The SBW Stables Theatre in Sydney’s Kings Cross, home to Griffin Theatre Company, is about to close for a major renovation. By way of a farewell, Griffin is staging one of its most ambitious projects – a triple bill of Louis Nowra’s semi-autobiographical plays that can be viewed individually or in one hit. Directed by Declan Greene, the trilogy consists of Summer of the Aliens, Cosi and This Much Is True. Seen together, The Lewis Trilogy runs for around seven hours, “but don’t let that put you off,” said Limelight Digital Editor Jason Blake in his four-star review. “As marathons go, it’s a benign one, with each play cut to about 90 minutes and played at a fast trot straight through.”

Limelight Editor’s Choice

One of Australia’s great classics is given a fantastical makeover.

Lewis is a fresh university graduate who’s been enlisted to direct a production of Mozart’s Così fan tutte with the in-patients at a mental health ward. As rehearsals begin, visions of theatrical grandeur soar—contrary to the lack of budget, talent and willingness of most cast members.

Outside, Australia’s anti-Vietnam war movement is reaching fever pitch. Inside, tensions are becoming operatic.

Così is Louis Nowra’s most beloved play—a comic commentary on everything from the healing power of art as therapy, to Australia’s shifting approach to mental health, to the nature of theatre itself.