Photographed and graphic designed by Ben Andrews

REVOLT. SHE SAID. REVOLT AGAIN.

by Alice Birch

Directed by Emily O’Brien-Brown

“Theatrical exhilaration in civil disobedience.” — The New York Times

Alice Birch’s Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again. is a ferocious work of contemporary theatre that refuses to behave. Through sharp, surreal and darkly funny vignettes, it twists words into weapons and turns everyday rituals inside out. What begins as an assault on the language and traditions that have shaped “womanhood” becomes something larger: a call to tear down the systems of oppression that divide and diminish us all.

In 2025, we explore this play through an intersectional lens inspired by bell hooks’ insistence that feminism is for everybody—across race, class and all gender expressions. Our company of artists bring their collective force to the stage, confronting the very structures we are working and breathing within. Revolt is startling and disarming, a howl of protest and maybe a map toward possibility: unflinching, unapologetic and urgently alive.

*REVOLT. SHE SAID. REVOLT AGAIN. was first produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company and premiered at The Other Place in Stratford in 2014.*

Promotional Images

Trailer

Creative Team

CREATIVES

CAST

AYA, Madeleine Magee-Carr, Lansy Feng

PLAYWRIGHT

Alice is an award-winning playwright and screenwriter. Her recent plays include Romans: A Novel (Almeida), The House of Bernarda Alba (National Theatre); [BLANK] (Donmar Warehouse / Clean Break); Orlando (Schaubühne, Berlin) and Anatomy of a Suicide (Royal Court Theatre).

She co-wrote Die, My Love with Enda Walsh and Lynne Ramsay for Excellent Cadaver and Mubi. Directed by Ramsay, the feature is produced by Martin Scorsese and stars Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson. Alice wrote the critically acclaimed original series Dead Ringers, inspired by the Cronenberg film of 1988, for Annapurna and Amazon. She was the lead writer and an executive producer on the series, which starred Rachel Weisz. Previously Alice wrote on the TV adaptation of Normal People, alongside Sally Rooney and Mark O’Rowe, for which she and Sally were nominated for an Emmy. She also wrote on the TV adaptation of Conversations with Friends and she worked as Story Editor on Season 2 of Succession for HBO.

Her first feature was Lady Macbeth which won 5 British Independent Film Awards in 2017 including Best Screenplay. Her second feature was an adaptation of the Graham Swift novel Mothering Sunday for Number 9 Films and Film 4. She co-wrote The Wonder with Sebastián Lelio and Emma Donoghue, and most recently she wrote an adaptation of The End We Start From which was directed by Mahalia Belo and starred Jodie Comer.

Other Awards include: Winner Susan Smith Blackburn Prize 2018, George Devine Award (for Revolt. She Said. Revolt again); Arts Foundation Award for Playwriting.

DIRECTOR

Emily O’Brien-Brown’s recent directing work includes FLICK (La Mama, Adelaide Fringe, Latitude Festival, Edinburgh Fringe, Aus Theatre Fest NYC), Heroes of the Fourth Turning (Red Stitch Actors Theatre), Donor (Melbourne Fringe), Everybody and Constellations (National Theatre Drama School). She has also directed Cowboy Mouth (Exhibit A Theatre), Proof (Artefact Theatre), and Second Son (co-directed with Alkinos Tsilimidos, Cinespace)—as well as two Red Stitch PLAYlist productions, in collaboration with playwright Vidya Rajan.

For a decade, Emily built and led arts education events and assisted renowned international directors and acting coaches—including Ian Rickson, Amy Morton, Larry Moss, Elizabeth Kemp, and Carol Rosenfeld—experiences that continue to shape her storytelling and actor-driven approach.

Emily is thrilled to bring her vision and experience to Wit Inc.’s production of Alice Birch’s bold manifesto Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again., a project that resonates deeply with her commitment to risk-taking and ensemble-driven work.

Featured

Emma Drysdale

Emma is a British actor and director trained at Central School of Speech and Drama. She has been living “down under” since 2018. Credits in London include: the Olivier award-winning 'Goodnight Mr Tom' (West End/UK Tour) 'That Face' (Tara Arts Theatre) ‘BBC Prom 19: Sondheim at 80’ (Royal Albert Hall) Credits in Melbourne include: ‘The Beautiful Game’ (Chapel Off Chapel) , 'Red Hollywood' (MC Showroom) Midsumma hit 'Eyes Wide Woke' (Bitten By Productions) Film & VO include: 'Perfection' which won Best Comedy - Melbourne Short Film Festival '22, radio play 'The Lucas Betrayal' and voicing the Sprinkle Fairy in 'Big Words, Small Stories' an animation series for ABC Kids.

