Home | Shows | What's On | 2025 Season | PRIMARY TRUST
Pulitzer Prize-winning and hailed as The New York Times Critic’s Pick, PRIMARY TRUST is an uplifting offbeat comedy about finding the courage to change.
- Playwright Eboni Booth
- Director Darren Yap
- Cast Charles Allen
Peter Kowitz
Angela Mahlatjie
Albert Mwangi - Set & Costume Designer James Browne
- Composer & Sound Designers Max Lambert
Roger Lock - Stage Manager Krystelle Quartermain
- Assistant Stage Manager Bernadett Lőrincz
- Costume Supervisor Lily Mateljan
- PRIMARY TRUST is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com
- 19 Jun 2025 - 12 Jul 2025
- 90mins (no interval)
- Recommended for ages 14+
- Wheelchair Accessible
- Hearing Loop
- Audio Described (selected dates)
- Adult themes, occasional coarse language
Overview
Pulitzer Prize-winning and hailed as The New York Times Critic’s Pick, PRIMARY TRUST is an uplifting offbeat comedy about finding the courage to change.
Meet Kenneth, a 38-year-old bookstore worker who spends his evenings sipping a mai tai (or two) with his best friend Bert. When a sudden layoff shatters his routine, Kenneth is forced to turn the page and embark on a new chapter of self-discovery. Will Bert stick around for the journey?
Experience an honest and funny night of intimate storytelling that will capture your imagination and fill you with hope as Kenneth dares to step into an unfamiliar world.
Calendar
Ticket Prices
For group bookings of 10+, submit the Group Booking Form and we’ll be in contact to confirm your tickets.
Arts professionals (MEAA, AWG members, etc.) check your Ensemble Industry Insider eligibility.
For school groups, please complete our 2025 Education Online Booking Form.
Prices are correct at the time of publication and subject to change without notice.
TICKET TYPE | PREVIEWS | IN SEASON |
---|---|---|
FULL PRICE | $85 | $90 |
SENIOR CARD | $82 | $87 |
PENSIONER | $78 | $83 |
GROUP 10 - 19 | $78 | $83 |
GROUP 20+ | $73 | $78 |
30 OR UNDER | $40 | $43 |
FULL-TIME STUDENT | $40 | $43 |
SCHOOL GROUPS | $25 | $25 |
Reviews
“it will restore your faith in theatre’s elemental storytelling powers” The Observer
“[a] tender, delicately detailed portrait” New York Times, Critic’s Pick
“darn near perfect play” The Daily Beast
Cast & Creatives

Darren Yap
Director
Charles Allen
Ensemble Theatre: CLYDE’S. Griffin Theatre: A HOAX. La Boite: A HOAX. Sport for Jove: OF MICE AND MEN. Queensland Theatre: DEATH OF A SALESMAN. Los Angeles Shakespeare Festival: A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM. Film: MONGOOSE, MISTLETOE RANCH, LAND OF BAD, A PERFECT PAIRING, HOGES: THE PAUL HOGAN STORY, RISE, ELVIS, TICKET TO PARADISE, BLUE HORIZON, BLOODY HELL, DOWN IN NEW ORLEANS, ADELE (SHORT). Television: REEF BREAK, GOOD COP BAD COP, NEIGHBOURS, JOE VS CAROLE, EXPANDED MINDS ONLY, SCRAP. Awards: 2023 Best Supporting Actor Nominee Sydney Theatre Award.

Peter Kowitz
Ensemble Theatre: ROUGH JUSTICE, THE DEAL, BLINDED BY THE SUN, TABLE FOR ONE, EMERALD CITY, HAPPINESS, TAKING STEPS. Bell Shakespeare: THE ALCHEMIST, KING LEAR. Griffin Theatre Company: NUCLEUS, BURNING, STRANGE ATTRACTOR, THE FLOATING WORLD. Melbourne Theatre Company: AUSTRALIA DAY, THE WEIR, DOUBLE INDEMNITY, HEISENBERG. Queensland Theatre: FAMILY VAUES, DEATH OF A SALESMAN, ARMS AND THE MAN, GOOD WORKS, THE REMOVALIST, THE DEPARTMENT, THE ONE DAY OF THE YEAR, HAMLET, THE SCHOOL FOR SCANDAL. Railway Street Theatre Company: THE SUMMER OF THE 17th DOLL, WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?, FALLING ON MY LEFT EAR, AWAY, TWELFTH NIGHT. Sydney Theatre Company: BLACKBIRD (Germany and NZ), TOT MOM, AUSTRALIAN GRAFFITI, AUSTRALIA DAY, TALK. State Theatre Company of South Australia: THE WILD DUCK, WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? CREDITORS. GWB: GIRL FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY (Australia and NZ tour), T.V. Credits: (ABC) CROWNIES, JANET KING (1,2,3) GRASSROOTS (1&2), BODYSURFER, GP, THE LONG WAY HOME. Awards: SYDNEY THEATRE AWARD for best actor in a leading role in a mainstage production. AFI BEST ACTOR in a mini-series. AFI BEST ACTOR in a tele -feature, VARIETY HEART AWARD television actor of the year.

