0°C | Thursday November 13, 2025 
31 July 2025
The more things change, the more they stay the same… Okay, maybe besides property prices in Paddington, even though the suburb isn’t even waterfront!
The Ensemble has brought David Williamson’s classic Emerald City back to life, inviting audiences into 1980s Sydney. In reality, however, if you got rid of the frizzy hair, double-breasted suits, and metered cabs, the story could easily be set in the here and now.
A friend once said to me, “Sydney is the cheerleader or footy player in high school who didn’t need to lift a finger for attention, relying on good looks and status ahead of personality and intelligence. Meanwhile, Melbourne was the artsy type, who developed a personality that wasn’t just skin deep.”
This analogy frames Emerald City, as we follow the journey of Melburnians Kate (Rachel Gordon), a publisher, and Colin (Tom O’Sullivan), a screenwriter, as they attempt to make a new life in Sydney.
Gordon gives an almost frighteningly familiar performance as Kate, commanding the subtlety of the character’s transformation throughout the story. She pinpoints the nuance of a middle-class Victorian—less Kath & Kim, more Offspring. Gordon is a pleasure to watch in her element, with her extensive experience on stage and screen on display. The money and status-driven city doesn’t align with Kate’s desire to produce literature of political and intellectual substance. Maybe for the right price, she can reconcile these interests.
On the flip side, Colin initially embraces the potential lifestyle and career opportunities of Sydney. O’Sullivan lays out Colin’s ongoing inner conflict with mastery, a performance of true depth in a character who appears to be struggling in the shallows.
After a string of critically acclaimed screenplays, Colin is intent on finding a taker for his latest piece, but few producers can see any commercial case for the project. Not even Elaine (Danielle Carter), Colin’s long-term producer, is that thrilled by his new project. Carter is just hilarious, without even having that many funny lines—such is the power of her performance. She definitely will be the next one called for an Ita Buttrose biopic.
Enter Mike (Matt Minto) who isn’t quite a snake oil salesman, but he’s not quite a producer either. Mike is also a writer, in the way a McDonald’s worker is a chef. The two men make an unlikely duo but appear to have what the other one is lacking.
Minto is beyond convincing, embodying the character so well I was ready to go into business with him after the show. There was something particularly endearing about Minto’s performance, born of his combination of comic timing and mannerisms, helping to turn the audience from skeptics to believers. Mike is an ’80s guy and may just be the business partner for Colin, or leave him broke by the time the Berlin Wall comes down. Either way, Minto and O’Sullivan have a seriously fun dynamic on stage.
Perhaps the most ’80s element of Mike is his much younger girlfriend Helen (Aisha Aidara). Whitney Houston hair and makeup meet ‘choose life’ style baggy t-shirts and power suits.
Dan Porta’s costume craft is on full display with Mike and Helen, bringing the Miami Vice style Down Under. Porta was also the video designer for the production. His artistic projections not only transformed settings seamlessly, but stylistically added to the atmosphere of the play excellently.
Helen embodies the next generation, ambitious and intelligent, hoping to lead a life with more substance outside a PR gig. Aidara, originally from Melbourne, embodies a Sydneysider with ease, bringing a serious warmth to the character. She is a very talented actor and one to keep an eye on as her career goes from strength to strength.
As the story progresses, opportunities open and close like the Spit Bridge, leaving the characters questioning their ideals against reality.
As usual, David Williamson’s work holds up a mirror to Australian society with perfection. His literary contribution to society cannot be underestimated, even if the production does make money or sell well in the US. Once you watch Emerald City, you’ll understand what we mean. One might suspect that this story may be Williamson’s commentary on his own experience in the Australian arts scene.
The Ensemble has beautifully reinvigorated this classic, aptly on the harbourside of the Emerald City.