Sammy and Yousif sit across from each other at a kitchen table adorned with a damask cloth. Battling the tumultuous waves of their mother’s sudden passing, they embark on an exhilarating quest to unravel the mystery behind their unexpected inheritance: a single jar of pickles.
The brother’s chance to dill with the unconventional bequest drives them to unravel hidden truths about their family, themselves, and the memories they thought they shared.
CONTACTS
Director
Jacqueline Hornjik: jacqueline@pyt.com.au
+61 408 431 540
Creative Producer, Programming and New Work
Gabriela Green Olea: gabriela@pyt.com.au
+61 449 178 504
VIDEO
For a full length archive, contact Jacqueline Hornjik jacqueline@pyt.com.au
MARKETING PACK
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PACK
PRESENTATION
2023 – Showing PYT Fairfield
2024 – Belvoir 25a Premiere
2026 – Tour in planning. To be part of this tour contact Jacqueline Hornjik jacqueline@pyt.com.au
CREATIVE TEAM
Concept Created by Najee Tannous
Story Created by Najee Tannous, Antony Makhlouf, Hayden Tonazzi, May Yousif, & Francesco Pelli
Co-Directed by Hayden Tonazzi & May Yousif
Set Designer Soham Apte
Lighting Designer Elyse Drenth
Composer & Sound Designer Chrysoulla Markoulli
Dramaturg George Kemp
Movement Dramaturg Martin del Amo
Cultural Dramaturg Alissar Chidiac & Hussein Kahil (Arab Theatre Studio)
Marketing and Content Creator Anthony El-Helou
Stage Manager Cindy Cavero
Produced by PYT Fairfield, Gabriela Green Olea
Photography by Teniola Komolafe
Starring Najee Tannous & Antony Makhlouf
Produced by PYT Fairfield
Presented by Belvoir 25a
Supported by Arab Theatre Studio, Create NSW, and Creative Australia.
ARTIST BIOS
L-R Najee Tannous, Antony Makhlouf, Hayden Tonazzi, May Yousif, Francesco Pelli
Najee Tannous (he/him)
Najée is an interdisciplinary artist, creative producer, and arts practitioner based on the ancestral lands of the Dharug tribe. His diverse body of work encompasses live and digital performance, dance, art installations, and scholarly research in contemporary theatre practice. Influenced by Arabian cultures and histories, Najée creates innovative works of change and social advocacy that tell urgent stories, harnessing complex ideas and distilling them into powerful evocative works about home.
He is the founding director of BPAC (Performing Arts Centre); a Western Sydney dance company dedicated to cultivating experimental dance practice for adolescents. Najee has produced, consulted, and co-collaborated on several projects with companies including Sydney Opera House, Belvoir St, ATYP, and PYT Fairfield.
In 2017, Najée received a nomination for the esteemed Australian Choreographic Awards for his dance piece [MODE]. That same year, he was awarded the Pineapple Labs International Artist Residency, where he created the original performances Untitled.exe and Not For Sale. He went on to serve as Resident Artist at PYT Fairfield in both 2019 and 2020, and was also selected as a participating artist for Performance Space’s Queer Nu Works in 2021.
Najée’s extensive theatre repertoire includes notable roles in productions such as Neighbours (2021), Carpet Stories (2019), Hiraeth (2015), Charlie (2015), NOT FOR SALE (2014), One Way Pendulum (2013), Doctor Faustus (2013), Six Characters in Search of an Author (2013), Three Sisters (2011), and Oedipus (2010). His film and television credits span across Home and Away (2007), Gangs of Oz (2008), Dance Academy (2008), and Dream Kiss Cry (2012).
Currently, Najée serves on the board of Powerhouse Youth Theatre and holds the position of Vice President (Comms) at Drama New South Wales.
This year marks the anticipated premiere of Najee’s concept, Pickled (2024), set to debut in Belvoir’s 25a season.
