press quotes
ON Nosferatu - Director (Malthouse - 2023)
"⭑⭑⭑⭑1/2...A delightful, funny and grotesque (in the most glorious sense of the word) pastiche of colour, movement, text and imagery. It’s also a whole heap of fun that pays homage to obvious film tropes while harking back to centuries-old theatrical storytelling traditions. What we fear is what we manifest. How we avoid succumbing to the things that go bump in the night is the reason for our survival."
- Christine Davey, ArtsHub
"Nosferatu exudes sultry intoxication to a breath-taking degree...Equal parts schlock horror, hilarious camp and surprising social commentary, Nosferatu reinvents the age-old vampire tale for a modern, and most importantly, Australian audience."
- James Robertson, Beat Magazine
"The build is slow and delicious as Orlok’s reign of terror continues: it’s the kind of grip-your-seat suspense that makes live theatre so exciting"
-Giselle Au-Nhien Nguyen
"The whole team behind Nosferatu should be extremely proud with what they have been able to produce. A tale that is hundreds of years old, re-written with an Australian modernised twist...you will not be disappointed."
-Lilithia Reviews
ON K-Box - Director (Malthouse - 2022)
"⭑⭑⭑⭑ K-Box is an extraordinary mainstage debut...genuinely funny, expertly cringe-worthy...The performances here are absolutely spot on; a four-person cast that expertly dance around each other with conviction and a deep understanding of their characters, directed with a beautifully light touch by Bridget Balodis..”
- Timeout Melbourne
⭑⭑⭑⭑ ...sharply funny and moving...a hyperractive domestic satire, Bridget Balodis’ poised direction, Romanie Harper’s flamboyant set and costume design, and Marco Cher-Gibard’s synthwave score all add zest to the production"
- Cameron Woodhead, The Age
"...often so real that it’s difficult to watch..K-BOX’s great strength is in unfurling the profound loneliness experienced and expressed by its characters."
-Giselle Au Nhien Nguyen, Guardian
ON FAST FOOD - Director (Red Stitch - 2022)
"⭑⭑⭑⭑ Featuring more layers than a Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese, Rose’s latest work is No Exit (by Jean-Paul Sartre) or Waiting For Godot (by Samuel Beckett) meeting television’s Squid Game head on.”
- Theatrepeople
..a fascinating, often outrageously funny, exploration of the culture of work, of how we relate to our work and our fellow workers. It is a reminder that even in the depths of corporatism, humanity thrives."
- Tim Byrne, Independent
"In Balodis’ hands, this relatable play about the gig economy crackles with wit and verve."
-Vanessa Francesca, Artshub
"....director Bridget Balodis shows a knowing restraint that never compromises the playfulness of Rose’s writing. Utterly Compelling"
- Guy Webster, Australian Arts Review
ON STAY WOKE - Director (Malthouse - 2022)
"⭑⭑⭑⭑...directed by the company's artist in residence Bridget Balodis, Stay Woke is a crowd-pleasing ripper...
Far from a deep dive on these issues, it’s a smart move by Thangaratnam to broach dismantling systems of oppression via comic relief in Stay Woke. In the sound hands of Balodis, the message cuts through, and the tight ensemble shines."
- Stephen A Russell, Timeout
"⭑⭑⭑⭑There’s no weak link. The ensemble is perfectly poised."
- Cameron Woodhead, The Age
"⭑⭑⭑⭑ perhaps Stay Woke’s greatest success is that it addresses the lack of diversity in Australian theatrical discourse in the best way possible. There are two characters of Sri Lankan heritage but both are talking about issues other than race."
- Satara Uthayakumaran, ArtsHub
ON HYDRA - Director (Darebin - 2021)
"Hydra is a brilliant mediation upon contemporary themes, and as a performance packs one hell of a punch, which really solidifies the space held by this collective within Melbourne and Australia’s creative landscapes.”
- Jessi Lewis, Melbourne Critique
“Bridget Balodis’ psychologically precise production is a riveting evocation of the text and a testament to the kind of theatrical magic that can occur when the right creatives find each other and nurture each other’s potential.”
