Mary Coustas This Is Personal
Mary Coustas, the celebrated Australian comedian, actress, writer, and creator of the iconic 90’s character Effie, premieres her most intimate show to date, This Is Personal.
In the Playhouse | Theatre, Comedy
COVID-19 safety information
The health and wellbeing of everyone attending the Opera House is our top priority. We’re committed to making your experience safe, comfortable and enjoyable, with a number of measures in place including regular cleaning of high-touch areas, air conditioning systems that maximise ventilation, and hand sanitiser stations positioned in all paths of travel. We encourage you to wear a mask in indoor settings or when physical distancing can’t be maintained, and please stay home if you feel unwell. If you need to discuss your ticketing or booking options, contact our Box Office team on 02 9250 7777.
Pre-sale and on-sale information
Pre-sale timings:
- Insider Member Priority – 9am, Tuesday 8 March 2022
- What’s On e-newsletter pre-sale – 9am, Wednesday 9 March 2022
General public on sale 9am, Thursday 10 March 2022
Seven performances between Wednesday 25 May and Sunday 29 May, 2022
Wednesday, 25 May, 7.30pm
Thursday, 26 May, 7.30pm
Friday, 27 May, 7.30pm
Saturday, 28 May, 2.30pm
Saturday, 28 May, 7.30pm (in-venue + livestream)
Sunday, 29 May, 1.00pm
Sunday, 29 May, 6.00pm
Standard tickets from $75 | $8.50 Booking Fee applies per transaction
Livestream ticket $19.99
In order to maintain physical distancing within venues, tickets will mostly be sold in multiples of two, however limited allocations of single tickets and odd numbered groupings of tickets will also be available. Tickets may also be sold in single seat patterns for certain Events.
| Ticket | Description & price |
|---|---|
| Standard | Adults aged 17+ |
| A Reserve | $75 |
| Insider | Insider Members save on this performance |
| A Reserve | $70 |
| Concession | Student/Pensioner card holders (Aust. only) |
| A Reserve | $70 |
| Livestream |
Livestream ticket |
| Livestream (28 May, 7:30pm) |
$19.99 |
Prices correct at the time of publication and subject to change without notice. Exact prices will be displayed with seat selection. Children aged 15 years and under must be accompanied at all times. Children aged 0-23 months at the time of a performance may be seated on a parent’s lap free of charge. All children occupying a seat or aged 2 year/s of age or older must hold a valid ticket.
The authorised agencies for this event are Sydney Opera House and Vimeo. For more information about Authorised Agencies, see the FAQ below.
This show runs for 65 minutes
Event duration is a guide only and may be subject to change.
Recommended for ages 15+
This performance contains adult references, including sensitive material about childbirth that may be distressing for some viewers. Children aged 15 years and under must be accompanied at all times.
“I am ready to step away from the puppet and expose the puppeteer.”
Mary Coustas
It takes many muses to create a character that has the intergenerational following of Effie
This Is Personal is a candid and intimate one woman show that combines the coarse tapestry of Coustas’ migrant upbringing in Melbourne’s suburbs and her recent experience of motherhood.
Directed by Blazey Best (Well Behaved Women, Sensitive Guys, Kings for Pigs), Mary addresses questions from her inquisitive daughter, her answers forcing her to reflect on what she can offer from her own life experience… and more importantly what she can’t. To help, the audience meets the characters from Mary’s family who have shaped her life – including Mary’s younger self who created the suit of armour we’ve come to know as “Effie”.
Mary Coustas has starred in multiple national tours (Wogs Out of Work, Effie the Virgin Bride) and brought powerhouse persona Effie into living rooms around Australia in the iconic sitcom Acropolis Now (for which she was awarded a Logie for Most Popular Comedy Personality in 1993) and Greeks on The Roof (Seven Network). Coustas is the author of Effie’s Guide to Being Up Yourself and critically acclaimed memoir All I Know.
Laced with Coustas’ comedic flair, This Is Personal is a kaleidoscopic exploration of love, loss, laughter and fear, and how all four come to define us.
Presented by the Sydney Opera House.
