STAGES Episode 644: JONATHAN BIGGINS RETURNS

<p>Jonathan Biggins is one of Australia’s most versatile and distinctive theatre practitioners, with an accomplished career spanning acting, directing and writing. He is also a sought-after corporate speaker, MC and entertainer, bringing the same intelligence, wit and theatrical flair to every aspect of his work.</p><p>As an actor, Jonathan is renowned for his versatility and finely observed character work. He has performed with all of Australia’s major state theatre companies, with notable Sydney Theatre Company appearances including Peter Sellers in <em>Ying Tong</em> and Henry Carr in Tom Stoppard’s <em>Travesties</em>. His work with Opera Australia includes the role of Ko-Ko in <em>The Mikado</em>, while his performance career has also extended to musical comedy and touring, including <em>Three Men and a Baby Grand</em>. On screen, his credits include the films <em>Thank God He Met Lizzie</em> and <em>A Few Best Men</em>, among numerous television appearances.</p><p>Jonathan’s talents as a director are equally impressive. Since 2000, he was a co-director of the Sydney Theatre Company’s much-loved <em>Wharf Revue</em>, helping shape its distinctive blend of satire, music, comedy and political observation across more than two decades. His other directing credits include Opera Australia’s <em>Orpheus in the Underworld</em>, as well as <em>The Republic of Myopia</em>, <em>Noises Off</em> and <em>Talk</em> for the Sydney Theatre Company. He also directed the Australian touring production of the Broadway musical <em>Avenue Q</em> in 2009–10. His work for younger audiences includes directing the award-winning productions <em>Pete the Sheep</em>, <em>Josephine Wants to Dance</em> and <em>Mr Stink</em>.</p><p>As a writer, Jonathan has demonstrated an equally sharp ear for comedy and an astute understanding of Australian life and politics. His fortnightly column for <em>Good Weekend</em> ran for seven years, while his journalism and commentary have appeared in publications including <em>The Age</em>, <em>Australian Traveller</em> and <em>Wine Selector Magazine</em>.</p><p>His extensive theatre writing includes collaborations on sixteen editions of <em>The Wharf Revue</em>, among them <em>Pennies from Kevin</em>, <em>Sunday in Iraq with George</em> and <em>Waiting for Garnaut</em>. For Opera Australia, he created a new libretto adaptation of <em>Orpheus in the Underworld</em>, while his musical theatre credits include <em>Living in the 70s</em> and <em>The Republ