This May, audiences should expect the unexpected, with NIDA alumni spotted in an upcoming post-apocalyptic western, the return of a mind-bending hit series and the debut of a cutting-edge collection. Here’s where you can catch some of their latest projects.
Forgive Us All is the zombie Western you never saw coming. Opening in cinemas from 1 May and co-starring Richard Roxburgh (Acting, 1986), this haunting, genre-bending film throws audiences into a devastating post-apocalyptic fight for survival, exploring the human cost of hope, grief and redemption.
You can also catch NIDA alum and Emmy-award winner Murray Bartlett (Acting, 1991) in the chilling second season of Hulu’s Nine Perfect Strangers. Premiering on Prime Video internationally from 22 May, this season sees new and returning cast take a trip to the Austrian Alps all in the pursuit of ‘wellness’.
In cinemas from 8 May, With or Without You co-stars NIDA graduate Albert Mwangi (Acting, 2020) as Dalu, a mysterious West African man who becomes an unexpected companion on a redemptive road trip across Australia. Emotionally deep and startlingly funny, this film is an excellent addition to your May watch list.
Experience the cutting-edge work of NIDA alumni at It’s Real if it Bleeds, the debut Couture collection by Paris Jade Burrows (Design for Performance, 2023). Presented at St Barnabas’ Church in Ultimo on 10 May, Paris’ work blends avant-garde fashion with a refined, gothic aesthetic. A true multidisciplinary designer, the show brings together a host of talented alumni including Stage Manager, Daniel Story (Technical Theatre and Stage Management, 2023), Head of Make-up, Liv Hopkinson (Screen and Media, Specialist Make-up Services, 2023), and costume making credits from Sam Hernandez (Costume, 2024), Kit Moore (Costume, 2024), and second-year student Karamea Gostt. Models for the collection include, Holly Matthews (Acting, 2023), Elle Fitzgerald (Design, 2024), Victor Xu (Stage and Screen Performance, 2023), Angelina Kondakoff (Stage and Screen Performance, 2023), Jago Field (Stage and Screen Performance, 2023), Caitlin Green (Stage and Screen Performance, 2023) and Teo Matovic (Acting, 2023).
At Belvoir St Theatre’s 25a programming from 6 – 18 May, Alyssa Peters (Stage and Screen Performance, 2022) and Josh Hammond (Stage and Screen Performance, 2019) co-star in I & You. As co-producers, they’ve brought together a strong team which includes many NIDA alumni; Lighting & Set Designer, Saint Clair (Technical Theatre and Stage Management, 2021), Movement Coordinator, Sam Chester (Movement Studies, 2002), Assistant Director, Jo Bradley (Directing, 2024), Rehearsal Coach/Production Advisor Garth Holcombe (Acting, 2006) and Producer/Intimacy Coordinator Jess Ramsey (Directing, 2023). I & You is a tender and thought-provoking story that explores the unexpected connection between two teenagers brought together by a poetry assignment and their unguarded conversations about youth, morality and the invisible threads that bind us.