Cast and Creatives
Mary Coustas
Mary Coustas is a writer/performer well known for her performance in Wogs out of Work and for her character Effie developed for the high rating TV sitcom Acropolis Now.
She won a Best Comedy Performer Logie Award for performing the character Effie.
Back on stage, she then went on to appear in the record breaking theatrical shows Wog A Rama and her one woman show Waiting for Effie, which toured nationally throughout Australia. Mary joined the cast of Sylvia for Sydney Theatre Company, gaining high praise for portraying a dog on stage.
Mary’s other TV Credits include Skirts, Wildside, Grass Roots and The Secret Life of Us and recently Rake 2.
She also earned herself an AFI Nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Mull and appeared in Nirvana Street Murder and Hercules Returns.
Mary has written for, and performed in, her TV show Greeks on The Roof, based on her character Effie’s family home TV Studio.
As Effie has so much to say, Mary allowed her to write a book, Effie’s Guide To Being Up Yourself, which has been published and acclaimed for tackling youth self esteem.
Most recently Mary’s book All I Know was published by Allen and Unwin and touched the heart’s of the nation after her appearance on 60 Minutes.
After wowing audiences with her show A Date With Effie, the Greek Goddess launched her show Effie The Virgin Bride in 2016 at The Comedy Theatre in Melbourne and went on to tour to Sydney, Brisbane and Perth.
In 2017 Mary, embarked on an encore season of Effie The Virgin Bride in Melbourne, Perth and Sydney, and premiere seasons in Adelaide and Darwin.
Loving being back on stage, Mary has joined forces with Nick Giannopoulos and Sooshi Mango to perform a new stage show Star Wogs – touring nationally.
In 2019 Mary toured her stage show Effie in Love Me Tinder nationally until covid shut down the country in 2020.
Undeterred Mary launched her new Effie stage show Better Out Than In in 2021.
Blazey Best
Director
Blazey has been appeared on Australian stages and screens as an actor for twenty five years. She has appeared in many shows for Bell Shakespeare, STC, Belvoir, The Hayes and more, winning the Sydney Theatre Award for her performances in Medea, Miracle City and Ivanov. Blazey played Sybil Fawlty in John Cleese’s production of Fawlty Towers Live, played Yitzac in Hedwig and the Angry Inch and appeared alongside iOTA again in B-Girl at the Sydney Opera House. She first appeared on the Playhouse stage in the year 2000 with Bell Shakespeare’s Troilus and Cressida and is thrilled to be returning to that very same stage as a director.
Blazey made her directorial debut in 2018 with the critical and box office smash King Of Pigs, Steve Rodgers’ piercing exploration of coercive control and violence against women. Following its sold out run at The Fitz in 2018, King Of Pigs toured nationally this year for Critical Stages. Blazey directed MJ Kaufman’s Sensitive Guys for KXT and the sold out season of Carmel Deane’s Well Behaved Women at The Hayes.
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Venue Information
Performances are being sold to 100% capacity in line with the NSW Public Health Order. This includes all shows in the Concert Hall, Joan Sutherland Theatre, Studio, Playhouse, Drama Theatre, Utzon Room and Forecourt. Please note that you will be seated directly alongside other ticketholders.
Our foyers will be open 90 minutes pre-show for Concert Hall and Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and two hours pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances. Refreshments will be available for purchase from our theatre bars. Please remember to maintain physical distancing whilst consuming drinks in our foyers.
All Sydney Opera House foyers are pram accessible, with lifts to the main and western foyers. The public lift to all foyers is accessible from the corridor near the escalators on the Lower Concourse and also in the Western Foyer via the corridor on the Ground Level (at the top of the escalators). Pram parking will be available outside the theatres in the Western Foyer consistent with COVID-safe rules.
Transport options
- The Sydney Opera House Car Park, operated by Wilson Parking, is open and available to use. Wilson Parking offer discounted parking if you book ahead. Please see their website for details.
- Please check the Transport NSW website for the latest advice and information on travel and COVID-19 safety measures. You can catch public transport (bus, train, ferry) to Circular Quay and enjoy a six min walk to the Opera House.
What safety measures have you implemented?