Antony Makhlouf (he/him)
Antony Makhlouf is an actor and creator of work for screen and stage. As a television presenter for Channel 7’s Logie-nominated Get Arty, airing in Australia, New Zealand and South East Asia, he created and hosted segments teaching art techniques. Other select screen credits include short films Lollipop, The Effect, Yannis, Re-Arranged and Seeds of Gold. He co-created and performed in his latest stage project, Pickled, produced by PYT Fairfield. Similarly, he co-devised and performed in Lady Tabouli at the National Theatre of Parramatta. Other select performance theatre credits include Amphibian (Windmill Theatre Company, Adelaide), Omar And Dawn (Apoc. Theatre and Green Door Theatre Co.), Lady Tabouli (Batch Festival Edition at Griffin Theatre), The Sweet Science Of Bruising (Theatre Travels) and For The Love Of Paper (Culture Shock Theatrical). Antony’s next role will be in Saints Of Damour at Qtopia Sydney. He has also executed production designs on Son Of Byblos (Belvoir 25A), Nothing (National Theatre of Parramatta) and The Things I Could Never Tell Steven (National Theatre of Parramatta). Antony studied his craft through degrees and short courses at UNSW Art & Design, ACTT, The Actor’s Centre Australia, Screenwise, Improv Theatre Sydney and The Actors Hub.
Hayden Tonazzi (he/they)
Hayden Tonazzi is a director and creative producer of theatre and musical theatre. They were appointed Artistic Associate in 2022 at the Australian Theatre for Young People (ATYP), working on productions such as Saplings by Hannah Belanszky for Sydney Festival 2024, CUSP by Mary Anne Butler, Shack by George Kemp and Follow Me Home by Lewis Treston.
In 2024, Hayden will direct Pickled كبيس for Belvoir 25A / PYT Fairfield, The Last Train to Madeline by Callum Mackay for Fever103, and Saints of Damour by James Elazzi for Qtopia Sydney. The works they are currently developing include a new Australian satirical disco musical Converted! by Vic Zerbst, and Waterfowl by Callum Mackay which won the 2023 QPAS Queer Playwriting Award.
They are also Co-Artistic Director with Constantine Costi for the Lysicrates Prize and Martin-Lysicrates Prize, currently responsible for the ongoing development of winning commissions including Murder, Murder, Hair! by Suvi Derkenne, Nothing Scares us Anymore by Joseph Brown, and Ripple by Jacob Sgouros.
Their other directing credits include This Genuine Moment for La Mama and The Old 505, Significant Other for the New Theatre, Tell Me Before the Sun Explodes for the Kings Cross Theatre, and Stop. Drop. and Listen. for Shopfront Youth Arts.
Their associate/assistant directing credits include Heroes of the Fourth Turning for OutHouse Theatre, Camp and The End of Winter Siren Theatre Co, and 21 Forster St for Steps & Holes Theatre. Their directorial secondments include Moulin Rouge: The Musical with Global Creatures, Hosh: La Traviata with Opera Australia, and The Bridges of Madison County for the Hayes Theatre.
May Yousif (she/her)
May is a director and storyteller with versatile skills and experience in the television and film industry. Her director credits include: Co-director on Idris Elba’s music video for ‘Biggest’ (2022) and Director/Producer on the comedy short film ‘Friendzoned Island’ (2019), awarded ‘Best Feel-Good Film’ and nominated for ‘Best Romantic Comedy’ at Sydney Indie Film Festival. May was also Director’s Assistant to Rebel Wilson on Australian feature film ‘The Deb’ (2024). Other productions she has worked on include: Will Gluck’s ‘Anyone But You’, David Leitch’s ‘The Fall Guy’, George Miller’s ‘Three Thousand Years of Longing’, SBS’s Drama ‘On The Ropes’, SONY’s Peter Rabbit 2, CHANNEL 9’s Doctor Doctor, WHITEFALKS, AACTA award winning film ‘Babyteeth’, ABC’s ‘Rake’ and ABC’s ‘Hardball’. May has expanded into the realm of theatre, captivating sold-out audiences for the early development presentation of Pickled (بيكلد), a collaborative, queer, Arab work at PYT Fairfield. May is currently co-divising and co-directing Pickled (بيكلد) showing at Belvoir 25A in 2024. Her desire to share meaningful and diverse stories is fueled by her life experiences growing up in Western Sydney, after migrating to Australia in 1994 from Iraq. She contributes to the industry by creating authentic stories for the screen and stage alongside diverse creators and crew.
