Conviction

by
Zoey Dawson

Directed by
Emma Johns



25 Mar 2026 –
28 Mar 2026
7:00 pm | 40 min (no interval)

Conviction

About the show

On the brutal shores of colonial Australia, a convict mother and her daughter disguise themselves as free settlers, desperate for another chance at life. When the arrival of a sinister redcoat threatens to expose their secret, hope gives way to terror and betrayal.

As the day unfolds, the story fractures, revealing Zoey, a young woman confronting the weight of isolation, fear and self-doubt.

A haunting exploration of identity, inheritance and endurance, this work asks what it takes to survive.

Emma Johns

Emma is an emerging Australian director with a unique interest in exploring the mundane events of everyday life.

Mainly working in amateur spaces, Emma has a passion for inspiring and energising young people with theatre and all it has to offer. Most recently, she worked at The Scots College Senior School as the acting Master in Charge of Drama, directing two highly successful productions (Oliver Twist – Middle School, 1984 – Senior School).

While completing her Bachelor of Arts with a double major in Indigenous Studies and Theatre and Performance Studies at the University of New South Wales, she was active in student theatre across Sydney.
Highlights include her sold-out productions of Heat Lighting in 2023 with the Sydney University Dramatic Society, and Prickly Love in 2024 with the New South Wales University Theatre Society.

She strives to illuminate and celebrate the quiet, often overlooked moments of joy in the human experience through innovative, thought-provoking live performance.

– Emma Johns

TBA

 

Content advice subject to change.

The Company

CAST (in order of appearance)

Lilian/child: Madeleine Lewis

Mud: Jaga Yap

William: Dan Castle

Agatha/Mother: Bianca Marshall

Writer: Zoey Dawson

Director: Emma Johns

Set, Props & Costume Designer: Alix Camidge

Lighting Designer: Jonathan Ogilvie

Sound Designer: TBC

Stage Manager: Lola Hunt

Costume Supervisor: Karamea Gostt

Key

*Guest Artist
** NIDA Staff