JB Theatre Co presents THE MAN written by James Graham
THE MAN
Tax makes Ben anxious. As a sole-trader he’s been hoarding receipts all year. Now he has to go through them all–and the audience is going to help. In this darkly funny interactive one-man play, every receipt tells a short story, and every audience member gets a receipt.
One at a time, the actor will call upon a random audience member to hand them a receipt, and then tell the corresponding story. Every performance will therefore be totally unique, with the performer having no idea which receipt they will get handed at any time.
“This is my first tax return. Thank you…erm for offering to… for helping. I realise it’s a bit weird. It’s just. This is…it’s the only way I can think to make it better. The only way I can think to do it. With other people. Like this.”
THE MAN
By James Graham
Directed by Jo Bradley
Produced by JB Theatre Co
Performer (“Ben”) Mike Howlett
Voice Performer (“Lisa”) Claudia Leon
Assistant Producer / Voice Performer (“Inland Revenue”) Liminka Pather
Assistant Producer Emily Smith
Assistant Director / Understudy Joseph Tanti
Stage Manager Pearl Junor
Sound Designer Otto Zagala
Lighting Designer Julian Dunne
Production Designer Bella Wellstead
Poster Photography Campbell Parsons
Lane cove Production Photography Emily Smith
Old Fitz Production Photography Philip Erbacher
Director’s Notes: Jo Bradley
Thank you to Lane Cove Council for supporting this work in its first iteration. Thank you so much for Sydney Fringe & the Old Fitz Theatre for advocating for this show, and thank you to my entire team for coming along this wild journey. It’s been pretty crazy to rehearse a play that is literally different every single night, but my whole team of performers, designers, technicians and producers have moved mountains to make it happen. We hope you enjoy!
Jo Bradley she/her | DIRECTOR, PRODUCER | @jolucyb
Jo (she/her) is a director, dramaturg and producer who is passionate about new and contemporary playwriting. She was recently awarded ‘Best Emerging Artist’ at Sydney Fringe Festival 2025, for her work as producer, director and dramaturg on the world premiere of Gia Ophelia by Grace Wilson. In 2024, she graduated from the NIDA Directing course and founded her own theatre company, JB Theatre Co (@JBTheatreCo). JB Theatre Co’s inaugural production was the Australian premiere of SNOWFLAKE by Mike Bartlett at the Old Fitz, directed by Jo Bradley. SNOWFLAKE sold out, received rave reviews, and won a Sydney Theatre Award. In 2026, SNOWFLAKE will transfer to Ensemble Theatre in Kirribilli, and Jo will make her professional directing debut.
Jo’s directing practice has a strong literary focus, and she loves collaborating with new writers as a director and dramaturg. GIA OPHELIA is her fourth collaboration with Grace Wilson after staged readings at ATYP, KXT Storytellers, and the Old Fitz New Work Festival.
Jo works as a freelance theatre critic, writing for Limelight Arts, and her blog Scribbles of Stage and Screen (@ScribblesOStageAndScreen ). She also is a script reader for a range of playwriting awards and commissions. Her full bio can be found at Jo-Bradley.com and her website JBTheatreCo.com
Mike Howlett He/Him | “BEN” | @mike__howlett
Mike is a graduate of Actors Centre Australia and the MA Acting program at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London. After graduating, Mike remained working in the UK and found professional work in London, and a touring production that took him across the UK. Since returning to Sydney, Mike has worked extensively on the MainStage with Bell Shakespeare, having appeared in; A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Hamlet, The Comedy of Errors and Twelfth Night. In between these contracts, Mike has worked in the independent sector at KXT and most recently on the Playwrought Projects production of The Taming of the Shrew at Wharf 2, Sydney Theatre Company. His film credits include the feature film Companion, directed by Raghuvir Joshi and produced by Dev Patel, and short films The Biden Effect and Slider.
Claudia Leon She/Her | “LISA” | @claudia_s_leon
Claudia Leon is a recent graduate of the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA). Her student credits include À la Carte (dir. Lucy Rossen), Checklist for an Armed Robber (dir. Tasnim Hossain), and Royal Experiment (dir. Lee Lewis). Since graduating, she has performed in NIDA’s Festival of Emerging Artists production of The Actor’s Nightmare, directed by Louise Birgan. Claudia is thrilled to be part of The Man, and can’t wait to share in the chaos, laughter and unexpected moments with audiences each night!