Francesco Pelli (he/him)
Francesco Pelli is making his creative debut in ‘Pickled‘ (2024). With his experiences in multi-disciplinary workshops, in chasmic explorations of drama and performance, illuminated further by his role as Stanley Webber in a production of ‘The Birthday Party‘ (Harold Pinter), it is clear that his involvement within the discipline of theatre began well before this very moment. A ferocious passion for dramaturgy and poetry, combined with a ripened knowledge on the writings of Samuel Beckett, Bertolt Brecht, Jerzy Grotowski, and Konstantin Stanislavski, he is grateful to help bring this beautiful story to the stage.
Francesco is a young emerging artist.
ABOUT PYT FAIRFIELD
PYT Fairfield envisions a world where anyone from anywhere can dare to make art and place it on stages worldwide.
We exist to offer young and emerging artists from Western Sydney a solid foundation with which to build on their creativity. We share our expertise and create an environment that enables artists to grow and flourish, so that our arts landscape showcases a more reflective Australia.
We champion the rich cultural diversity of Australia and provide young and emerging artists with the opportunity to learn, thrive, and develop their professional artistic credits and expertise. We see Fairfield as a global city and a door to the world. We believe in unlocking this potential.
As the only professional theatre company in Western Sydney dedicated to putting young and emerging artists at the core of our practice, we strive to create brave spaces where creativity thrives, and artistic boundaries are pushed, where young and emerging artists build worlds influenced by their cultures and communities. Our commitment lies in nurturing and empowering the next generation of artists from Australia’s most culturally diverse region, where barriers to access are non-existent, and our ground-breaking and aspirational work puts culturally diverse, bi-lingual, working-class Australians at the forefront of Australian stories.
PYT Fairfield is a brave and transformative company that makes urgent work that explores the critical issues of our times and challenges the conventions of traditional theatre. We respond to the needs and aspirations of the next generation of artists, the community in which we live and work, and the explosion of talent and creativity across our region. We do this by creating innovative performance, social, and artistic experiences in theatre spaces and across diverse urban sites of Fairfield, Western Sydney, and beyond, with a critical focus on cultural diversity – intrinsic to the region we call home.
Director Jacqueline Hornjik
Artistic Alliance
Creative Producer, Programing and New Work Gabriela Green Olea
Creative Producer, Youth and Emerging Bina Bhattacharya
Creative Producer, Community and Engagement Daisy Montalvo
Finance and Operations Manager Holly Morrison
Marketing and Development Manager Yvan Karezi
Technical and Production Manager Elyse Drenth
PRESENTATION
GENERAL
Duration: 80 minutes without interval
Latecomers: Entry point TBC (dependent on venue setup)
Warnings: Course language and brief discussion of adult themes
Ages: 14+
TOURING AND TECHNICAL (subject to change)
Touring Party: 5-7
Touring Party details:
Performer: Najee Tannous
Performer: Antony Makhlouf
Stage Manager: Cindy Cavero
Production and Technical Manager/Lighting Designer: Elyse Drenth
Producer: Gabriela Green
The 2 x Directors may travel with the show to initial venues.
