Local talents shine in ‘Amadeus’ debut

TheatreiNQ celebrates its 15th anniversary with “Amadeus,” featuring local talents and orchestras, marking the play’s Townsville debut at the Civic Theatre.

Rachel Nutchey and James Raggatt returning to the city in TeahtreiNQ's production of Amadeus at the Townsville Civic Theatre. Picture: Evan Morgan

A theatrical masterpiece will help celebrate TheatreiNQ’s 15th anniversary on the big stage at the Townsville Civic Theatre.

The classic play Amadeus, written by renowned British playwright Peter Shaffer, will be performed for the first time in Townsville and also features the voices of the North Queensland Choral Society choir and members of the Barrier Reef Orchestra playing Mozart.

The play centres on how established court composer Salieri strives for divine perfection but after seeing this attribute in the ignorant young upstart Mozart – vows to destroy his rival.

The outstanding cast included the company’s Associate Artistic Director and recent recipient of a Matilda Award Brendan O’Connor as Salieri, and Bridge Project graduates Rachel Nutchey and James Raggatt returning to the city playing Constanze and Amadeus.

TheatreiNQ artistic director Terri Brabon said the company wanted to do something special for its 15th birthday.

“We wanted to do something big that would embrace and use the skills of other groups in the community,” she said.

“Also because it’s a beautiful piece that’s about art, and one man’s relationship with his desires to be good at something in the art field, and the heartbreak that comes with being driven by your passion in the arts.”

Terri Brabon said TheatreiNQ wanted to do something special for its 15th birthday. Picture: Shae Beplate.

Brabon said it was the first time TheatreiNQ had taken the lead in an artistic project of this scale in Townsville.

“We’ve worked with the Australian Festival of Chamber Music before. We produced works with them for their families’ concerts. But in terms of it being led by us, this is the first time we’ve really had an opportunity to lead a community event like this.

“Amadeus was written in 1979 but it’s never been performed in Townsville. We get to be the first to bring it here, and that feels a little overdue for such a classic piece of work.

“We’re very privileged, and we feel extremely honoured that we get to be the first ones to show this community this amazing piece of work.” Brabon said.

She said it was a dynamic piece of theatre but also very moving.

“The (historically known) relationship between Salieri, who is this composer of great renown at the time, and this young, upstart, new kid on the block, Mozart - resonates against any sort of generation gap.

“But also this idea of being close to genius, I think, is something, particularly if you’re in the arts.

“But I think anyone who’s of given up or devoted their lives to the pursuit of some excellence in any area, to at the sort of to be picked at the post in a way just right at the end when you’ve just reached the pinnacle of your success.”

Brabon said in the play that Salieri is the only one who recognises Mozart’s genius.

“Nobody else really sees what Salieri sees. So he’s the only one who can see that Mozart is above and beyond, that Mozart’s gifts are from God - they’re just genius.

“Everybody thinks Salieri is the one in his time, but Salieri himself knows himself not to be as good.

So that’s what matters. It’s someone’s opinion of their own work and I think as artists, we all should be the arbiter of our own judgment of our own work.

Rachel Nutchey and James Raggatt returning to the city in TeahtreiNQ's production of Amadeus at the Townsville Civic Theatre. Picture: Evan Morgan

“We try to do that here at TheatreiNQ, as well. We have to swim our own race, is what I always say.

“Salieri can see that Mozart has something that he hasn’t, and can do things that are inexplicable.

For Salieri it drives him to a kind of resentment of his God and why these gifts weren’t given to him when he’s been such a good man and lived such a good life and devoted himself so deeply to his art form.

“Why would God not reward him with the same things that he’s rewarded Mozart, whom, by all accounts and by Salieri’s opinion, was a childish upstart, ill-mannered with no respect for the society or the elders?”

“It’s a dynamic piece. I think Brendan’s performance as Salieri is an incredible role to play and we’re very, very lucky to have James Raggett come home to play Mozart.

“Mozart is also a really challenging part. It’s a role that sits very firmly on a really tight line. You could really fall into one side or the other, just sort of being overly ridiculous.

“But we really needed to make sure that we got the right actor to play the part, but also to play the part against Brendan.

“In all of James’s roles at TheatreiNQ I’ve always put him against Brendan. Even when James was a young kid and just finished high school and we were doing his first play with us together - Brendan was Richard the Third and James was Richmond.

“They were each other’s Nemesis right from the start. They just get along really well, and there’s something so beautifully opposite about them that really works in those kind of like relationships.

James Raggatt and Rachel Nutchey, as Constanze and Mozart, are performing in TeahrreiNQ's production of Amadeus April 10-12 at the Townsville Civic Theatre. Picture: Evan Morgan

“But then we also have the beautiful Rachel Nutchey coming home, who, audiences of TheatreiNQ would remember, she was beautiful as Elizabeth in Bloody Mary.

“Just her presence on stage is so strong and her ability to portray these historical characters to give meaning for a modern audience. She’s brilliant at that. She’s very modern and yet very ancient at the same time.

“But it’s a big ensemble show. There’s 17 of us actors, and then there’s 16 in the orchestra, and then

there’s another 20 or so in the choir.

“So that it’s a big show for us. We’re used to maybe having a cast of maximum of 25 maybe so a lot

of costumes for my fabulous mother, who makes all our costumes here at TheatreiNQ,”

She said it was the company’s first show on the main stage at the Civic Theatre.

We’re really grateful to the Townsville Civic Theatre and the staff there for we’re really excited about working there and being part of that space.

“It’s just a big it’s a big show in terms of working how the engagement is with the other companies in town.”

Brabon said they were excited to do a play of this quality for TheatreiNQ’s 15th anniversary.

“It’s definitely a work of great status. Anyone who knows anything about the theatre knows about this play, and also, obviously, Mozart is known throughout the world.

“We’re just really excited to have the opportunity to bring it to Townsville, and really needed a space like the Civic.

“There’s no way we would be able to do something of this magnitude here at the Clubhouse. The fact that all this all the stars aligned, and we’re able to make this happen with the Great Barrier Reef Orchestra and with the Townsville Choral Society choir - it seems like a match made in heaven.”

TheatreiNQ’s Amadeus will be showing at the Townsville Civic Theatre between April 10 and 12. For tickets, go to theatreinq.com/amadeus-2025

Originally published as Local talents shine in ‘Amadeus’ debut