STOZ

STOZ is an artist, designer, photographer and composer driven by an excitement for forbidden pleasures and precarious balances. Their work breathes in time with the tender connections formed on dance floors, filthy gritty acid bass lines, the smell of metal and the taste of skin. Their many disciplines are linked through their practice in collaboration, supporting relationships to make works that are rich and layered and directly reflective of their collaborative processes. Previous sound and composition projects include I'm Ready to Talk Now (Skint Productions, 2024/25) winning Best Experimental at Melbourne Fringe 2024, and selling out at Traverse Theatre in the Edinburgh Fringe 2025, Cactus (Maddie Nun Productions, 2023/24) securing positions on the VCE playlist 2024 and Aus Theatre Live, and On/Off (NICA 2023).

Bingyao Liu

Bingyao Liu 刘冰瑶 (she/they) is a producer, arts manager, and musician committed to creating original, community-driven theatre that centres marginalised voices.

Bingyao is the lead producer of Small Ripples Theatre and has developed critically acclaimed new musicals including The Best Cabinet Maker (2023) and Hidden Tunes 弦外之影 (2024–2025).

A lifelong musician, Bingyao plays the yangqin (Chinese hammered dulcimer), and has performed in a wide range of ensembles across China, the US, and Australia, from traditional Chinese orchestras to other cross-cultural ensembles, and has appeared at venues including Federation Square, the Chinese Museum, and Melbourne Recital Centre.

Ella Campbell

Ella is an emerging Stage Manager and Set & Costume designer, practicing her work in Naarm. Recently graduating with a Bachelor of Stage Management & Technical Production, She has been implementing her new skills across a wide range of arts & entertainment across Australia. Some notable Stage Management works include; Lest We Forget, a Tribute Concert, The Sydney Opera House with Channel 7 & Epic Team, The Maybe Pile’s ‘Boys On The Verge Of Tears’ (Australian Premier), Ponycam’s ‘Feast’, and most recently the development of ‘It’s A Secret’ with Club House Productions. Notable design works include; The Maybe Pile’s ‘You’re Being Dramatic’, Theatrical’s ‘Legally Blonde’, and ‘BLI$$’ by Luella Fitz. Ella is looking forward to working with WIT once again, after their successful season of ‘First Love is the REVOLUTION’ in 2024

Esther Beixuang Geng

Esther Beixuan Geng is a multidisciplinary producer and arts manager with a background in art history, screen studies, and education. She holds a Master of Arts and Cultural Management from the University of Melbourne.

In partnership with Bamboozle Theatre (UK), she directed pioneering immersive theatre projects for children with disabilities and co-led the development of China’s first sensory-friendly children’s theatre. At Shanghai Children’s Art Theatre, she led and curated award-winning programs and major sector-facing initiatives, including the TYA Forum and Performing Arts Fair, and co-curated the inaugural Shanghai International Children’s Theatre Festival as part of the core creative team under the China Shanghai International Arts Festival.

Now based in Melbourne, she focuses on independent theatre that explores social relevance and amplifies underrepresented voices, including Hidden Tunes (2025) and Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again. (2025), and develops arts therapeutic projects for community wellbeing grounded in access, care, and connection.

Silvia Shao

Silvia Shao is a set and costume designer with a passion for conceptual and abstract art, always eager to explore new creative possibilities. She completed a Master of Design for Performance at the Victorian College of the Arts in 2022, the same year she made her professional debut with set and costume design for Caught (Red Stitch Actors’ Theatre). Her most recent work includes the set design for MSC’s Romeo & Juliet.

Though formally trained in set and costume design, Silvia thrives on collaboration across disciplines. She believes there is no boundary to what she can do, either as a ‘designer’ or as a ‘human’, an ideology carrier. Silvia is proud to be a 2025–2026 Melbourne Theatre Company Future Creative.

