Available repertoire
New: video excerpts available on
Photo Hugh Hamilton
CUT - 2006
Music: Paul Healy
Costume Design: Jennifer Irwin
Set Design: Vince Frost
Duration: 45 minutes [no interval]
Murphy’s last work for Sydney Dance Company, a celebration of movement in dance.
Incorporating many of the signatures and motifs
that personify Murphy’s individualistic style, Cut is
a thrilling roller coaster of dance.
HUA MULAN (Full length) - 2005
Music: Qigang Chen, Michael Askill
Musical Director: Michael Askill
Costume Design: Song Li
Lighting Design: John Rayment
Set Design: Peter England
Duration: 2 hours [incl. interval]
A narrative full length work based on the
Chinese legend of Hua Mulan, the story of a
young woman who disguises herself as a male
soldier to fight for her country. Performed with
percussionists on stage, Hua Mulan is a powerful and dynamic two act ballet with stunning choreography.
GRAND (Full length) - 2005
Pianist: Scott Davie
Additional Music: Scott Davie
Music Direction: Graeme Murphy,
Janet Vernon, Scott Davie.
Costume design: Akira Isogawa
Lighting Design: Damien Cooper
Set Design: Gerard Manion
Duration: 80 minutes [no interval]
Grand is both a celebration and fusion of dance
and piano. Close to Murphy’s heart, Grand is
dedicated to the life of his mother Betty.
Murphy has been greatly influenced by music
for piano and has created a stunning visual
representation for a diverse collection of pieces for
this beautiful instrument. The grand piano takes
centre stage and is moved by the dancers and
incorporated into the choreography effortlessly.
SHADES OF GRAY (Full length) - 2004
Music Director/Design: Paul Healy
Costume Design: Jennifer Irwin
Lighting Design: Damien Cooper
Set Design: Gerard Manion
Duration: 80 minutes [no interval]
Shades of Gray, is a full length narrative work
inspired by Oscar Wilde’s ‘The Picture of Dorian
Gray'. Set in the hedonistic milieu of the last few
decades of the 20th century, rich in symbolic and
historical references, Shades of Gray cuts a swathe
through the destructive decadence of this time.
SWAN LAKE (Full length) - 2002
Music: Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Costume Design: Kristian Fredrikson
Lighting Design:
Set Design: Kristian Fredrikson
Duration: 2 hours 45 min
[incl. 2 intervals]
In this re-conceived narrative of Swan Lake
Murphy and Vernon make references to the
original while subverting and augmenting the fairy
tale to serve this 21st century creation. This multi
award winning production is dazzling and
generous with stunning choreography requiring
virtuoistic technique. Heralded by critics as one of
the first greats of this century.
ELLIPSE (Full length) - 2002
Music: Matthew Hindson
Costume Design: Akira Isogawa
Lighting Design: Damien Cooper
Set Design: Gerard Manion
Duration: 80 minutes [no interval]
With a score by Matthew Hindson, it is the
music that drives the inspiration for Murphy’s
Ellipse. It is the pivot on which Murphy has created
a breathtaking journey through a collection of
diverse dance sequences that are dynamic, daring
and beautiful.
TIVOLI (Full length) - 2001
(In collaboration with The Australian Ballet)
Music: Graeme Koehne, Max Lambert,
Linda Nagle.
Costume Design: Kristian Fredrikson
Lighting Design: Damien Cooper
Set Design: Brian Thomson
Duration: 2.5 hours [incl. interval]
Tivoli is a narrative work based on the life of
fictional character Jack and his journey into the
wonderful world of the Tivoli. The Tivoli Theatre
Circuit of Australia ran from the 1890’s to its last
show in 1966. Murphy celebrates this era
capturing the humour, glamour and magic of the
time through an interweaving of backstage scenes
with onstage acts. Link to Documentary page
MYTHOLOGIA (Full length) - 2000
(For The Olympic Arts Festival Sydney)
Music: Carl Vine (featuring The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Choir)
Costume Design: Richard de Chazal
Lighting Design: Damien Cooper
Set Design: George Freedman,
Ralph Rembel.
Video Imagery: Martin Crouch,
Norah Mulroney.
Duration: 90 minutes [no interval]
Commissioned for the Sydney Olympic Arts
Festival, Mythologia takes its inspiration from the
heroes of Greek mythology. Inspired in particular
by the Greek poet Pindar who named Heracles as
the founder of the Olympic Games, Murphy
fittingly created a later-day Olympic Ode.
Mythologia is an epic dance-drama on an operatic
scale, taking the audience on a wonderful journey
through a collection of dynamic, bold and
breathtaking dance sequences in the telling of
the many Trials of Heracles.
AIR AND OTHER INVISIBLE FORCES - (Full length) - 1999
Music: Michael Askill, Giya Kancheli.
Costume Design: Akira Isogawa
Lighting Design: Damien Cooper
Set Design: Gerard Manion
Duration: 90 minutes [one interval]
Air and Other Invisible Forces is essentially a non-
narrative work, Murphy draws his inspiration from
the music of Australian composer Michael Askill
and Georgian composer Giya Kancheli. Air and
Other Invisible Forces takes the audience on an
emotional journey of dance sequences that are
both innovative and hauntingly beautiful with
resonant allusions to Asia and the West.