Angela Mahlatjie
PRIMARY TRUST is Angela’s Ensemble Theatre debut. Archipelago Productions: WOMEN OF TROY. Blue Room Theatre: LET ME FINISH, ONCE WE WERE KINGS. Red Ryder Productions: THE WOLVES. Sydney Theatre Company: THE DICTIONARY OF LOST WORDS, A RAISIN IN THE SUN. Tempest Theatre: THE COMMUNISTS ARE IN THE FUNHOUSE. Film: I MET A GIRL, H IS FOR HAPPINESS. Television: PIECES OF HER, THE HEIGHTS series 1 & 2, THE WOLVES.

Albert Mwangi
Ensemble Theatre: MR. BAILEY’S MINDER. Film: PRIMITIVE WAR, MAKE IT LOOK REAL, WITH OR WITHOUT YOU, BLUEBACK. Television: TOM SWIFT, BUMP, THE MOTH EFFECT. Training: Bachelor of Fine Arts (Acting) at National Institute of Dramatic Art.

James Browne
Ensemble Theatre : THE GREAT DIVIDE. Crossroads Live: GREASE. Monkey Baa Theatre Company: YONG, JOSEPHINE WANTS TO DANCE and PETE THE SHEEP. CDP: TURNS, TIM, SPOT THE DOG. David Venn Enterprises: CRUEL INTENTIONS. Griffin Theatre Company: LADIES DAY, DIVING FOR PEARLS. Hayes Theatre Co: CABARET, XANADU. Joint Ventures: MIDNIGHT. Merrigong Theatre Company: LETTERS TO LINDY. Riverside’s National Theatre of Parramatta: GUARDS AT THE TAJ. Sydney Opera House: VELVET, CIRQUE STRATOSPHERE and BLANC DE BLANC. Theatre Creation Japan: GHOST. Victorian Opera: THE SELFISH GIANT. Awards: Best Costume Design 2020 Broadway World Sydney Awards (Musical HAIR). Nominations in the Australian Production Design Awards, Green Room Awards and Sydney Theatre Awards. Training: Theatre Design at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts and Australian Film Television and Radio School in Art Direction.

Verity Hampson
Ensemble Theatre: THE GLASS MENAGERIE, THE HEARTBREAK CHOIR, MURDER AT HAMLINGTON HALL, THE ONE, BABY DOLL, FULLY COMMITTED, THE ANZAC PROJECT. Bell Shakespeare: HENRY V, TWELFTH NIGHT, TITUS ANDRONICUS, JULIUS CAESAR, A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM. Belvoir: JESUS WANTS ME FOR A SUNBEAM, WINYANBOGA YURRINGA, ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE, THE DROVER’S WIFE, IVANOV. Griffin: NUCLEUS, BLAQUE SHOWGIRLS, JAILBABY, PONY, GHOSTING THE PARTY, ORANGE THROWER, DOGGED, SUPERHEROES, THE BLEEDING TREE. Hayes Theatre, ZOMBIE! THE MUSICAL, LIZZIE. La Boite: ONE THE BEAR, BLACKROCK, LA VOIX HUMANE. Malthouse: WAKE IN FRIGHT, BLACKIE BLACKIE BROWN, FIERY MAZE (with Sydney Festival). Opera Australia: IL TRITTICO, IDOMENEO (with Victorian Opera), THE MAGIC FLUTE. Sydney Theatre Company: SWEAT, FENCES, CITY OF GOLD (with BSSTC), A RAISIN IN THE SUN, HOME I’M DARLING, 7 STAGES OF GRIEVING, BLACKIE BLACKIE BROWN. Queensland Theatre: DEATH OF A SALESMAN. Awards: Three Sydney Theatre Awards. Two Green Room Awards. Australian Production Design Guild Award. The Mike Walsh Fellowship.

