Fiona Kennedy
Fiona Kennedy
Artistic Director. Actor, Director, Writer
Fiona is the Artistic Director at Ad Astra Theatre Company. She made her debut on the stage, aged four, in a pantomime for Boonah Little Theatre. She performed with La Boite as a child actor in The Innocents, directed by David Bell, in a cast which included Eileen Beatson.
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After having created a small touring theatre troupe during her University years and performing with the University of Queensland Law Revue, she has performed and directed in community theatre for many years, including for Villanova Players as Rose in Dancing at Lugnasha, Sister Mary Leo in Nunsense, Edith Stein in Edith Stein, Kleopatra in Diary of a Scoundrel, Madame de Merteuil in Les Liaisons Dangereuses for VP, M’lynn in Steel Magnolias, Eleanor of Acquitaine in The Lion in Winter and various other characters in plays such as Faces in the Street, Garden of Granddaughters, Season’s Greetings, Live at the Trocadero, Summer Wonderland, and Anne of Green Gables.
In 2018, Fiona and her co-Creative Director established Ad Astra with the mission of enabling emerging artists to launch their professional careers. For Ad Astra, Fiona has played Margot Mason in The Female of the Species, Martha in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Bessie in Marvin's Room and Maude in Bakersfield Mist. She directed Will Eno’s The Realistic Joneses for Ad Astra in 2021, and Cindy Lou Johnson's Brilliant Traces in 2022.
Ad Astra Plays
Upcoming Plays
Past Plays
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Although the story isn’t entirely timeless, the incredible cast carry this show proudly on their shoulders with their impeccable physicality and comedic timing. The standouts would definitely be Fiona Kennedy, who played the devious Fay, and Steven Grives as the hilariously corrupt Truscott. They drove the story along at an entrancing and rhythmic lightning pace, and many times, I found myself in stitches throughout the show at multiple points.
Noah Cotgrove - Whats The Show | Read Review Here
Fiona Kennedy made a fantastic Fay, the much-married nurse hired by Mr McLeavy to help his wife back to health before her untimely death. Kennedy’s slick, almost glib delivery of some of the plays most telling lines were perfectly executed, ensuring that the hectic pace of the play did not distract the audience from the gravity of the dialogue. The evolving interplay between the grieving Gardiner and the conniving Kennedy was a highlight.
David Wilson - Absoloute Theatre | Read Review Here
Fiona Kennedy is a powerful force as the Nurse, Fay, her seemingly pious Roman Catholicism brought sharply into hypocritical focus when we learn of her shockingly murderous behaviour.
Orton is at his best writing Fay’s speeches, with her mix of religious devotional dialogue hiding her dark undercurrent of wicked feelings. Her warm Irish accent and use of female adopted attributes, such as tears, are used to best advantage to glean male sympathy. Her entire character seems wrapped up in some Carry On movie framework, but with a deadly outcome. A first-rate performance.
Suzannah Conway - ArtsHub |Read Review Here
Fiona Kennedy was marvellous as Fay with her skilful Irish brogue and peroxide hair. Deftly switching from grieving nurse to scheming femme fatale, we quickly learned that Fay is a black widow who has been married seven times and each of her husbands died under mysterious circumstances. Fay spends a large part of her time locking down her next prey with hilarious results.
Sarah Skubala - Theatre Travels | Read Review Here
“Ad Astra’s talented cast have brought Bakersfield Mist to life on stage, through different vocal and physical levels, pace and timing, and have highlighted the poignant aspects of the play. It leaves the audience riveted. Congratulations to Jennifer Flowers and cast!!”
Lilian Harrington - Absolute Theatre | Read more
“Fiona Kennedy was dynamic as Maude Gutman, her comedic rough edges balanced by her unpretentious sincerity. Grives’ performance as Lionel Percy was expressive, and there were many moments of engaging silence, including his first viewing of the painting, as the audience watched his face closely for changing expressions. This kind of close-up storytelling is only possible in intimate theatres like Ad Astra, where it can be utilised and appreciated by an audience in such close proximity to the stage.”
Backstreet Brisbane | Read more
“Fiona lets rip with the foul-mouthed and stubborn Maude, while Steven bring the finesse and control of his wealth of experience to the conservative and restrained Lionel. They make a great team.”
Beth Keehn - Stage Whispers | Read more
“In the role of the leading lady, Maude Gutman is Fiona Kennedy. Her performance is energetic and biting with moments of darkness cutting through her sarcastic and fiery exterior.”
