Assassins

THE CHALLENGE

Making a theatre where there was none.

Staged within the extraordinary architecture of Old Castlemaine Gaol, Assassins transformed a nineteenth-century prison into an immersive theatrical environment. The building's Pentonville-style layout became central to the staging, with audiences seated along the wings overlooking a performance space constructed within the gaol's central hall. The production incorporated both purpose-built scenery and the building's existing architecture.

Unlike a conventional theatre, the gaol offered none of the infrastructure or environmental control typically relied upon in theatrical production. Sound, lighting, staging, audience arrangements and technical delivery all required creative approaches to working within the constraints of a historic, non-traditional venue.

I was approached specifically by Three's A Crowd to lead production management, recognising the complexity of the proposed staging. My role involved navigating the substantial technical and operational challenges of adapting the space for performance, working closely with the creative team to realise the production while preserving the distinctive character of the building.