Liminka Pather She/Her | ASSISTANT PRODUCER, PERFORMER | @limiiinka
Liminka (She/Her) is a Sydney based actor and producer. Previous producing credits including Scene Dating (Old Fitz), The Coven (Waterloo Studios), Babyteeth (KXT) and The Beautiful Future is Coming (Old Fitz).
Emily Smith She/Her | ASSISTANT PRODUCER | @living_with_emily
Born and raised in rural NSW, Emily is a dynamic, multi-disciplinary creative professional with experience in both independent productions and arts education. While at Sydney Actors School (2019-21), she discovered a passion for the production side of filmmaking and theatre. Emily has since channeled that skillset into education, where she has successfully written, directed and produced multiple children’s performances. This is her debut producing for the Sydney fringe!
Joseph Tanti He/Him | ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, UNDERSTUDY | @tanti.jpg
Joseph is an actor, writer, and theatre director based in Sydney. He trained as an actor at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) as a part of the BA Acting class of 2020. Some of Joseph’s recent theatre credits include Sport for Jove’s critically acclaimed production of I Hate People: Or Timon of Athens, Three Sisters (Virginia Plain Theatre Co), Wit (Clock and Spiel Productions), Jellyfish (The New Theatre), Short Blanket (Slanted Theatre Co), as well as Poetry in Action’s Aus/NZ education tour.
Pearl Junor She/Her | STAGE MANAGER | @pearl.pty.ltd
Pearl Junor is a graduate of Charles Sturt University in Bathurst with a B. Comms (Theatre/Media). In 2020, “Pirates!”, her collaborative original major work, received the Blair Milan Touring Scholarship. Pearl has been involved in productions that centre on LGBTQIA+ and disabled voices and stories, including “Ground Zero” (Brand X), “Dean Don’t Dance” (QTopia), and, as Stage Manager/Associate Director, “Teenage Dick” (Flight Path Theatre). She has also spent much time on the road with CDP Theatre producers as an Assistant Stage Manager on “You and Me and the Land of Lost Things”, “Magic Beach”, and “Room on the Broom”.
Otto Zagala he/she/they | SOUND DESIGNER | @ottolastname
Otto Zagala is a composer, lyricist, and sound designer whose practice is deeply research-driven, drawing on experimental production, text, and performance pedagogy, and where they may overlap and coincide.
Otto’s recent collaborations include Assistant Director to Cameron Taylor on Kitty Litter by Hamish Johnston (2026) and Composer for Gia Ophelia by Grace Wilson (2025). In his second year of study, Cultural Binge described his work as “excellent design worthy of a much larger production”. Both works were critically acclaimed, extended due to demand, and are in development for return seasons.
He composed, designed video for, and co-wrote the new Australian musical, The Birds, presented at NIDA’s Festival of Emerging Artists and at Hayes’ Festival of New Work. He is currently sound designing ATYP’s upcoming production of Islander.
Julian Dunne He/Him | LIGHTING DESIGNER | @_j.m.d__
Julian is a Sydney-based lighting designer and stage manager. He is very excited to join The Man as its lighting designer
Bella Wellstead They/Them | PRODUCTION DESIGNER | @bellawellstead
Bella Wellstead is a designer working on Gadigal and Cammeraygal land. They have designed costumes and props on indie theatre productions including ‘Transparency’ by Suzie Miller at The Actors Pulse, dir: Georgie Eggleton and Nikki Eghlimi; ‘Various Characters’ by Šime Knežević at Flight Path Theatre, dir: Victor Kalka; and ‘Red’ by John Logan at Chippen St. Theatre, dir: Georgie Eggleton and Nikki Eghlimi. Bella has also worked extensively as an assistant stage manager at Ensemble Theatre, most recently on ‘The Dapto Chaser’ by Mary Rachel Brown, dir: Anna Houston and ‘84 Charing Cross Road’ by Helene Hanff, dir: Mark Kilmurry.
THE MAN’s first season was held at Pottery Lane Performance Space, Lane Cove and was supported by Lane Cove Council