Annabel Gilbert - Theatre Haus | Read more
“Fiona Kennedy is superb as Bessie. She exudes love for her family and is the epitome of the calm carer, her life mapped by the needs of others – her father, the unseen Marvin, and her crazy Aunt Ruth – until life throws her a cruel curve ball. It’s a difficult role, but Fiona gives a wonderful and moving performance that is honed and never melodramatic.”
Beth Keehn - Stage Whispers | Read full review
“Kennedy and Lamb unfolded the relationship between the two sisters beautifully, from an awkward reunion to mutual affection and respect.”
Jake Goodall - Bravo Brisbane | Read full review
“The sisters soon fall into their old dynamic, however, as they work through their tensions, there is an authenticity to the complexity of their relationship. Indeed, one of the show’s best scenes is when the sisters are up late sitting around the kitchen table talking. Kennedy and Lamb work well together to present such an authentic recreation of the resonate connection that shared history engenders, despite the passage of time. As an audience, we become invested in their story, not just because of their performances, but the intimacy of staging, which has the emotional action occurring within a metre of the front row.”
Meredith Walker - Blue Curtains | Read full review
“Leading this cast is Fiona Kennedy as Bessie and Elise Lamb as Lee. These two actors are seasoned professionals and you can see this in their performance. Kennedy portrays Bessie beautifully, holding it all together until the end where she breaks down. It truly is a spellbinding performance.”
Jake Goodall | Read full review
The result of this sustainment is an intense piece, tightly directed by Fiona Kennedy to emphasise its drama, yet also infused with some humour along with symbolic call-backs and a metaphoric thematic exploration that gives us hope that even seemingly-unbearable lives can be lived. Indeed, “Brilliant Traces” is a complex and layered work, full of imagery in its multifaceted examination of the role and result of isolation in life’s journeys, and conclusions about the humanity at the core of compassion.
Meredith Walker - Blue Curtains | Read full review
Directed by Fiona Kennedy, with production consultation by Leonard Meenach, this is an intense and engaging two-hander exploring love and loss, guilt and grief.
The attention to detail in the Brilliant Traces set, which was designed and built by Dan & Fiona Kennedy with consultation by Bill Haycock, was extraordinary – from the frosted panes of glass in the window to the glowing fire and the blizzard beyond the doorway.
BackStreet Brisbane - | Read full review
In such a quirky drama, the temptation would have been to boldly go over the top, but director Fiona Kennedy and her cast have kept tight on the reins of this situation surreal piece.
Beth Keehn - Stage Whispers | Read full review
As Margot Mason, the Germaine Greer allegory (the play is loosely based on a real life event that Greer went through) Fiona Kennedy is superb. Wonderfully acidic and self indulgent, Kennedy nails the biting humour, and metes out just enough softness to keep the character accessible.
TheatrePeople.com.au | Read full review
Fiona Kennedy as Martha was the character you loved to hate. While Martha was a bit too much to handle at the beginning of the play, audiences were able to settle into her exuberance as they slowly began to understand the nuance within the character. Kennedy handled a complex character with great skill and clarity. Her emotional moments were genuine and juxtaposed her cruel yet flirty nature.
Sophie Mason - Theatre Haus | Read full review
‘The Lion in Winter’ features a stunning cast of performers that do the intense narrative justice. In the leading roles of Henry and Eleanor, Brent Schon and Fiona Kennedy are spectacular. The audience both loves and hates them simultaneously. Their chemistry is undeniable and holds attention as they manipulate and cajole one another.
Anina-Marie Warrener - Theatre Haus | Read full review
“Fiona Kennedy’s direction … allows the story to take its time which affords many moments for the audience to sit comfortably in the chemistry between the two actors portraying such complex emotions with a blend of humour and pathos.”
Meredith Walker - Blue Curtains Brisbane | Read More
“As a piece penned in the 1980s, this play is two acts’ long, but with expert direction by Fiona Kennedy, time whisks by and at the end you will want to spend MORE time with Frankie and Johnny.”
Beth Keehn - Stage Whispers | Read More
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2014 - Witness for the Prosecution, Beenleigh Theatre Group
2015 - You Must Remember This, Sunnybank Theatre Group
2017 - La Cage Aux Folles, Nash Theatre
2019 - Ladies in Black, Villa Nova Players, Magda
2020 - Little Night Music, Ipswich Musical Theatre, Desiree
Fiona has also directed for Villa Nova Players: The Shifting Heart, Indian Ink, Creche and Burn, Cosi and Rough Crossing.
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Fiona has a BA (Hons) in English Literature and has taught theatre to High School Students. She holds a LLB (Hons) and spends her days amidst the drama of the courtroom.
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Freelance