The Revisionist

The Revisionist is a sharp and intimate exploration of the uneasy terrain of memory, power, and inheritance. We are centred on the volatile relationship between a guarded Polish Holocaust survivor and her American nephew, a young writer seeking to shape her past into his own narrative. By turns witty, uncomfortable, and quietly devastating, The Revisionist interrogates who gets to control history, and what is lost when language, trauma, and ambition collide. 

Details

  • When I first read ‘The Revisionist,’ I was struck by how deceptively simple it appears. At its core, it is a play about two people sharing an apartment. Yet beneath that simplicity lies a fascinating exploration of memory, grief, identity, and the stories we tell ourselves to make sense of our lives.

    Jesse Eisenberg has created a work that refuses easy answers. The play asks us to consider who owns a story, what responsibility we have when telling the stories of others, and whether art can ever truly exist seperate from the lives it draws inspiration from. These questions feel particularly relevant today, in a world where personal experiences are increasingly shared, consumed, and repackaged for audiences.

    Set against the backdrop of Poland, a place deeply connected to the weight of history, ‘The Revisionist’ explores how personal and collective memories intersect. The characters are haunted not only by their own pasts but by the stories that came before them. As they navigate their relationship, the play challenges us to reflect on our own connections to family, heritage and the people whose experiences have shaped us.

    We hope this production encourages you to reflect on the stories you carry, the stories you inherit, and the stories you choose to tell.

  • References to the Holocaust

    Themes of grief, loss, and survivor’s guilt

    References to death

    Depictions of drug use

  • Alexis Beebe as Maria

    Christopher Batkin as David

    Justin Ryan as Zenon

  • Wayne McPhee: Director

    Izabela Wasilewska: Assistant Director and Dialogue Coach

    Brigitte Bennet: Set Design

    Naz Mulla: Photographer

  • Coming Soon!

Cast

Christopher Batkin
as David

Christopher Batkin has been performing in the Brisbane theatre scene for many years. He most recently performed in Speed: The Movie: The Play (Act React), and Antidote (Phoenix After Dark). His other notable roles include Jeremy in Be More Chill (Phoenix Ensemble),The Baker in Into The Woods (Redcliffe Musical Theatre), Alan Strang in Equus and George in Of Mice and Men (Brisbane Arts Theatre). Christopher has also performed in Spamalot, Next to Normal, The Hatpin, A Clockwork Orange, The 39 Steps, Chicago, and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.

Alexis Beebe
as Maria

Alexis Beebe is a Brisbane-based actor whose work spans theatre, film, television and voice work. She trained in London and has performed across the UK and throughout Australia, working with a range of independent and established companies. Alexis’ recent theatre credits include Bombshells at PIP Theatre and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead at Metro Arts.

Alexis is drawn to theatre as a place of connection, where story and audience meet in a shared space of recognition. She is deeply committed to work that explores the often overlooked truths of the human experience. Her work is guided by a pursuit of authenticity, seeking moments that feel intimate and enduring, and that speak to and sometimes challenge the complexity, contradictions and fragility of what it is to be alive in the world.

Alexis is grateful to be part of this production and to continue to work within Brisbane’s everevolving artistic community

Justin Ryan
as Zenon

Justin has a diverse performance history featuring presenting and acting. His most recent stageworks include various roles in St.Lukes theatres performance of My Brilliant Career,  Psycho Beach Party ( Kanaka ) with X Collective PIP Theatre. He has performed with Beenleigh Theatre Groups The Lovely Bones (Jack Salmon) & Shakespeare in Love ( Ralph / Valentino ) and Jasper Jones. Embodi Theatre AI May ( Jeremey Jensen ) and for Centenary theatre Holmes and Watson ( Watson ) . Justin has been trained by The acting warehouse in helensvale, Elemental Theatre and It’s Improvised? This production marks Justin’s first Play with Midnight society theatre. Justin Would like to thank everyone who has been supporting him over the past year.

  • "I could write a book easily. It's a little more difficult to write something good. To write something people like-to wrtie something people buy"

    David