Nothing is more important to us than the health and safety of everyone on site, and we are closely following NSW Health guidelines and advice. The Sydney Opera House is registered as a COVID Safe business with the NSW Government. For detailed information about our COVID-19 safety measures and what’s required of you when visiting, please see our plan your visit page.
What am I required to do as an audience member?
Face masks are strongly recommended for all patrons while inside our theatres and foyers, including during the performance. Please bring your own mask.
As you move around the Opera House, practise physical distancing (1.5 metres whenever possible) and follow the guidance provided by our staff and signage.
Within venues, always take your allocated seat.
For detailed information about our COVID-19 safety measures and what’s required of you, please see our plan your visit page.
Do I need to be vaccinated to visit the Sydney Opera House?
The Sydney Opera House no longer requires patrons to show that they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Am I required to wear a mask?
Face masks are strongly recommended for all patrons while inside our theatres and foyers, including during the performance. Please bring your own mask.
How are you managing contact tracing?
Contact information is required when making a booking with us and upon arrival at the Opera House, as set out in our General Terms and Conditions for Tickets and Attendance at Events and our Customer Privacy Statement.
As the ticket purchaser, you are responsible for recording the contact details of your guests. Contact information will only be used for the purposes of contact tracing, if required, and will be deleted at least 28 days after your event.
Frequently Asked Questions - Performance and Venue
What time do I need to arrive before the event?
Ticket purchases and collection at our Box Office is discouraged and eTicket or postal delivery methods should be used, wherever possible. However, if you are collecting your tickets from the Box Office, we recommend doing this at least 60 minutes before the event starts. If you have already received your tickets, the venue doors will be open 45 minutes pre-show for Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and 30 minutes pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances. It is encouraged that you take your seats as soon as you arrive.
If you are late, we will seat you as soon as we can and, where possible, in your allocated seat. However, to reduce movement in the venue as well as minimise disruption to the performance and other patrons, ticketholders may be seated in an allocated latecomer’s seat. Please be aware that some events have lock-out periods. In these cases, latecomers will be admitted at a suitable break in the performance. On occasions, this may not be until the interval, or at all where there is no interval.
Ticketholders must comply with the directions of Opera House ushers to assist with contact tracing.
Details of our right to refuse admission can be found in our General Terms and Conditions for Tickets and Events.
Will there be bag checks, and is cloaking available?
In line with our venue security procedures, Opera House security will be scanning and checking bags under the Monumental Stairs, prior to entering the building. Bags will be scanned by an x-ray machine, and staff will wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) when handling your belongings, such as gloves. Cloaking facilities will be open 60 minutes pre-show for Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and 60 minutes pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances. However it is strongly encouraged that you travel lightly to minimise contact and queuing. Any bags larger than an A4 piece of paper will need to be checked into the Cloak Room.
Can my baby sit on my lap?
- All audience members, including babies, are counted toward the allowable capacity and must hold a valid ticket for admission.
- A specific children’s price may be available on certain events. On others a standard ticket price may apply.
- For our Sydney Opera House Presents programming, babies aged 0-11 months at the time of a performance may be seated on a parent’s lap but they must hold a valid Babes in Arms ticket ($10) and children aged 12 months and older will need to hold a standard ticket.
- Children aged 15 years and under must be accompanied at all times.
Does my child need to wear a face mask?
Children under the age of 12 are not required to wear a face mask.
Who are the authorised ticket sellers for this event?
The authorised agencies for this event are Sydney Opera House, *************Opera Australia, and Ticketmaster including Ticketmaster Platinum auction listing (as the primary authorised agencies for ticket sale) but excluding Ticketmaster Resale as a secondary resale platform.***************** Only tickets purchased by authorised agencies should be considered reliable. If you purchase tickets from a non-authorised agency such as Ticketmaster Resale, Viagogo, Ticketbis, eBay, Gumtree, Tickets Australia or any other unauthorised seller you risk that these tickets are fake, void or have previously been cancelled. RESALE RESTRICTION APPLIES. For more details, please refer to our General Terms and Conditions for Tickets and Attendance at Events.
What if I can't come to my performance?