Max Lambert
Composer & Sound Designer
Max was the musical director on the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of THE XXVII OLYMPIAD, THE COMMONWEALTH GAMES (2002) and THE ASIAN GAMES (2006). Max was Musical Supervisor on HAIRSPRAY, FAME, KING KONG LIVE and STRICTLY BALLROOM – THE MUSICAL. The revival of Max’s musical MIRACLE CITY was remounted at the Sydney Opera House. Recently, Max has composed music (with Roger Lock) on the critically acclaimed productions LADIES DAY (Griffin), LETTERS TO LINDY (Merrigong), THE LITERATI (Bell/Griffin), DIVING FOR PEARLS (Griffin) and BERNHARDT / HAMLET (QTC). His musical DARLINGHURST NIGHTS was critically acclaimed for its season at the Hayes Theatre.

Roger Lock
COMPOSER & SOUND DESIGNER
Guitarist, composer and producer, Roger has worked on 15 recording studio titles. In 2012, Roger’s band Roger Vs. The Man released their debut album BLACK PEARL. Of their CD launch concert at The Basement the group was reviewed as having “near-peerless musicianship and songwriting craft” (Lloyd Bradford-Skye, Daily Review). Roger’s more recent studio credits include co-writing and producing Lindsey Nolan’s debut album THE RABBIT & THE TIGER.
Roger has collaborated extensively with Max Lambert producing music for eight theatre works including Katherine Thomson’s DIVING FOR PEARLS (Griffin/ Merrigong), Justin Fleming’s THE LITERATI and THE MISANTHROPE (Griffin/ Bell), and the Australian tours of Maryam Master’s BILLIONAIRE BOY (CDP) and Alana Valentine’s LETTERS TO LINDY (Merrigong). They have also performed together extensively including in Max’s critically acclaimed musicals DARLINGHURST NIGHTS (Hayes Theatre) and MIRACLE CITY (Sydney Opera House).

Krystelle Quartermain
Ensemble Theatre: THE GLASS MENAGERIE, KILLING KATIE: CONFESSIONS OF A BOOKCLUB (Stage Management Secondment). Australian Theatre for Young People: THE DEB. Belvoir Street Theatre: WELL-BEHAVED WOMEN. Force Majeure: GURR ERA OP. Great Big Events: SCHOOL OF ROCK: THE ARENA MUSICAL. Hayes Theatre: TELL ME ON A SUNDAY. Neglected Musicals: IF/THEN, THEY’RE PLAYING OUR SONG; PROMISES, PROMISES; THE APPLE TREE. Randwick City Council: COOGEE CHRISTMAS CAROLS. Sydney Festival 2025: SIEGFRIED & ROY: THE UNAUTHORISED OPERA. Sydney Opera House: JAMES GALEA’S BEST TRICK EVER. Sydney Theatre Company: STRANGE CASE OF DR JEKYLL AND MR HYDE; THE GOAT OR, WHO IS SYLVIA? Training: National Institute of Dramatic Art, Bachelor of Fine Arts Technical Theatre and Stage Management 2021.

Bernadett Lőrincz
Assistant Stage Manager
Lily Mateljan
Costume Designer/Supervisor: Ensemble Theatre: THE GLASS MENAGERIE, COLDER THAN HERE, THE QUEEN’S NANNY. Belvoir Street Theatre: PROPOISE POOL 25A SEASON. Hayes Theatre Co: PIRATES OF PENZANCE, LITTLE WOMEN. Kings Cross Theatre on Broadway (KXT): RHOMBIOD, GRAIN IN THE BLOOD, THE PIGEONS. Costume Supervisor: Australian Brandenburg Orchestra: INFERNO. Pinchgut Opera: DIDO AND AENEAS. National Institute of Dramatic Arts Production Seasons: A VERY EXPENSIVE POISON (Paid Professional), ALL THAT GLITTERS IS NOT MOULD, FALSETTOS, BETH. Head of Wardrobe: Victorian Opera: IL TABARRO. Films: APPLETON LADIES POTATO RACE, FIVE BLIND DATES. TV: HOUSE OF GODS, THE TWELVE (Season 1), HARDBALL (Season 2), THE OTHER GUY (Season 2). Training: National Institute of Dramatic Art, (BFA Costume) ENMORE DESIGN CENTRE. Awards: Nominated Best Costume Design for RHOMBOID at Sydney Broadway Awards 2023.
WATCH THE TRAILER
SPECIAL PERFORMANCES
Audio Described
- Wed 9 July 11am
- Sat 12 July 2pm
Q&A Sessions
- Thu 3 July 11am
- Thu 10 July 8.15pm
Free Teen Night
- Wed 9 July 6.15pm