Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Wit is a play about life, death and the significance of a semicolon

Vivian Bearing is 50, in the prime of her life, highly respected and at the height of a stellar academic career. She's a fiercely rational academic with a passion for poetry. And she has just weeks to live.

Wit isn't a play about death, it's a play about life. All of life, and everything that makes us who we are. As Vivian comes to terms with who she is; mind, body and soul, we're left to ponder - can we conquer death, or at least our fear of it, by the way we live our lives?

Wit is not primarily a play about cancer, nor about the wit of John Donne – it is a play about the balance between head and heart; a play about life, death and the significance of a semicolon.

Jason Blake, Audrey Journal

"This spare and moving production... balances the cerebral and emotional facets of a very fine play just about perfectly."

Reviews By Judith

"a production to leave one refreshed, wandering off into the night with a positive outlook in recognition of a wonderful performance and a truthful, artistic rendering of a difficult and much too common story."

Cast & Credits

Director Helen Tonkin
Set & Lighting Design Victor Kalka
Music & Sound Design Adam Jones
Costume and Properties Design Kaitlyn Symons
Stage Manager Natalie Low
Poster Image Daniel Regan Photography
Production Photos Alison Lee Rubie Photography

CAST

Vivian Bearing Cheryl Ward
Dr Jessica (Jason) Posner Kyra Belford-Thomas
Harvey Kelekian/Mr Bearing Yannick Lawry
Susie Monahan Hailey McQueen
E.M. Ashford Helen Tonkin
Lab Technician/Clinical Fellow/Student Sayuri Narroway
Lab Technician/Clinical Fellow/Student Joseph Tanti

Education Bookings & Resources

EDUCATION PERFORMANCE DATES

Wednesday 6 March 2024 at 11am
Thursday 7 March 2024 at 11am
Friday 8 March 2024 at 11am

Education performances include a post-show Q&A

EDUCATION TICKETS & PRICING

$34 each
1 teacher free for every 20 students booked.

SUITABLE FOR YEARS 9 – 12
(STAGES  5 – 6)

Curriculum Links and Resources
Download Wit Curriculum Links

Online Education Bookings
To reserve your booking, select the ‘Education Bookings’ button under the calendar and confirm the number of tickets, prices and contact details. Please note you will not be asked to pay for your booking at this stage.

Once the Box Office has reviewed your reservation, you’ll receive a booking confirmation, tax invoice and ‘payment due’ date. It is your responsibility to forward the tax invoice to your Financial Officer for payment by the due date.

For more details about How to Book, Excursion & Accessibility For Education

Accessibility

In English

Wheelchair accessible

Companion Card accepted

Assistive Hearing system available (FM)

Find out more about accessibility at Riverside Theatres

Additional Ticketing Information

$6.95 Transaction Fee applies.

The authorised ticket agency for this event is Riverside Theatres.

Only tickets purchased by authorised agencies should be considered reliable. If you purchase tickets from a non-authorised agency, you risk that these tickets are fake, void, or have previously been cancelled. Resale restriction applies.

Prices are correct at the time of publication and subject to change without notice. Exact prices will be displayed with seat selection. Children aged 0-18 months at the time of a performance may be seated on an adult’s lap free of charge. A valid ticket is required for all children over 18 months.

For more details, please refer to our Terms and Conditions