FAIRYTALERS

MEAT MARKET STABLES

[August 28th - 31st, 2025]

Once upon a time, there lived four women who invented fairy tales...

You're cordially invited to attend the salon of the ‘Conteuses Précieuses.’ Long before the Brothers Grimm, there was Charlotte, Catherine, Marie and Henriette.

And they’re pretty annoyed you’re not talking about them.

They were heroines, poets, ingenues and lovers. They were accused of treason, locked in towers, subject to constant scandals and declared to be witches.

And the most remarkable tale never told is their lives.

From the glittering palace of Versailles to the dizzying darkness of purgatory, Fairytalers is a (mostly) true comedy that explores the lives and legacies of four extraordinary women whose stories changed the course of history.

REVIEWS

“Ellis Austin Finnie takes these women out of the dusty archives and drops them smack bang into the spotlight, where they absolutely belong, in a meta-theatrical, heartfelt, and hilarious retelling of their legacies. [Fairytalers is] an irreverent, intelligent, and emotionally rich love letter to the women who birthed fairy tales. Funny, fierce, and just the right amount of feminist rage wrapped in a velvet ribbon.”

MEGAN DAVIS (What’s The Show?)

“A stunning new play… [Fairytalers is] reminiscent of the empowering spirit of the musical SIX, celebrating women who fought for their place in a world that sought to silence them. It’s a powerful and entertaining experience, enhanced by a minimalist stage, thoughtful lighting, and an immersive sound design that all work together to tell their story.”

TIM GHYS (The Theatre.au)

“Writer/Director Ellis Austin Finnie’s fun and informative play, ‘Fairytalers,’ is less a history lesson, more a call to arms.

Fresh, funny, and full of girl boss vibes, [It] is a perfect feminist fairy tale for the 21st century.”

KATHRYN KEEBLE (Melbourne Observer)

CAST

EMILY FARRELL
JANINE KWOK
OLIVIA MORISON
DAISY VALERIO

OLIVIA FYNMORE-GREEN
GABRIELLE WARD

CREW

CAM APPLEBY [Stage Manager & Dramaturg]
ELLIS AUSTIN FINNIE [Playwright & Director]
ASHLEIGH BASHAM [Lighting & Sound Designer]
JUSTIN HEATON [Lighting Designer]
FIONA MACDONALD [Set & Costume Designer]