Ripcord

State Theatre Company South Australia is happy to announce our production of Ripcord is returning to the stage, with a revised performance schedule aligning to the changed arrangements for re-opening South Australia made by the SA Government.

The Ripcord season will resume from Tuesday, 1 December and will be extended until Sunday 13 December, with nine additional performances between 6 – 13 December in the Dunstan Playhouse.

Public performances up to and including Monday 30 November are cancelled. Patrons with tickets cancelled from performances from 17 – 30 November are able to re-book into either spare capacity or added performances.

Ticket holders to cancelled performances are entitled to a refund or exchange to a new performance. Please visit the link below for more information.

More Information

Abby has lived in the Bristol Place Senior Living Facility for four years. She likes reading, peach cobbler, silence and wants nothing more than to live alone. Marilyn has just taken up the spare bed in Abby’s room. She loves small-talk, skydiving and wants nothing more than Abby’s bed by the window.

Pulitzer Prize-winner David Lindsay-Abaire’s razor-sharp comedy sees two formidable old women duke it out to claim their rightful spot in the nursing home. What starts as a humble bet between two rivals becomes an epic battle of wills that uncovers their darkest secrets.

Viciously funny and charmingly affecting, Ripcord is a story about second chances and a powerful reminder that you should never, ever mess with an old lady.

The first person to ever give me a mainstage theatre job was Australian entertainment legend Nancye Hayes. It’s time for me to repay the favour and I know this role will be one of her greatest triumphs. I can think of no one better than her to pull this particular ripcord on our end of year comedy. Mitchell

“An expertly engineered situation comedy.” New York Times

“Beyond the hijinks, ‘Ripcord’ offers a compelling look at the pleasure of a challenge and the challenge of finding pleasure.” Time Out

By arrangement with Hal Leonard Australia Pty Ltd, exclusive agent for Dramatist Play Service, Inc.

The full program is now available online.

View Program

Content
Contains smoke effects, strobe effects, coarse language and adult themes

Running time
Ripcord runs for 2 hours and 10 minutes (including interval)

Venue Access

Ripcord is being held at the Dunstan Playhouse.

Audience members can access current venue safety and sanitisation on the Adelaide Festival Centre website.

The recommended Dunstan Playhouse and Space Theatre drop off zone is at the northern end of the Riverbank Footbridge on War Memorial Drive (walk across the Footbridge to Dunstan Playhouse) or at the Intercontinental Hotel (walk north between the Intercontinental Hotel and Railway Station along the lane way to the Riverbank). There is also a drop off area and two accessible car spaces on lower Festival Drive, accessible from the west via Montefiore Road.

Visit our Venue Accessibility page for more.

Getting to the Venue

Adelaide Festival Centre is easily accessible by public transport, including the tram (stop at Railway Station), trains, buses and a free bus service that operates on a loop throughout the city and North Adelaide with stops on the corner of King William Road and North Terrace.

For more information visit https://www.adelaidemetro.com.au/

For information about parking near the Adelaide Festival Centre, please click here.

Venue safety

Audience members can access current venue safety and sanitisation on the Adelaide Festival Centre website. We will continue to adhere to the Federal and State governments’ public health advice in dealing with the risk of spreading COVID-19. It is important to note that the plans may change, as we respond to the advice from regulatory authorities and will act following government recommendations. Any significant changes to the presentation of the season, ticketing or health advice will be communicated directly to ticket holders.

Your Visit

Due to COVID-19, things will be a little different during your upcoming visit to Dunstan Playhouse. Please read the FAQ below and visit the Adelaide Festival Centre FAQ page before your visit.

Your arrival: Doors to the Dunstan Playhouse theatre will open 30 minutes before the performance. Please plan to arrive 15-20 minutes before the performance and have your tickets/booking confirmation ready to show security who will allow access into the theatre. There may be a queue outside, so dress appropriately and allow enough time to get to your seats. Once you enter the theatre, you will be directed straight into the auditorium. The performance will begin on time.

What should you bring?
Hand sanitiser is available onsite but to avoid congestion and queuing, we recommend you bring your own as well. Bars and water fountains are closed so make sure you bring a bottle of water, too.

What not to bring?
To avoid close contact and touching, cloaking is available for emergencies only. Please do not bring bags larger than A3 or backpacks as they will not be admitted into the theatre.

Will I be asked to wear a mask?
Following the advice of SA Health, patrons are encouraged to wear face masks during their visit as physical distancing will not always be possible. Adelaide Festival Centre staff will wear masks. Please speak with Front of House staff if you arrive and feel uncomfortable without a mask.

Where are your seats?
Theatre seating restricted to a checkerboard pattern to ensure adequate spacing in each row. Please sit in the seat allocated to you on your ticket. Stickers on every other seat will advise you to leave a space. You are not permitted to sit in the seat immediately next to another patron, even if they are your friend or family. Please follow the instructions of theatre attendants.

Are the bars open?
Bars and water fountains are closed.

What happens during interval?
To avoid congestion in the foyer, we ask you to stay at your seat during interval unless you need to use the facilities. Bars and water fountains are closed.

COVID Safe behaviour:

• Do not come to the theatre if you have cold or flu symptoms. Contact BASS on 131 246 to exchange your ticket or seek a refund.
• Wash your hands often and use hand sanitiser.
• Cover coughs and sneezes in your arm.
• Keep 1.5m from others wherever possible in foyers and queues.
• Download the COVIDSafe app for speedy contact tracing.

Please note: Adelaide Festival Centre venues are cash-free.

Tangent

Join our esteemed panel on Monday 19 October for our Ripcord Tangent event.

Subscriber Briefing

2020 Subscribers are invited to join us for exclusive Subscriber Briefings to learn more about the creation of the show.

Matinee Club

After selected matinee performances throughout the year, stay for our Matinee Club to hear the artists involved with the show. There is no additional cost, just stay in your seats after the performance.

The Matinee Club performance for this show is on Wednesday 25 November, 11am.

Post Show Q&As

We hold Q&As with our artists and creative teams so that you can ask questions about the production. A Q&A will be held for this show on Monday 23 November, 6:30pm.