This autumn, Melbourne’s Malthouse Theatre will host an electrifying adaptation of Daphne du Maurier’s chilling thriller, The Birds. Directed by Matthew Lutton and adapted by playwright Louise Fox, the one-woman show stars the incomparable Paula Arundell in a performance that promises to leave audiences on the edge of their seats.
Running from Friday 16 May to Saturday 7 June, this production is set to be a haunting, immersive experience like no other.
Lutton, who recently concluded his decade-long tenure as Malthouse Theatre’s Artistic Director, returns to helm this gripping tale.
“The Birds is a thriller about a family living through an extraordinary crisis – the day birds, as an entire species, turn on humankind,” he said.
“Paula is one of the country’s most astonishing actors, and this will be the performance of a lifetime. You’ll be in the theatre, wearing headphones, experiencing every whisper and every swoop intimately with her.”
The production will plunge audiences into a world of fear and frenzy, where nature’s power turns deadly. Theatre-goers will wear individual headsets, immersing them in a visceral soundscape of flapping wings and menacing swoops, crafted by sound designer and composer J. David Franzke. This sensory immersion brings du Maurier’s gothic classic to life in a raw, contemporary way, exploring themes of survival, paranoia, and primal instincts.
At the heart of the show is Paula Arundell, one of Australia’s most magnetic stage actors. Known for her Helpmann Award-nominated performance in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Arundell’s emotionally charged portrayal promises to be a tour de force. Her ability to command the stage with intensity and nuance ensures a performance that will linger long after the final bow.
Don’t miss this adrenaline-fuelled adaptation of The Birds, running at Malthouse Theatre’s Beckett Theatre from 16 May to 7 June. Tickets are available now at malthousetheatre.com.au.