| Capacity: | Flexible |
| Scheduling: | Maximum 8 shows per week, depending on travel schedule. Show call for cast will be 2 hours prior to the show’s starting open time On days where 2 shows are scheduled there should be a minimum of 3 hours between the conclusion of the first show and the commencement of the second Media Calls to be scheduled with the Company. |
| Staging: | Pickled بيكلد was originally conceived to be performed in an intimate black box setting and later switched to an in-the-round setting. As such, there is flexibility in the presentation of this work in terms of staging. The audience participation aspect of the show asks for approximately 3-4 audience members to come on stage for a short moment. |
| Space: | Minimum performance space area of 6500mm (w) x 4500mm (d) |
| On stage: | Producer to Provide set (still in development) |
| Load In: | Full day required Show crew required: Pre-Rig – 1x LX (lighting) Technicians for approx. 4hr call Bump-in – 1x Venue Technician (Sound and LX), 1x AV Technician, 1x Lighting Technicians if no Pre-Rig possible Show Crew – Venue Manager and Ushers as per venue policy, the Company SM will call and operate the show. Bump Out – 2x Technicians Show crew call: At least 90 mins prior to the show, and at least 30 mins post-show. Venue Manager and Usher as per venue policy. |
| Stage Access: | Ideally from wings on both sides of the stage (though dependant on staging choice) |
| Rigging: | Required for all presenter provided LX fixtures, and any speakers required for a standard FOH setup. There will be a lamp shade with a dimmable globe to be rigged over the small table, with a cable run to the dimmer patch. |
| Audio: | Presenter to provide. 1x standard FOH speaker setup for the space in the configuration best suited to your venue. The output is from a QLab file on a laptop and requires L-R stereo signal, ideally with a subwoofer to give depth. There is no need to rig to allow for surround sound, however there is a requirement for one small spot-speaker on stage. 1 x wireless SM58 (or similar) with a boom mic stand. 1x sound desk that allows for L-R output, with a cable for 3.5mm input from the headphone jack of the show computer. Headset communication between SM and Operators/Technicians All associated cabling |
| Audio-Visual: | Producer to provide. 4 x CRT TV’s and all associated cabling. |
| Lighting: | Presenter to Note: LX requirements are entirely dependent on the size and layout of the venue and may need to be amended/decreased/increased to suit. The lighting design from the Premiere Presentation at Belvoir 25A is below for reference. Our PM and SM require full access to all dimmers, patching systems and control systems for the duration of the season. The following equipment list is based on this previous presentation: Presenter to provide. 15 x 25-50° Source Four Junior 6 x Acclaim18-34 18 x Fresnel 1200 15 x Acclaim Fresnel 1x Iris 12 x Par16 Birdies with H stands ETC ION Desk All associated cabling |
| Back of house: | At least 1 lockable dressing room – for the production crew and for the two performers, with adequate temperature control, chairs, mirrors, tables and lighting sufficient to complete makeup. Sufficient wardrobe racks and coat hangers for costumes (2 in each room). Access to bathroom facilities in the Back of House area. Secure storage for props, costumes and personal items. If possible, a Safe for the secure storage of any valuables. Wi-Fi access to Internet. Greenroom facilities including fridge, microwave, kettle and sink with water, crockery and cutlery Hand sanitizer, disposable antibacterial wipes, disposable facemasks, and a rubbish bin. Access to an ironing board, as well as a garment steamer, if possible Back of house access for all cast, crew and company. |
| Stage Management: | SM needs to call the show from a location with a clear line of sight to the front of the stage Ability to communicate with FOH either directly or via Venue Tech or FOH Manager Wi-Fi access to Internet Access to a fully equipped first aid kit Access to a vacuum cleaner for carpets Adequate backstage lighting Hand sanitizer, disinfectant cleaning sprays, antibacterial wipes, cloths and rubbish bins. |
| Consumables: | Required batteries for all wireless microphones Coffee, tea, drinking water, milk, biscuits and dishwashing detergent for greenroom Spare bulbs for in-house conventional fixtures |
| Freight and Vehicles: | The show has a small amount of freight, and tours in a large Van. On the day of Bump In, this van will require access to a loading dock / loading zone to park and unload the freight (approx. 30 min) and will then require a parking space for the remainder of the day. The Van will require the same access on the day of Bump Out. If possible, parking for one other small vehicle would be appreciated. |
Sample Outline of Possible Production Schedule:
Pre-Production
- 4hr Pre-Rig of LX
Production Day
- 0900-1030 Load in, Setup Set, Bump in Touring Tech
- 1030-1300 Focus LX, Plot Sound Levels
- 1300-1400 Lunch, Cast Arrival
- 1400-1430 Mic-Up Cast, Tune Microphones
- 1430-1600 Dress/Tech
- 1600-1630 Notes, Fixes
- 1630-1730 Dinner
- 1730-1900 Call Time for Performance (incl. Mic-up, Mic Test and Cast Warmup)
- 1900-2030 Performance
- 2030-2130 Bump Out (if required)
Lighting Design sample from Belvoir 25a season. Lighting design is subject to change as per venue requirements.
Set Render samples – subject to change
