Sydney Theatre Co Presents Tom Wright's Adaptation THE DUEL 6/5-20

Sydney Theatre Company and ThinIce present THE DUEL adapted by Tom Wright from The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky5 to 20 June 2009. Opens Tuesday 9 June at 8.15pm Wharf 2, Sydney Theatre Company, Hickson Road, Walsh Bay Matthew Lutton directs The Duel, adapted by Sydney Theatre Company Associate Director Tom Wright from a chapter in Fyodor Dostoevsky's 1880 novel, The Brothers Karamazov.

Aco-production with Perth's ThinIce, The Duel is at Wharf 2 from 5 to 20 June 2009 as part of STC's Next Stage program, before touring to Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts from 26June to 11 July 2009. The night before a deadly duel, rebellious young soldier Zosima (Luke Mullins) wakes with an overwhelming sense of guilt and insight.

Recalling the words of his dying brother, a sudden leap of understanding transforms his life forever and draws to him a mysterious stranger (Brian Lipson) harbouring a dark secret. 24-year-old Matthew Lutton is already renowned for his wildly inventive explorations of theatre. His directing credits include Antigone for the Perth International Arts Festival 2009, Don't Say the Words (Griffin), Tartuffe (Malthouse), The Lady Aoi (Black Swan Theatre Company) and The Bald Prima Donna (ThinIce).

For STC he has worked alongside director Jean-Pierre Mignon on 2006's The Bourgeois Gentleman and with The Duel, his company ThinIce, becomes an Associate Company of STC. Earlier this year Luke Mullins performed in both Sydney and Perth in STC's The War of The Roses and he was recently awarded a Green Room Award for Best Supporting Performer for the Company's The Season at Sarsaparilla. Brian Lipson's Sydney stage credits include Company B's Scorched. Completing the cast in a number of roles are Perth-based actors Renee McIntosh and David Lee Smyth. Tom Wright is Associate Director at Sydney Theatre Company.

He has written or co-written plays or adaptations including Optimism (after Voltaire), soon to open at Melbourne's Malthouse ahead of Edinburgh and Sydney seasons, The War of The Roses (Shakespeare), The Women of Troy and Medea (Euripides), Babes in the Wood and The Odyssey (after Homer), The Lost Echo (after Ovid) and Criminology (with Lally Katz). Cast Brian Lipson, Renee McIntosh, Luke Mullins, David Lee Smyth Director Matthew Lutton.

Set and Costume Designer Claude MarcosLighting Designer Damien Cooper. Sound Designer Kingsley Reeve For further information: Tim McKeough (9250 1703 or tmckeough@sydneytheatre.com.au) or WesleySlattery (9250 1705 or wslattery@sydneytheatre.com.au)

Box Office: 9250 1777 www.sydneytheatre.com.au/next-stage 5 - 20 June 2009. Opens 9 June. Tuesdays - Saturdays 8.15pm, Mondays 7pm (except Mon 8 June 8.15pm) Matinees: Saturdays 2.15pm Tickets: $25 - $45