Griffin History
In 1978, Griffin was formed by a group of NIDA graduates including Jenny Laing-Peach, Robert Menzies, Peter Carmody and Penny Cook. The Company was named after Griffin Street, Surry Hills, where the first meetings were held.
At the end of 1979, Griffin became the resident theatre company at the Stables Theatre in Nimrod Street – the former home of the legendary Nimrod Theatre Company founded by John Bell, Richard Wherrett and Ken Horler.
In 1986, the Company's future in the venue was placed in jeopardy when the Stables Theatre was put up for sale. The Seaborn, Broughton & Walford Foundation (established at the instigation of Dr Rodney Seaborn) intervened, purchasing the theatre, rescuing it from demolition and securing Griffin a long-term home.
Throughout Griffin's history, the Company has maintained a policy of only performing Australian plays. Griffin's pivotal role represents a commitment to the creation of new Australian plays which are of outstanding value, and will have a lasting place in the Australian Theatre repertoire.
In 1999, The Sun Herald proclaimed Griffin as Australia's ‘Theatre of the Decade', for producing new Australian theatre.
Landmark Australian Productions
Playwright Michael Gow launched his career with Griffin with premiere productions of his plays Away (1986) – now Australia's most produced Australian play - and Europe (1987).
Richard Barrett's The Heartbreak Kid was premiered by Griffin in 1987. It was then adapted into the feature film The Heartbreak Kid, and the subsequent television series, Heartbreak High.
In 1991, the feature film The Boys is nominated for 13 Australian Film Institute Awards. The screenplay was adapted from Griffin's original 1991 premiere production of Gordon Graham's play.
In 1993, Kafka Dances by Timothy Daly introduced Cate Blanchett in her first professional stage role. It won her the Sydney Critics' Circle Award: Best Newcomer, with the play then transferring to Sydney Theatre Company, before subsequent productions in Europe, South Africa, and the USA.
In 1996, Hilary Bell's Wolf Lullaby toured nationally, winning nominations for six Greenroom Awards and was subsequently produced in New York, Chicago, Paris, Sweden, London and New Zealand.
In 2001, Lantana won the AFI Award for Best Feature Film. It was adapted for the screen by Andrew Bovell from his original stage play Speaking in Tongues, first premiered by Griffin in 1996.
Tommy Murphy's Holding the Man broke all recorded Griffin Box Office records in 2006 and 2007, when the production premiered at Griffin, before returning for a subsequent season at the SBW Stables Theatre, followed by a transfer to Sydney Opera House, Belvoir St Theatre and a national tour.
Many other plays premiered by Griffin are produced regularly throughout Australia and internationally.