SALOME (Full length) - 1998
Music: Michael Askill (commissioned)
Costume Design: Akira Isogawa
Lighting Design: John Rayment
Set Design: Graeme Murphy,
John Rayment.
Duration: 90 minutes [no interval]
Murphy’s internationally acclaimed Salome is a
breathtaking interpretation of the fascinating
biblical tale of Salome and her dance of the seven
veils. Murphy’s sinuous choreography and sly wit
coupled with the evocative rhythms of Michael
Askill’s score take the audience on a memorable
and intense journey.
FREE RADICALS (Full length) - 1996
Music: Michael Askill (commissioned)
Costume Design: Jennifer Irwin
Lighting Design: John Rayment
Set Design: Matthew Serventy
Duration: 90 minutes [no interval]
Free Radicals was conceived as an experimental
fusion of dance and percussion. Murphy and
composer Michael Askill created the music and
movement simultaneously in the studio. The result
is a witty interplay that stretches the boundaries of
dance and musical performance.
BERLIN (Full length) - 1995 & 2007
Music: Iva Davies, Max Lambert.
Costume Design: Jennifer Irwin
Lighting Design: Adrian Sterritt
(2007 design)
2007 Set Design: Gerard Manion
Duration: 1 hour 12 minutes [no interval]
Murphy’s Berlin is an exploration using the city
of Berlin as a symbol of decline and resurrection.
Seductively theatrical, Berlin explores the heart and
mind of what it is to be human. A hauntingly powerful and beautiful piece of dance.
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST - 1993
(Full length)
Music: Carl Vine, Phil Buckle,
Jack Jones.
Costume Design: Kristian Fredrikson
Lighting Design: John Rayment
Set Design: Kristian Fredrikson
Duration: 1 hour 32 minutes [interval]
Murphy’s Beauty and The Beast is an innovative
retelling of this classic fairy tale, taking Beauty into
three parallel worlds of the Beast; Gothic, Rock
and Corporate
THE PROTECTING VEIL - 1993
Music: John Tavener
Costume Design: Jennifer Irwin
Lighting Design: John Rayment
Duration: 45 min [no interval]
The Protecting Veil is a delicately and beautifully
choreographed work set to the haunting score of
John Tavener. Murphy sculpts a simple yet effective
world that reflects the human soul and our journey
through life, love and loss.
NUTCRACKER - The story of Clara - 1992
(Full length) - Restaged in 2009/10
Music: Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Costume Design: Kristian Fredrikson
Lighting Design: John Montgomery
Set Design: Kristian Fredrikson
Film Collage: Phillippe Charluet
Duration: 2 hours 15 minutes [incl. interval]
This Nutcracker is set on a sweltering Melbourne Christmas Eve in the late 1950s. Clara is not a child but a frail ex-ballerina, reliving her rich and eventful life in one night of feverish dreams. Conceived jointly by Murphy and designer Kristian Fredrikson, this ballet unlocks far deeper emotions than a traditional Nutcracker, while retaining the luscious dancing, inimitable score and wonderful sense of escapism that makes it such a favourite of children and adults alike.
SYNERGY WITH SYNERGY - 1992
(Full length)
Music: Collage (performed live by
Synergy Percussion)
Costume Design: Jennifer Irwin
Lighting Design: John Rayment
Set Design: Brian Thomson
Duration: 1 hour 40 minutes [interval]
A concerto for man, muscle and machine.
Synergy with Synergy is an extraordinarily unique
and exciting piece of dance. Inspired by the diversity
and power of percussion, Murphy has
incorporated an exhilarating score, coupled by
daring and breathtaking choreography on a vast
scale to create an evening of truly memorable
dance.
PIANO SONATA - 1992
Music: Carl Vine (commissioned)
Costume Design: Jennifer Irwin
Design in Light: Roderick Van Gelder,
Graeme Murphy.
Duration: 18 minutes
Piano Sonata is a slick montage of dances that
daringly and poetically incorporate a swinging
light bar as a choreographic apparatus. Murphy’s
choreography and Carl Vine’s score marry
brilliantly to make Piano Sonata a dance
experience to remember.
SOFT BRUISING (Full length) - 1990
Music: Gavin Bryars, Steve Martland.
Costume Design: Jennifer Irwin
Lighting Design: John Rayment
Set Design: George Freedman
Duration: 85 minutes [no interval]
Soft Bruising takes the audience on a emotional
journey through dance that reflects the human
psyche - at times brutal and others delicate.
Soft Bruising is always honest and is a clear
demonstration of Murphy’s ability to capture the
human spirit through dance.
SOME ROOMS (Full length) - 1983
Music: Keith Jarrett, Joseph Canteloube,
Francis Poulenc, Benjamin Britten, Samuel Barber.
Costume Design: Anthony Jones
Lighting Design: Damien Cooper
Set Design: Graham Johnson,
Graeme Murphy. (2002 Design)
Duration: 75 minutes [3 acts]
Some Rooms is the iconic masterpiece that
cemented Murphy’s place as one of the
choreographic greats of the past few decades. In
Some Rooms, Murphy uses four rooms as a metaphor for life’s journey. With an eclectic score and innovative choreography, Some Rooms is pure
theatrical magic.
