THE TURN OF THE SCREW

BY KEZIAH WARNER
DIRECTED BY JESSICA ARTHUR 

Based on the novella by Henry James

 

A timeless tale, freshly haunted

23 JUL – 21 AUG

Beckett

WORLD PREMIERE 

23 JUL – 21 AUG

$49–$95

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I don’t know how to say this in a way that will make you believe me.  

The Turn of the Screw has haunted readers for over a century, a chilling tale of strange orphans and dead servants told to us by a terrified young woman we’re never sure we can trust. Bringing Henry James’ groundbreaking psychological horror into the now, comes a new, one-person adaptation starring Tuuli Narkle (NCIS: Sydney, Mystery Road: Origin) that looks us dead in the eye and asks ‘do you believe me?’. 

A young woman arrives in London, desperate for a fresh start. The only problem is she’s got no money, no work, and the eight housemates in her frigid sharehouse aren’t exactly her biggest fans.  

When a mysterious job looking after a couple of children at Bly Manor falls into her lap, how can she say no? She’s running from her past as fast as her feet can take her. But when she arrives at this cursed labyrinth of a house, her dream of Downton Abbey becomes a lot more The Shining. The children seem angelic, but something is off. 

As the au pair spirals between dread and exhilaration, she’s desperate to uncover what’s going bump in the night. Can she protect the children? Or has she already lost them?   

Keziah Warner (Hour of the Wolf, Nosferatu) and Jessica Arthur (GAME. SET. MATCH., Koreaboo) join forces on a fresh adaptation of this gothic horror, leaving you wondering who – or what – is the true danger in this house. 

THE AU PAIR

TUULI NARKLE

WRITER

KEZIAH WARNER

DIRECTOR

JESSICA ARTHUR

LIGHTING DESIGNER

JENNY HECTOR

COMPOSER & SOUND DESIGNER

RACHEL LEWINDON

DRAMATURG

ENYA DALY

STAGE MANAGER

HARRY DOWLING

EVENT & TICKETING DETAILS

PERFORMANCE TIMES

Previews

7pm, Fri 23 Jul
7pm, Sat 24 Jul
7pm, Mon 26 Jul
7pm, Tue 27 Jul

In Season

7pm, Mon–Sat
1.30pm, Sat
1.30pm, 1.30pm, Sat 31 Jul, Sat 7 Aug, Sat 21 Aug

Time to Talk

7pm, Tue 3 Aug

DURATION

This production is currently in development, and the duration will be updated when available.

LOCATION

Beckett Theatre

Malthouse, 113 Sturt St, Southbank 3006

Get directions

CONTENT NOTES

This is a new work in development, and content warnings will be updated as they are available.

If you would like to speak with us about specific content, please contact box office on (03) 9685 5111 or email boxoffice@malthousetheatre.com.au.

ACCESSIBILITY

Wheelchair Access
Assistive Listening
Aural Rating 50%
Visual Rating 50%

Aural Rating: 50% – this production has both sound and visual components, but sight isn’t essential to be able to engage with the event. 

Visual Rating 50% – includes dialogue and background music or sounds, so Deaf and hard of hearing audiences can have some engagement with the event.  

Please visit our access page for more information about accessibility services.

Campaign image by Sulaiman Enayatzada (LazyFair)
Hair & makeup by Shanice Osita Chuku
Production design (campaign image) by Isabella Salvatore