The Turn of the Screw Director Sarah Goodes chats with MTC Literary Associate Jenni Medway about the enduring fascination with Henry James novella and the process of creating an audio drama.

MTC Associate Artistic Director Sarah Goodes directs a dramatic reading of Henry James’s classic ghost story, The Turn of the Screw, brought to life by Laurence Boxhall, Marg Downey, Robert Menzies and Katherine Tonkin, with a sound design by Clemence Williams.

MTC Associate Artistic Director Sarah Goodes directs a dramatic reading of Henry James’s classic ghost story, The Turn of the Screw, brought to life by Laurence Boxhall, Marg Downey, Robert Menzies and Katherine Tonkin, with a sound design by Clemence Williams.

MTC Associate Artistic Director Sarah Goodes directs a dramatic reading of Henry James’s classic ghost story, The Turn of the Screw, brought to life by Laurence Boxhall, Marg Downey, Robert Menzies and Katherine Tonkin, with a sound design by Clemence Williams.

Vida Goldstein was an Australian suffragette and social reformer. In 1900 she founded the Australian Woman's Sphere, a monthly journal which advocated for equal rights for women. With the support of the newly formed Women's Federal Political Association, Goldstein was one of four female candidates to stand for federal parliament in 1903, the first at which women were eligible to stand. While unsuccessful, she continued to campaign for women's rights and interntional peace, running in the 1910, 1913, 1914 and 1917 elections. As a committed pacifist, Goldstein helped found the Women's Peace Army, an anti-war organisation, in 1915 and was Chair of the Peace Alliance. These groups were among the first to oppose the war, but also were among the first to be censored. In September 1914, the offices of The Women Voter were raided in attempt to stop publication. On 5 October 1915, Goldstein published an open letter to the Members of the Commonwealth Parliament in her newspaper The Woman Voter. In this open letter, she speaks out against conscription and 'the gradual but steady loss of the great Bulwarks of Liberty, a Free Conscience, Free Press, Free Speech'. For MTC Audio Lab's Great Australian Speeches, Director Petra Kalive has reimagined Goldstein’s open letter into a speech, read by Marg Downey.

Shareena Clanton is an Australian theatre, film and television actor. Clanton portrays Doreen Anderson in the Foxtel TV series Wentworth and appeared in the feature film Last Cab to Darwin. In 2017, she starred in Melbourne Theatre Company's production of Macbeth. In Autumn 2018, Clanton published her essay ‘The Age of Ignorance is Over’ in Media Entertainment & Arts Alliance Equity Magazine. It issues a wake-up call to those in positions of authority to lift the cloak of invisibility from artists of colour and afford them the same opportunities as their white cohort. For Great Australian Speeches, 'The Age of Ignorance is Over' is read by the author herself, Shareena Clanton.

Sir Robert Menzies was Prime Minister of Australia from both 1939 to 1941 and 1949 to 1966. In his career, he played a central role in the creation of the Liberal Party of Australia. Serving over 18 years, Menzies is Australia's longest-serving prime minister. On 22 May 1942 he made his now-famous 'The Forgotten People' speech defining and exalting Australia’s middle class as the 'backbone of Australia'. For Great Australian Speeches, Robert Menzies's 'The Forgotten People' is read by Mark Coles Smith.

Dame Nellie Melba, born Helen Porter Mitchell, was an Australian operatic soprano and was the first Australian classic musician to receive international recognition and became one of the most famous singers of the late 1800s and early 20th century. She adopted the stage name 'Melba' based on her home town of Melbourne. Throughout the 1920s, Melba was remembered for an ongoing series of 'farewell' appearances, resulting in the expression 'more farewells than Dame Nellie Melba' This famous Farewell speech was given by Dame Nellie Melba following a performance of Puccini's 'La Boheme' at Her Majesty’s Theatre in Melbourne, 13 October 1924. For this MTC Audio Lab episode it is read by Marg Downey.

Ned Kelly is one of the most famous (and one of the last) Australian bushrangers. He is perhaps best known for his suit of armour, worn during his final shootout with the police. In December 1878, Kelly dictated a letter which was sent to Victorian Parliamentarian, Donald Cameron seeking justice for allegations of criminal activity. This is the Cameron Letter read by Greg Stone.

Miles Franklin was an Australian writer, best known for her novel My Brilliant Career. Miles Franklin paid homage to Henry Lawson on the 5 September 1942, delivered at the annual ceremony arranged by the Fellowship of Australian Writers. For MTC Audio Lab, Miles Franklin's homage is read by Izabella Yena.