Playwright Naomi Wallace, received a Master of Fine Arts degree from the Iowa Playwrights Workshop at the University of Iowa in 1994 and is also the recipient of The MacArthur Foundation 'genius grant'.

Her professional productions include Slaughter City (1995), for which she received the Mobil Prize; In the Heart of America (1995). She received a Susan Smith Blackburn Prize for; One Flea Spare (1996), for which she also received a 1997 Obie Award; Birdy (an adaptation of the William Wharton novel, 1997); and Trestle at Pope Lick Creek (1998).

The Public Theater in New York has commissioned her to write a play for its 1999-2000 season, and she is also under commission by the Royal Shakespeare Company of London. Wallace is also the author of a book of poetry, To Dance a Stony Field (1995), and the screenplay for the independent film Lawn Dogs (1997).

One Flea Spare is directed by NIDA graduate Tanya Denny, whose previous directing credits include If Only You Had Spoken Desdemona by Christina Bruckner (Teatro Cortile, Italy 2003), The Vagina Monologues by Eve Ensler (Teatro Cortile, Austria/Italy Tour 2003), Maria Stuarda by Dacia Maraini (Italy 2002) King Lear (Harlos Productions, Sydney 2002), Mahal by Petrina Smith (Sydney Mardi Gras festival 2002), Mary Stuart (Sydney Fringe Festival, Wollongong Festival and New York International Fringe Festival 2001).

One Flea Spare is designed by NIDA graduate Jo Lewis, whose previous credits include If Only You Had Spoken Desdemona by Christina Bruckner (Teatro Cortile, Italy 2003), King Lear (Harlos Productions, Sydney 2001), Mahal by Petrina Smith (Sydney Mardi Gras festival 2002), Mary Stuart (Sydney Fringe Festival, Wollongong Festival and New York International Fringe Festival 2001). Jo Lewis and Catherine Raven received the Best Costume award at the New York International Fringe Festival 2001.

From the Director

Queensize productions formed accidentily in 2000 to produce Mary Stuart by Italian writer Dacia Maraini. Our aim is to produce extraordinary work by women. We are extremely proud to introduce the immense talent of Naomi Wallace to Australian audiences for the first time.

One Flea Spare is set in the 17th century but speaks to a contemporary audience. Without period drama cliché One Flea Spare touches upon class and gender and the pressures of a plague upon internal and external human constructs; devastatingly it addresses a tragedy of almost inexpressible dimensions.

As the story unfold it is from the perspective of a 12 year old girl that we begin to understand the juxtaposed images of death and dispossession with the inconsolable longing for tenderness.