James Cunningham's THE SHEDS
Melbourne Fringe 2013 - Adelaide Fringe 2014 - Sydney Fringe 2014
"Cunningham promises a controversial examination of mateship and masculinity against the backdrop of Australian Rules football."
– ArtsHub
"The fact remains: it’s easier for an actor to shed his clothes than it is to be emotionally vulnerable. That’s what packs a punch. The director and cast of THE SHEDS make a very good fist of it."
- SameSame.com
THE SHEDS is an original play by James Cunningham that delves deep into the underlying tensions of mateship and masculinity in Australian sport.
Three of Melbourne's most talented and dynamic young actors, Pat Chiroco, Ludwik Exposto and Andii Mulders, united to bring to life a hard-hitting theatrical vision from Presidential Productions. Brace yourself for a journey filled with foul language, stigma, secrets, violence, and nudity as THE SHEDS takes center stage.
This production was met with acclaim, captivating audiences across Melbourne, Adelaide and Sydney. Written, directed and produced by James Cunningham, THE SHEDS offered an unparalleled fly-on-the-wall adventure, granting theatre-goers unprecedented access to the intimate world of an AFL locker room.
At the heart of the story lies Darren Anderson, the star player of the triumphant Fitzroy Fighters, whose unwavering confidence in his popularity among the media and fans leads him to believe that his announcement of being gay will be met with acceptance and understanding. Little does he know that this courageous revelation will set in motion a chain of events that even the team cannot foresee nor control. As the gripping narrative unfolds, THE SHEDS dares to challenge stereotypes, shatter stigmas, and explore the depths of human vulnerability and resilience.
The raw and visceral production was a tour-de-force that which left a lasting impact, resonating with audiences long after the final curtain call. As THE SHEDS kicked-off on its highly-anticipated Australian tour, the ambitious amateur production team has embarked on a crowd-funding campaign to ensure the success of their travel endeavours. Through the unwavering support of passionate theater enthusiasts, they successfully raised over $5000 towards travel expenses in taking the amateur production on tour. A testament to the profound impact this play has had on the hearts and minds of its audiences.
"If you're planning on heading along to
THE SHEDS, come prepared for strong language, nudity and to feel a little weird about the whole thing afterwards."
– The Australia Times
THE SHEDS was produced with the support of...
Special thanks to...
Ludwik Exposto, Pat Chiroco, Andii Mulders, Dino Dimitriadis at Sydney Fringe, Gemma Greer and Michael Page at New Theatre, Phillip Portman at DNA Magazine Australia, Jono Barwick at Shout Out Loud, Victor Milat at The Fitness Room, Niall Tangney at Theatre Sydney, Judy Brown at PFLAG New South Wales, Peter Unicomb, Matt Favero, Jess Norsworthy, Holly Spinks, Matt Guy, Garth Cecil, Dante Pragier, Linda Cunningham and Ron Johanson OAM ACS.
Our generous Pozible supporters...
Josh O’Brien, Garry McQuinn, Malcolm Dore, John Wonnacott, Scott Davis, Jonathon Harris, Kristie Davis, Steven Lance, Colin Beeck, aeclark, Doug Brown, Christoper Toon, Brenna Hobson, Hannah Kent, Scott Membry, Erica Mann, Jono Gavin, Jenni Brammall, Cate McQuillen, Wayne Richmond, Adam Basile, Giovanna Depetro, Adam Smith, James Ostroburski, Louise Phillips, Roger Salked, Helen Bell, Tracie Nicolai, Tony Sheldon, Niall Tangney, Tiffany Roxas, Anthony Busa, Steven Illes, Rohan Shearn, and Anthony Leigh Dower.