Man About The (Pent)house
Take one home designed by one of Australia’s best architects, add music and comedy from one of Australia’s finest comedians, shake it up a little and you have Tim ‘Rosso’ Ross’ award-winning show, Man About the (Pent)house.
Direct from sold-out seasons in Los Angeles and Palm Springs, Rosso and musician Kit Warhurst are taking over legendary architect Harry Seidler’s very own apartment, the Seidler Penthouse in North Sydney, and turning it into a temporary performance space for their new show.
Man About the Penthouse is part of the Richard Roxburgh curated Sydney Morning Herald Spectrum Now Festival, held in Sydney from March 11-29.
Part comedy show part home tour, Man About The House has temporarily occupied some of the most extraordinary homes and buildings in Australia, New Zealand, and Palm Springs, and this new show will give audiences the rare opportunity to explore the Seidler penthouse and revel in its extraordinary design before sitting down to watch the show.
“Basically, I just wanted to combine my three loves – comedy, music and design – into one show. I also wanted to work with my best friend Kit Warhurst, so this is the perfect opportunity for us to hang out, write sing silly songs and perform together,” Rosso explained.
“Most people love going inside a great house and having a bit of a sticky beak, so all we have done is sweeten the deal with some laughs and music. Man About the House lets people experience buildings in a way they would never normally be able to, and this venue, Seidler Penthouse, is an absolute knockout, so it’s going to be a great show.”
The unique concept for Man About the House started back in 2012, with the assistance of Sydney Living Museums, when Rosso and Kit put on their first show at Rose Seidler House, the first house Harry Seidler built in Australia in 1949.
“I’ve always been passionate about Mid Century Modern architecture and its preservation so this show has enabled me to explain in a completely different way why the architecture of the second half of the 20th century should be protected,” Rosso said of the ground-breaking concept.
In May 2014, Man About The House received the National Trust Heritage Award for its role in raising awareness about the importance of conservation of heritage – specifically through buildings.
Following that successful season in Sydney, the pair have performed Man About The House in a range of homes and buildings designed by some of the world’s most well-known architects including Esmond Dorney, Robin Boyd, Mcglashan Everist, Tibor Donner, Hal Levitt, Glenn Murcutt and John Lautner.
The pair will arrive back in Australia in March for the Seidler Penthouse shows fresh from performing in the US at the historic Hotel Lautner, architect John Lautner’s iconic desert hideaway built in 1947, in Palm Springs as part of Modernism week.
Modernism Week is an annual celebration of mid-century modern design, architecture, art, fashion, and culture. It features more than 100 events including the Modernism Show, home tours, films, and lectures.
Man About the Penthouse has a strictly limited season of just nine shows from March 11-14 & 18-22, and with limited tickets, you’d better be quick to secure your spot. Ticket price includes refreshments.
Man About The (Pent)house
Seidler Penthouse, 2a Glen St Milsons Point
March 11-14 & 18-22 (2015)