- Darby Turnbull, Theatre People
“After the show ended, I felt so elevated with where I’d journeyed in the world of this production...The play stayed with me for the week.”
- Michele Lee
ON SHE IS VIGILANTE - Director (Theatreworks - 2019)
"...This priceless on-point collection from new and emerging women writers is astounding. The satirical and sublime stories cover the unwarranted predicaments women find themselves in today.....
...This vigilant collaborative genius of new and emerging female writers, brilliant community-based female artists, and uniting members in the community, are a new force to be reckoned with—waging peace and dignity. "
-Lyn Zelen, Theatre People
"...In a community-based ensemble with mainly untrained performers, there is a variety of comfort and ease on the stage, with some performers almost stealing the show. However, the openness of the casting has meant that the ensemble is wonderfully diverse, demonstrating what intersectionality really looks like when done well "
- Anja Bless, Theatre Travels
"...Directors Bridget Balodis and Krystalla Pearce have done a fine job weaving together such a
rich and powerful tapestry. "
-Alex First, The Blurb
ON MORAL PANIC - Director (Darebin - 2018)
"To get straight to it – Moral Panic is powerful, brilliant, must-see theatre.
The production from Double Water Signs, directed by Bridget Balodis, and written by Rachel Perks, is fierce, surprising, funny, and deeply affecting. The show has clearly been wrought with clear vision, great empathy, intelligence, and inevitable anger, all of which emanate to the viewer."
– Chris Hosking, Theatre People
"This chaotic middle wreaked havoc on my body - at times there seemed to be an infectious roaring as darkness and shame spilled across the stage; at others, I felt my eyes watering, my breathing interrupted. Language is still always present, but disfigured, or reconfigured, or undone - never quite one thing. Things don’t have to be understood to be felt...Everything is queered - unmoored from easy definition, swarming, loose. It’s a kind of wobbly utopia."
– Georgia Symons, Independent
"Feminist parable, supernatural quest and queer coming-of-age story combine in this striking new play with an offbeat edge."
– Cameron Woodhead, The Age
"...directed with a deft and imaginative hand at Darebin Speakeasy by Bridget Balodis, is an intriguing counter-invocation to linguistic and legalistic misogyny. Drawing from the histories of witch burnings, Perks attempts to break open the structures of patriarchal language to make space for the multiple identities of queerness"
– Alison Croggon, Witness Performance
ON DESERT, 6.29PM - DIRECTOR (Red Stitch - 2017)
“A tragic but heartwarming ode to love in all its disguises.”
– The Australian
“Morgan Rose’s Desert 6:29pm, developed as part of the writers’ program at Red Stitch, feels totally of the moment…Director Bridget Balodis hits upon an understated but nuanced performance style. The actors create almost an entire shadow-script through body language – a joy to watch…Rose is a playwright with a very bright future, and this new Australian play sports hilarious, richly articulated performances.”
– The Age
“Casting and creative support, work in faultless tandem to produce a top-notch result…
Bridget Balodis directs with a keen eye…
Red Stitch have done it again. Don’t miss it.”
– Theatre People
"The entire cast is terrific which gives testimony to the strength of the script and the direction
…this is a must see”
– Stage Noise
ON GROUND CONTROL - Director (Next Wave - 2016)
“The script is so clever and the stage-craft and performances so compelling that every moment of the show requires focused, embodied attention. Only once it was over could I process the enormity of what I’d seen.”
– Georgia Symons, ArtsHub
“GROUND CONTROL is a taut and devastating, yet often frankly funny and beautiful, look at the future of our world—and an exhilarating look at the future of our theatre.”
– Jane Howard, RealTime Arts
“There is nothing like Ground Control in Australia right now. It’s exciting to see these concepts discussed in such a mature and considered way — and entertaining!”
– Angus Cameron, Immanent Disasters
ON JURASSICA - Director (Red Stitch - 2015)
“...Everything works in this play and everyone has evidently followed a single vision and purpose and it shows in every glorious moment of light, dark, and every shade in between..”
