A Very Expensive Poison
Director's Note
Lucy Prebble’s A Very Expensive Poison grapples with notions of truth in a world where fact is often messier and more surreal than fiction. The play asks; how do we craft meaningful narratives when absurd real life figures threaten the very foundations of our democracy and planet, and when small acts of bravery seem futile? Prebble's exploration of these questions unfolds through the tragic, outrageous tale of Alexander Litvinenko, who, in 2006, was fatally poisoned in London by Russian state agents using the rare radioactive element polonium.
As the plot evolves, the story shifts between thriller, tragedy, and farce. At times, it becomes Alexander’s wife Marina's memory play, where her reflections on their life in '90s Russia reveal moments of intimacy, contrasting the tumultuous external world with scenes of quiet domesticity and resilience. As a company, navigating the play’s varied forms was both disorienting and exhilarating. Marina is not our only storyteller. As the play progresses, Vladimir Putin emerges as an unreliable narrator — wry and ridiculous —manipulating both the world of the play and our experience as spectators. His presence forces us to question what is true, as he observes and subtly directs the chaos. Bringing this dynamic interplay to life was an act of communal orchestration, with the transformation of space mirroring and amplifying the play’s core themes.
Ultimately, A Very Expensive Poison is a daring balancing act that confronts the absurdity of our times while honouring the personal story of the Litvinenkos. The play probes the profound bravery required to challenge oppressive regimes and the devastating human cost of defying the status quo. At its core, the play offers a sharp critique of the abuse of power and the erosion of public trust, urging us to question the narratives crafted by those in authority and consider the serious personal and global consequences of distorting the truth. Lucy Prebble challenges us to confront the irrationalities of our reality and inspires us to resist them, making this work a resonant commentary on the current state of the world.
- Katy Maudlin, Director
Cast
Emmerson, Nurse Michena, Segei, FSB Office 3, Mario Scaramella, Tim
James Provis
Marina Litvinenko
Sophie Malek
Receptionist, Radiologist, Nurse David, Kamishnakov, FSB Officer 2, Kovtun
Jesse Challis
Dr Bhatt, Youth 2, Natalia, Anatoly, Cabin Crew, Australian Cleaner, Waitress, Dancing Girl Ena Zamirič
Aimee Forrest
Man with Stick, Technician, Detective Inspector Hyatt
Oriana Morris-Johnson
Dr Dundhniwala, Walter, Boris Berezovsky, Martin, Dave West
Amira Susskind
Dr Gunner, Youth 3, FSB Officer 1, Lugovoi
Amy Kmet
Nurse Rezan, Dr Virchis, Lluba, Galina, Detective Sergeant Hoar, Professor Dombey, Theresa May, Photographer
Bella Ness
Jon, Dr Gent, Putin, Youth 1
Elisheva Biernoff-Giles
Sasha Litvinenko
Daniel Nieborski
Cast Cover
Conor Leach
Creative Team
Director
Katy Maudlin
Set Designer
Jonel Factor+
Costume Designer
Dylan Lumsden*
Lighting Designer
Oscar McGovern*
Sound Designer
Jett Manzie-Adams
Musical Director
Xani Kolac
Movement Director
Colin Sneesby
Intimacy Coordinator
Isabella Vadiveloo
Voice and Dialect Coach
Alexandra Whitham
Assistant Director
Marion Slatter^
Dramaturg
Blake Hohenhaus~
Production Team
Stage Manager
Jordan Smith*
Assistant Stage Manager
Felicity Ethell
Workshop Head of Department (Scenic)
Willow Argus*
Workshop Head of Department (Staging)
Sara Bayley*
Workshop Assistant Head of Department (Staging)
Yolanda Box
Workshop Assistants
Georgia Formosa
Natalie Wing Hei Lau
Helen Zhang
Costume Assistants
Jamie Garcia
Mia Gionfriddo
Head Electrician
Alex White
Lighting Programmer and Operator
Poppy Gordon
*Third year Bachelor of Fine Arts (Production) student
+Second year Master of Production Design (Stage) student
^Master of Theatre (Directing) student
~Master of Theatre (Dramaturgy) student
Professional Staff
Artistic Operations Manager
Abe Watson
Producer
Alex Duffy
Production Coordinator
Millie Mullinar
Stagecraft Project Coordinator
Alan (Alby) Logan
Scenic Artist
Morgan Jones
Props Master
El Lyons-Dawson
Workshop Supervisor and Set Construction
Taylor Chen
Workshop/Stage Technicians
Al Brill
Charlie Craft
Mungo Mckenzie
Sasha Vulling
Costume Supervisor
Joanne Paterson
Costumiers
Emily Lewis
Tessa Cleary Moore
Chloe Simcox
Production Photographer
Drew Echberg
Academic Staff
Head of Theatre
Chris Mead
Head of Design and Production
Richard Roberts
Design and Production Academic Consultants
Jacob Battista, Kris Bird, Michael Carr, Marco Cher-Gibard, Martyn Coutts, Jo Evans, Dale Ferguson, John Ford, Amanda Hitten, Jess Keepence, Dani Kinn, Jake Kirby, Jen Langford, Lisa Mibus, Leon Salom, Matt Scott, Jethro Woodward
Theatre Academic Staff
Dr Sarah Austin, Keith Brockett, Maude Davey, Nazaree Dickerson, Kat Henry, Amy Hume, Joe Paradise Lui, Chris Mead, Georgina Naidu, Alice Qin, Colin Sneesby, Kate Sulan, Isabella Vadiveloo, Mark Wilson, Mark Wong
Design and Production Academic Staff
Kris Bird, Jo Briscoe, Marco Cher-Gibard, Dr Emily Collett, Anna Cordingley, Martyn Coutts, Jo Evans, Dale Ferguson, John Ford, Nell Hanson, Amanda Hitten, Lisa Mibus, Lisa Osborn, Richard Roberts, Leon Salom, Christina Smith , Jethro Woodward