Please contact Box Office on 9250 7777 as soon as possible to advise if you can no longer attend. If you can no longer attend because you are unwell, or have been in contact with someone displaying COVID-19 symptoms, the Opera House has introduced flexible ticketing options to help you, find out more information here.
Will there be food and beverages available to be purchased in the venue?
- Foyers will be open 90 minutes pre-show for Concert Hall and Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and two hours pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances. Refreshments will be available for purchase from our theatre bars.
- Drinks purchased at our theatre bars can also be taken into venues for most performances.
- The venue doors will be open 30 minutes pre-show for Concert Hall and Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and 30 minutes pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances. It is encouraged that you take your seats as soon as you arrive.
- Please bring a credit or debit card for any on site purchases to enable contactless payment. You’re welcome to bring your own water bottle but no other food and drinks are permitted inside our venues. Opera Bar, House Canteen and Portside are also available for you to enjoy.
Will there be pram parking at kids performances?
All Sydney Opera House foyers are pram accessible, with lifts to the main and western foyers. The public lift to the foyers is accessible from the corridor near the escalators on the Lower Concourse and also in the Western Foyer via the corridor on the Ground Level (at the top of the escalators). Pram parking will be available outside the theatres in the Western Foyer adhering to COVID-safe rules.
How do I watch the livestream?
- Purchase a livestream ticket. Livestreams are watched through the Sydney Opera House's streaming platform, Stream.
- We recommend you sign in to Stream at least 15 minutes prior to the start of the livestream to ensure you log in smoothly and aren’t experiencing any issues.
- Once you’ve signed in, navigate to the Stream event webpage where you purchased the ticket, by searching the event title in the search function. You will also receive an email notification ahead of the livestream commencing, with a direct link to this same web page where you’ll watch.
Note - Depending on the livestream, you may find two livestream options in your purchase. An accessible livestream option may appear, which includes both closed captions and Auslan interpretation.
- The livestream will begin playing automatically or shortly after the designated start time on the Stream event web page.
- You will have a chance to re-watch the livestream for an indicated length of time, which will be made available on your Stream account following the event. Note, the archived recording will be available approximately 90 minutes after the conclusion of the livestream.
Can I watch the livestream on any device?
The Stream app is now here! Turn your living room into a theatre or watch on the go. The Stream app allows you to livestream from wherever you are. Alternatively, watch the livestream from your preferred browser.
How to use the Stream app:
Create a free Stream account here.
To be first in the know when new Stream releases are announced, be sure to tick the box to confirm you’re interested in receiving ‘newsletters and product updates from Stream - Sydney Opera House’.
To watch on a TV or an Apple phone or tablet, download the Stream app from the Apple Store. To watch on an Android phone or tablet, download the app from Google Play.
Open the Stream app and tap ‘Sign In’.
Start watching on any device!
Can I share my livestream account with a friend?
You can only watch livestreams on one device at any one time.
Can I use my Sydney Opera House account login when purchasing a livestream ticket?
The streaming platform is managed by our platform partner Vimeo. You will need to create a seperate account on the streaming platform to purchase a livestream ticket.
Once I have watched the livestream, can I watch it again later?
A recording of the livestream will be available to watch on your account for 3 days following the event. Note, the archive recording will be available approximately 90 minutes after the conclusion of the livestream.
What happens if there is a technical issue with the livestream?
The quality of your live playback experience is largely dependent on the download speed you have from ISP (Internet Service Provider) or mobile provider. Keep in mind that your overall Internet speed can vary depending on many factors, including but not limited to: time of day, Wi-Fi performance, other devices/users utilizing your connection, and the strength of the signal provided by your ISP.
Visit the Help section of our streaming platform at https://stream.sydneyoperahouse.com/help to troubleshoot your issue.
You may also wish to verify that you are using a supported web browser - you can find a list of supported browsers here.
If you have continue to have issues with the livestream during the duration of the event, note you will be able to watch a recording of the Livestream via your account for 30 days following the festival.
If your issue persists, please contact Support at https://stream.sydneyoperahouse.com/contact/support.
Note, support is managed by our streaming platform partner Vimeo.
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