Chris Bendall
Director, Playwright and Creative Producer
REVIEWS
"It has universal appeal, its messages are strong but optimistic and the characters are identifiable. Because it is directed at a family audience, he has also included fantasy, puppetry and humour." Stage Whispers, 2023 (Black Sun Blood Moon)
"Cartwright and Hawkins’ whirlwind, muscular performances, and terrific direction by Chris Bendall, on a welcome return to Perth, made for a genuinely engaging entertainment that was warmly, and justly, applauded by a capacity audience." The West Australian, 2017
"Chris Bendall’s direction is imaginative, fluent in its handling of the play’s temporal shifts and notably physical.” Sydney Morning Herald, Jason Blake, 2016
"Chris Bendall’s direction tackles the vast story with skill and provides a production that sparks wonder with his imaginative interpretation." The Buzz from Sydney, 2016
"Tight, frugal direction by Deckchair's artistic director Chris Bendall brings out the virtues of an intelligent, thoughtful piece of writing that never veers into hagiography." The Fremantle Candidate, ABC Radio, 2012
“This whole creation oozes quality. Could this be the ‘Production of the Year’? The enthusiastic, standing ovation certainly suggested that this could be the case.” THE MAGIC HOUR, Theatre Australia, 2012
"5 STARS. A topical triumph! The thrill of the down-to-the-wire finish of the deciding race had audience members on the edges of their seats." TAKING LIBERTY, artshub, 2011
"Director Chris Bendall does a wonderful job bringing all this to life... His action work is uncanny in its reality" TAKING LIBERTY, The West Australian, 2011
“Just another attention to detail that takes this show from good to magnificent . . . one of the rare ‘complete’ productions. Stunning and oozing talent”. LORELEI, Theatre Australia, 2011
"Chris Bendall pilots a crisp, tightly paced handling of the action." THE MODERN INTERNATIONAL DEAD, The West Australian, 2011
“I rarely start a review by praising the actors, director and production crew above all else. But Deckchair’s production ... under the energetic and empathetic direction of Chris Bendall, deserves foregrounding” THE MODERN INTERNATIONAL DEAD, The Australian, 2011
"Grace is a hard hitting play with numerous diverse themes. It is a thought provoking piece that is uniquely Australian and worth seeing." GRACE, Australian Stage, 2010
“Bendall’s direction is brave, bold and ballsy rewarding the audience with a production that is challenging, thought- provoking and carefully thought out.” Fremantle Herald, 2010
"An assured directorial hand at work." THE LONELY HEARTS CLUB, The West Australian, 2009
“Theatre @ Risk’s production is inspired… the production is sleek and delicately balanced by Bendall, who brings clarity and precision to the script.” CHECKLIST FOR AN ARMED ROBBER, Herald Sun, 2007
"A sparkling web of grandiloquence woven by a spider before a storm... Bendall's direction achieves a chaotic pace that remains sensitive to Kushner's unerring theatrical sense....." Homebody / Kabul, The Age, 2007
"Director Chris Bendall gives this play a most creditable production. The monologue is breathtaking, and beautifully performed by Jane Nolan.. that excellent actor Majid Shokor gives a rich and nuanced performance as the poet-guide Khwaja, and Tyler Coppin practically exudes the sour smell of loneliness as the ravaged Twistleton.” HOMEBODY / KABUL, Alison Croggon, Theatrenotes, 2007
"Director Chris Bendall imbues this docudrama with riveting momentum, using every inch of the stage... and Bendall enthusiastically embraces a patchwork of techniques, from Meyerhold's biomechanics to Chaplinesque slapstick to various incarnations of musical theatre...” REQUIEM FOR THE 20th CENTURY The Age, 2006
"What David Greig has written and Simon Kingsley Hall performs with elan and warmth, under the unobtrusive direction of Chris Bendall, is not only a city symphony for different voices, past and present, but also a contemporary and messy love story and a high-class entertainment” ONE WAY STREET, The Sunday Age 2006
“This is yet another success for indie company Theatre @ Risk and director, Chris Bendall, MRS PETROV'S SHOE, Inpress, 2006
“Yet again, Theatre@Risk occupies the cutting edge of contemporary Melbourne theatre with intelligent and imaginative direction from Chris Bendall” THE WOMAN BEFORE The Age, 2005
“Now in its fifth year, Theatre@Risk remains true to its manifesto of producing theatre that's left of mainstream and politically conscious. The company prides itself on trying new ideas in form and content and deliberately shies away from narrative orthodoxy. STALKING MATILDA fulfils all such criteria.” – The Australian, 2005
“7 Days 10 Years is an absorbing play that receives from [director] Chris Bendall and Theatre@Risk a full-blooded, thought-provoking and powerful dramatization.” 7 DAYS 10 YEARS, The Age, 2004
"The staging represents a triumph for Bendall and the actors" Realtime, 2004
“Theatre @ Risk has proved itself to be one of the most important independent theatre companies in Australia right now.” THE WALL PROJECT, John Bailey, Beat, 2005
“Arabian Night is theatre careening at top speed down narrow streets, laughing at scared pedestrians and flipping the finger to its red faced pursuers. Its a show that impresses through sheer velocity. There will be few unimpressed by this dense, eerie production." ARABIAN NIGHT, John Bailey, Beat, 2004
" Arabian Night is a delight; that rare and exciting phenomenon, something that stretches the imagination in unexpected ways." ARABIAN NIGHT,The Age, 2004
" Arabian Night.... is an all-round winner. From eerie sound and music composition to inspired direction and consistently bold performances from the amazing cast. Theatre @ Risk's production is quite possibly unlike anything you've seen before. You really will leave the performance feeling as if you've just woken from a strange and exquisite dream." ARABIAN NIGHT, Inpress, 2004
“Through large doses of humour and satire, Babel Towers manages to be both a highly theatrical and very engaging new work dealing with a difficult and challenging theme.” Steven Fennelly, Radio 774, BABEL TOWERS, 2003
“Fine performances from this hard-working cast… an ambitious big picture work that embraces comedy, farce, satire and social analysis” Sunday Age, THE SPECULATOR, 2002
"A vigorous success: clever, disturbing and fun. Hulme and Kingsley are flawless and are the stars of a night that looks very promising for the future of Theatre@Risk.” POLYGRAPH, The Age, 2001
“Theatre@Risk might just restore our faith in theatre.” POLYGRAPH, Herald Sun, 2001
"This is vital, audacious theatre and Melbourne could do with more of it.” Beat Magazine, 2001