Jarman Oakley

Jarman is an all-round sound and lighting technician and performer and longtime designer of Wit Inc so it was a no brainer to be a part of the show as their lighting designer. Jarman has worked on this year's “Berlin” production, Wit incorporated 2022’s “Dear Mama there is something I should tell you” and “I ME SHE HIM” as sound designer, 2023’s “Bleached” as co-stage manager and technical manager and 2024’s “First Love is the Revoluton” as lighting designer. Other design works include lighting design and production coordinator for Romi Kupfer’s “Flesh Disease”, We Are Quiet Roar’s exploration season of “The Devil Doth Preach” and Next Tuesday Theatre’s “You’re No Good”. When not doing theatre, Jarman is off mixing bands, DJing graduation ceremonies and playing music with his friends. Jarman loves to live in the creative spaces of all things theatrical, looking for his next big project!

Jethro Waldron

Jethro has been behind the tech desk at Boilerhouse Theatre Company for the past six years, designing and operating lighting and sound for a variety of productions. Recent shows include Glengarry Glen Ross, The BFG, and Ordinary Days. Jethro enjoys crafting the atmosphere that helps stories come alive on stage, whether it’s with a dramatic lighting cue or the perfect sound effect. This show marks Jethro’s first time working with WIT Incorporated, and they're excited to be part of the team and to bring their experience to a new stage.

Featured

Lansy Feng

Lansy Feng is a Taiwanese-Australian actor, singer, writer, and theatre-maker based in Melbourne. A Green Room Award nominee for Leading Role in Independant Musical Thetare (Hidden Tunes by Small Ripple Theatre), she trained at the National Theatre Drama School and the Howard Fine Acting Studio. Alongside numerous theatre and screen credits, Lansy creates multilingual works that celebrate cultural identity, including her acclaimed solo cabaret How I Met My Dead Husband and the original play Dear Mama, There’s Something Maybe I Should Tell You. She is thrilled to present the bold and provocative Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again with this wonderful team.

Madeleine Magee Carr

Madeleine graduated in 2018 with a dip. in Musical Theatre from The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London. She joined Wit Incorporated in 2020, running their Wit Kids drama program and as a company member. With Wit, she has previously played Meg in ‘Every Second’ (dir. Emma Drysdale, 2021), Hen in ‘Bleached’ by Laura Collins (dir. Ruby Rees, 2023) and Rdeca in ‘First Love is the Revolution’ by Rita Kalnejais (dir. Emma Drysdale, 2024). She was awarded best actress at Canberra Short Film Festival (2021) for her performance as Jacquie in multi award winning ‘This River’ (dir. Naomi Fryer) which can be streamed on ABC iview. She can currently be seen on the festival circuit in ‘Hold Still’ by Emily Dynes, which won ‘Best Short Film’ at MQFF.

AYA

AYA (they|them) is a nonbinary Japanese-Australian multidisciplinary theatre-maker, actor, physical performer and dancer. Originating from lutruwita (Tasmania), and with roots in downtown New York and Brooklyn experimental theatre, AYA is a graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, Experimental Theatre Wing, and The Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute. AYA has collaborated with theatre and dance companies locally and internationally – Theatre Mitu (NY), The Dance Cartel (NY), Phantom Limb Company (NY), 5AngryMen (Naarm), La Mama (Naarm), Calamity Practice (Naarm), Lightning Jar Theatre (Naarm), Wit Incorporated (Naarm). Recent theatre credits include: The Comeuppance (Red Stitch, dir. Gary Abrahams); POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive (fortyfivedownstairs, dir. Marni Mount); 100 Reasons for War / Carpet and Sand (fortyfivedownstairs, dir. Bob Pavlich); Myth, Propaganda and Disaster in Nazi Germany and Contemporary America (La Mama Theatre, dir. Rob Reid); ADA (La Mama Theatre, dir. Laurence Strangio).

The Company

Wit Incorporated is a vibrant and inclusive professional theatre community championing diverse and engaging work that inspires artists and audiences alike.

Our mission is to forge artistic connections in Melbourne's West by sharing stories that are culturally rich and representative of humankind as a whole.

Wit Incorporated values inclusivity, joy, bravery, sustainability and respect.

We run a series of programs, including our Sundays Creative Workshops and Wit Kids children's drama classes.

Make art with us

We love theatre, and we’d love your support

Theatre is a vital part of a healthy, growing society. Sharing stories helps us to grow, learn and connect. Since 2014, we have worked to create accessible, sustainable theatre that reflects the experience of our people.

We value creativity, accessibility, sustainability, inclusion and kindness.

Wit Incorporated Inc is a Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) so any donation over $2 is tax-deductible. Your financial contribution makes our artistic contribution possible.

Make a donation

This production is proudly supported by Maribyrnong City Council’s 2023-2026 Triennial Arts Partner funding and The Bowery Theatre.