Blogpost: A Strategic Plan @ Griffin Theatre Company

Posted by T • February 12, 2017

Posted by T • February 12, 2017

A Strategic Plan
Griffin Theatre Company
Sydney, AUS
Until March 11, 2017

Griffin Theatre Company’s main tenet if the fostering and support of new writing in Sydney ever since it was founded in 1982.

Fast forward almost four decades, with funding to the arts sector facing devastating cuts, subsequently causing Griffin Theatre’s scaling down of 2017s program, and voilà, the fragile arts sector is sitting on a precipice fraught with the possibility of collapse with Australia seemingly way behind other countries in both acknowledging and promoting arts industries as well as their subsequent influences on education, cultural capital, global relevance and a much simpler but less measurable statistic – public stability, health and happiness.

Set in a not-for-profit organization run by hobbyists, Ross Mueller’s satirical play A Strategic Plan is inspired by the dichotomy between the free spirited, passionate, creative realm of the art world fueled by goodwill of enthusiasts versus the administrative, soulless professional bureaucracy of pen pushers that treat it as a disposable commodity and the oxymoron of the latter with their adherence to rigid guidelines stymieing in its infancy what they are supposed to nurture.

A scenario all too familiar to anyone who has ever ventured into the arts sector and struggled with maintaining artistic integrity against monetary exploitation, based on individuals with competing agendas, confronted with the often poignant, foolishness that plagues the overregulated, form-filling administrative 9-to-5 world, with its clichéd parlance.

Set as a painfully well-observed satire against this office life, it comes with the territory that the characters are somewhat familiar and fit in with well-worn stereotypes, which are at times coloured with a broad brush at the expense of complexity, yet never The Office-esque cartoonish.

It is a wordy piece, with overlapping text and heavy, at times overly ambitious and high-volume dialogue.

Director Chris Mead manages to negotiate the transitions and journey between five different timeframes between past and present, which are blending into another, by utilizing music and lighting.

It appears as if the play has gone through quite a bit of restructuring to refine the effect and ensure comprehensibility for the audience.

The ensemble, spearheaded by Justin Smith, who manages in his role as a passion driven manager of a not-for-profit youth music venture to infuse the play with subtle notes of melancholy, is a tightly knit, well-oiled unit with great timing and engaging conversational rhythm based on clash of personalities. Nuances that are amplified by Matt Day’s sleazy portrayal of the board chair, Briallen Clarke’s radiating yet subtle presence and Emele Ugavule’s well measured delivery.

A Strategic Plan is a dark comedy, however, it is not merely a funny play as it also genuinely highlights the opposition and daily struggles one has to put up with once you have decided to take the road less traveled and live a life of your own.

T • February 12, 2017

More recent blogposts

Coheed and Cambria, Taking Back Sunday and Foxing

Posted by Mirela Z. • August 27, 2025

Coheed and Cambria, Taking Back Sunday, Foxing Budweiser Stage Toronto, Canada August 24, 2025 What a treat catching two great bands Taking Back Sunday and Coheed and Cambria co-headlining on their 2025 North American tour. Special guest Foxing, from St. Louis, Missouri, opened the night with a 30 minute set, weaving delicate melodies into explosive waves of emotion that filled … Read more

Chevelle – Bright as Blasphemy tour 2025

Posted by Mirela Z. • August 23, 2025

Chevelle @ Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto, Canada August 20, 2025 That feeling, when you’re having the best experience ever, and you don’t want it to end! Chevelle delivered a powerful headlining performance marking a high-energy stop on their 38-date North American Bright as Blasphemy tour, with supporting acts Dead Poet Society and Asking Alexandria setting the stage. A wall … Read more

Less Than Jake Summer Circus @ RMA 8/1/25

Posted by Aaron H • August 6, 2025

Less Than Jake - Credit: AMH The circus is in town. Less Than Jake are currently on their Summer Circus Tour promoting their latest EP, Uncharted. They've brought along ska and punk legends Fishbone and The Suicide Machines and ska newcomers, Catbite. Together, they've melded a perfect mish-mash of bands suitable for all ages. Riverside was in for a good … Read more

The Hives @ Enmore Theatre

Posted by T • July 26, 2025

The Hives Enmore Theatre Sydney, Australia July 23, 2025 Let’s be clear: The Hives didn’t play a show. They detonated one. On a cool Sydney night at the Enmore Theatre, the Swedish kings of garage rock stormed the stage like tuxedoed insurgents, staging a velvet-clad coup d’état against anything remotely resembling restraint. It wasn’t a concert. It was controlled chaos … Read more

Gob @ Peterborough Music Festival

Posted by Mirela Z. • July 22, 2025

Gob @ Peterborough Music Festival Peterborough, Ontario, Canada July 19, 2025 Gob nailed their set, energizing both die‑hard and casual fans alike. The band’s punchy hooks and raw performance had the crowd bouncing throughout the 90‑minute set, delivering both nostalgia and vitality. A perfect addition to a summer night in Peterborough! All photos by @front.row.fans Read more

Murder City Devils/Animal Self @ GHCH 7/12/25

Posted by Aaron H • July 17, 2025

Murder City Devils - Credit: AMH The Murder City Devils don't get out much anymore, so when the opportunity presented itself, I made my way down to Pomona to catch one of the 2 shows they had lined up in California. They brought along Animal Self, which features Kareem Karam and Coady Willis from Murder City Devils as well as … Read more

Daryl Gussin - A Year In Submission

Posted by Jiffy Marx • July 16, 2025

Can't say my review of it will be as well written or entertaining as this book of 50 poems by Daryl Gussin. Daryl is the managing editor of Razorcake. Daryl was in an awesome punk band called God Equals Genocide. Daryl is my friend but also possibly my spirit animal. Part of me wonders if the leather jacket that Daryl … Read more

Tripping Daisy North American Tour 2025

Posted by Mirela Z. • July 13, 2025

Tripping Daisy @ Lee's Palace Toronto, Canada July 11, 2025 Tripping Daisy brought us back to 1995 and sounded better than ever! When the crowd sings along 30 years later there’s no better feeling! All photos by @front.row.fans Read more

Death from Above 1979

Posted by Mirela Z. • July 6, 2025

Death from Above 1979 @ SummerStage New York, USA July 2, 2025 Death from Above 1979 tore through SummerStage with pure, unfiltered energy. The Toronto duo delivered a thunderous set packed with fuzzed-out bass, pounding drums, and raw vocals that had the crowd thrashing from the first note. From classics like “Romantic Rights” to newer bangers, the band was tight, … Read more

Sum 41 @ Scotiabank Arena

Posted by Mirela Z. • June 19, 2025

Sum 41 final shows - day 1 of 2 Scotiabank Arena Toronto Canada Jan. 28, 2025 All photos by @front.row.fans   Read more