My Sister Jill at Melbourne Theatre Company

Revered writer Patricia Cornelius and director Susie Dee have been working together for almost 40 years, redefining Australian theatre and gaining worldwide acclaim in the process. In 2019, the pair became the first Australians to be featured in the prestigious Venice Biennale’s theatre program.

Cornelius and Dee’s latest collaboration is My Sister Jill, a compelling coming-of-age story adapted from the former’s award-winning novel. Set in 1950s and 1960s suburban Melbourne, the play follows a family who find themselves increasingly impacted by the shadow of World War II and the impending Vietnam War. It’s a story that’s all too familiar for many post-war Australians, captured in a moving and thought-provoking way.

Australian-born actress Angourie Rice (Mare of Easttown, Spider-Man: Homecoming) stars as Christine, the youngest member of her family of seven. She idolises her father and his stories of wartime heroics, but her sister Jill doesn’t feel the same way. As the Vietnam War begins to ramp up and their father’s stories begin to lose their shine, Christine begins to understand her sister’s sentiment – and resentment.

Joining Rice in an all-star cast are Ian Bliss (Jasper Jones), Maude Davey (The Heartbreak Choir), Lucy Goleby (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child), Benjamin Nichol (Sirens), James O’Connell (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child) and Zachary Pidd (School of Rock).

My Sister Jill runs at Southbank Theatre from September 23 to October 28, 2023.

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