Overview

The Blonde, the Brunette and the Vengeful Redhead is about a suburban housewife who has a momentary loss of control in a shopping mall with consequences that no one will soon forget.  It combines the dramatic elements of surprise, disaster and humour with true-to-life characters and witty dialogue.

This production is the North American premiere of The Blonde, the Brunette and the Vengeful Redhead, and the first time any work of playwright Robert Hewett has been produced on a Stratford stage.

This one-woman show will highlight the versatility of actor Lucy Peacock, who will play seven different roles, including a suburban housewife, a four-year-old boy, a gay female doctor and “the best friend from hell.”

Playwright Robert Hewett, from Melbourne, Australia wrote The Blonde, the Brunette and the Vengeful Redhead after receiving an email complaining about the lack of work available for a mature actress.

This production is the North American premiere of The Blonde, the Brunette and the Vengeful Redhead, and the first time that any play by Robert Hewett has been produced at the Stratford Festival.

Synopsis

“An adulterous husband, a meddlesome neighbour and a dropped ice-cream cone are among the circumstances that combine to shatter the life of suburban housewife Rhonda Russell. In this acclaimed Australian play, Rhonda’s loss of control ricochets through the lives of seven different characters – all portrayed by the same performer.”

The only other version we have was written for our box office hold tape. It goes like this:

“Our other one-woman show at the Studio Theatre, The Blonde, the Brunette, and the Vengeful Redhead, by Australian dramatist Robert Hewett, features seven characters, all played by the same actress. From the very different perspectives of these characters, who range from an elderly woman to a four-year-old boy, we uncover the story of Rhonda Russell, a suburban housewife whose momentary loss of control after her husband leaves home changes not only her own life but the lives of those around her.”

Producers

The Blonde Project Ltd.

Our Role

General Manager

“

"Lies, infidelity, betrayal, violent death – and in the end, a kind of redemption. The Stratford Festival's production of Australian playwright Robert Hewett's The Blonde, The Brunette and the Vengeful Redhead has all this and more, including an imaginative and versatile set and an enormously powerful and pleasing performance by festival stalwart Lucy Peacock…this is theatre that is intensely compelling and rewarding."

Toronto StarBruce Demara
“

"…In playing all seven characters, including a chauvinistic pig of a man, in this tale of a crime of passion going horribly wrong, Peacock holds court at the Studio Theatre for two hours. She delivers a technically masterful performance but, more to the point, brings honesty, vulnerability and a great deal of humanity to the show. Johnson guides her performance expertly, reining her in and allowing her to soar according to the emotional tempo of the play."

The Globe and Mail Kamal Al-Solaylee
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"Written by Australia’s Robert Hewett, The Blonde… is a slick little number that, in two acts, attempts to chronicle the devastating effects of a bit of suburban infidelity. Told through a series of eight loosely connected monologues, it offers seven juicy roles for a single performer – in this case, the hugely talented Lucy Peacock who makes the most of them…"

Toronto SunJohn Coulbourn
“

"Working with director Geordie Johnson, Peacock is a wonder, fully delineating each of her characters, in voice, accent, stance, gesture and mannerism, and never getting in the way of the story. Hers is not a look-at-me performance, but you look, and marvel, just the same…Wow."

Detroit Free PressMartin F. Kohn

Production History

  • The Blonde, The Brunette and The Vengeful Redhead originally premiered at the Stables Theatre (Sydney, Australia). February 26, 2004.
  • Ran at the Stratford Festival Studio Theatre from June 27 – September 24, 2006.
  • Ran at the Vancouver Playhouse from January 17 – February 2, 2008.
  • Ran at The Grand Theatre (London, ON)