the community signed up to be on ETC’s mailing list, which currently has 76 email members and 101 postal members.

(etc) is a local not for profit, community-based organisation that is run on the love and commitment of passionate theatre lovers and volunteers dedicated to amateur theatre in the City of Moonee Valley in Melbourne, Australia.

Our Purpose of "essendon theatre company inc" shall be to

• Promote theatrical activities in the community
• Provide a venue for members of the community to participate in theatrical activities
• Produce theatrical performances for the public

Next Production: The Underpants by Carl Sternheim, Adapted By Steve Martin Directed by John Degabriele and Dawn Hinrichsen Agent: Dominie Drama Season: 9-Sep-10 to 18-Sep-10 Theatre: Bradshaw Street Community Hall Bradshaw Street (off Buckley Street) West Essendon Melways 28B3 Performances: September 9th,10th,11th @8:00pm September 12th Sunday Matinee @2:00pm September 16th,17th,18th @8:00pm Theater Restaurant Style, BYO Food, Drinks 7:30pm sit down for an 8:00pm start Prices: All Evening Performances $15 per ticket All Matinee Performances $12 per ticket *nb. Please note table position bookings will be surrendered if you are later than 15 minutes to curtain up time Bookings: Eileen - 9330 4808 or email essendontheatrecompany@gmail.com Synopsis: Louise’s problems with her husband are compounded when she is caught out in the park with her underpants around her ankles in full view of several men including the king. This peep show leads to a string of male admirers beating a path to her door obsessed with the glimpse of ‘paradise’ they witnessed. This is perhaps the play’s cleverest device and its most modern. The underpants seem to symbolize the fetishized nature of male desire, the titillating peep, the fragmented objectified woman that seems to be at the root of a lot of misogyny. These male admirers start to turn up on Louise’s doorstep in the guise of lodgers wanting to rent an advertised room in Theo and Louise’s cramped apartment. Through the conventions of farce, the same room is let to two men, the camp esthete count Versati and the sickly hypochondriac Jew ‘Cohen with a K’. In addition to these two studies in masculinity, there is the later arrival of Klingelhoff an elderly sexually repressed gent who shudders at the thought of anything lascivious. It is interesting to see that despite the diversity of male archetypes, the character Louise is only ever seen in a sexualized way via her underpants. This becomes more apparent later when with the help of her neighbour Gertrude, Louise outsmarts the men vying for her affection which in turn proves to be her undoing as the decadent Versati, whom Louise is swept away by, falls in love with a street prostitute. Other Information: CAST LIST Theo - Xavier Ryan Louise - Sally Kingsford Gertrude - Emma Cox Versati - Dan Walls Cohan - Drew Mason Klinglehoff - Donald Taylor ABOUT OUR DIRECTORS Dawn Hinrichsen Belonging to a theatrical family, Dawn has been involved in theater since the age of 8. She directed her first play at the age of 15 under the guidance of her father David. She enjoys directing Melodramas because they combine the creative talents of actors, singers and dancers and, when done well, are very entertaining for a wide variety of people. The most recent plays she's directed are not, however, melodramas. During 2008 she directed This Way Up a very funny situation comedy with a great cast and crew. In 2007 she co-directed Black Comedy, an hilarious, almost farcical play with a lot of energy and action. John Degabriele This will be my first directing role with etc and i have been very passionate about this play which i first saw in sydney...I have been involved with etc since 2007 with backstage,acting,technical advisor and operating lighting and sound.i am looking forward in working with my co-director dawn and to gain her experiences to be able to direct more plays with etc in the future