– Planet Arts
"...an emotionally moving theatrical delight...Jurassica works on such a profoundly polished level, that the familiarity of the story is ultimately over-ridden by professional, captivating performances and economical but always effective directing”
– Eliot Seidel, Theatre People
"...Giovannoni’s intricately woven script is deftly handled by director Bridget Balodis, and the cast bring humanity to some larger-than-life characters....Balodis manages the complexity of the storytelling brilliantly, and the rare moments of disorientation within the timeline of the narrative feel intentional, as memories intertwine and collide in the characters’ minds. “
– Georgia Symons, ArtsHub
ON ANGRY SEXX - Director (2014)
"...A flash tour of raunch culture, Nicki Minaj-brand feminism, first-world feminism, slut shaming and feminine rage...It mocks the nay-saying ironies of generation X, the impulse to disengage, and instead proposes a furious affirmation."
- Andrew Fuhrmanns
"...the show is bold and dark, and poignantly blurs the line between truth and science fiction to make a lasting statement...the creative combination of dance, multimedia, pop culture, comedy and plenty of drama, make the performance one of the Fringe Festival’s hallmark shows: a proud display of independent art."
- Brendan Hitchens
ON KIDS KILLING KIDS - Director (2014/2013)
“Kids Killing Kids comes together seamlessly. In just over an hour it addresses our fascination with violence, the problems with cross-cultural collaboration, an entire nation's political history, and the role of theatre itself. Who would have thought such a beautifully surreal and thought-provoking story would involve little more than some milk crates, a few plastic blood packs, and an OHP?”
– Meg Watson, Concrete Playground
“Their exposition is a very thoughtful piece of theatre reflecting on theatre. They examine the purpose of theatre and their responsibility to the audience and the cast members with candour and honesty. Too Many Weapons’ script is excellent, Bridget Balodis’ direction is sharp and Melanie Koomen’s design is exactly what is required. I thoroughly recommend Kids Killing Kids.”
– Mark Pigott, Sydney Arts Guide
“I want you to know that I left that show with a feeling in my chest that took me sixteen hours to name. It was pride. Immense pride in artists and in being part of a global community of theatre makers that push hard against ease and complacency and thoughtless acceptance of the status quo. I was so proud of these artists, the Australian collective Too Many Weapons and Filipino site-specific theatre company, Sipat Lawin. Their fearlessness, their riskiness, their passion and their generosity…”
– Fleur Kilpatrick, School for Birds
ON THE SEANCE - Co-Director - NO SHOW (2013)
"Bitingly humorous and brilliantly executed, the night given wholly to art, viewers involved in a frenzy of ritual reminiscence of celebrity fixation itself, The Séance is a triumph of theatre. Webb is a revelation, with skills in both comedy and pathos, to be marvelled at for years to come, and NO SHOW's team should be noted as pioneers of an intelligent new breed of theatre."
– Vivienne Mah, Australian Stage
“You HAVE to book because this is one of those shows that people will talk about and you’ll be thrilled to say, 'I was there'
…
The Seance combines performance, ritual, obsession, celebrity, fear and the unknown to create art: Brilliant and welcoming art that explores beyond the obvious, that laughs at itself, that rejects any idea of boring and finds strength in a plastic pony.
If you’re open to exploring the unknown: go.
If you’re scared: take a deep breath and go.
If you believe the dead are with us: go.
If you don’t believe: go."
– Anne-Marie Peard, Aussie Theatre
ON SHOTGUN WEDDING - Co-Director - NO SHOW (2012)
“utterly involving, a testament to the power of the marriage ceremony.”
– Cameron Woodhead, The Age
“provocative, topical, induces thought, and, above all, the most fun I’ve had in a church. Ever.”
– Eugyeene Teh, Promptside Blog
“Delivered without irony or discontent, and more to the point, as a celebration, the work quite cleverly and acutely manages to question the place of marriage and the wedding ceremony within our society—archaic regulations in vows contrasted with the high level of excitement.
- Jane Howard, RealTime Arts
“the power of the ritual remained, partly because its familiarity was here sharpened into something less familiar, partly because it was something that the audience had, quite literally, created itself ... And it was enormous fun.”
– Alison Croggon, Theatre Notes