Madeleine Little
Madeleine Little
Performer, Theatre-maker, Writer
Madeleine Little is a performer, theatre-maker, writer, and access consultant. She has worked independently, with Indelabilityarts (Ensemble member since 2015), and Restless Dance Theatre. Madeleine is currently the Festival Director of Undercover Artist Festival, Australia’s premier performing arts and disability Festival (returning September 2023).
Biography
Madeleine Little is a performer, theatre maker, writer, advocate, and access consultant for the performing arts based in Brisbane. She has written, produced, and performed independent works, co-devised and performed with Indelabilityarts where she has been an ensemble member since 2015, and performed with Restless Dance Theatre in the Helpmann-nominated Intimate Space at Bleach* Festival in association with Festival 2018. In 2019, she contributed to The Last Avant-Garde – Disability and the Performing Arts in Australia: Beyond the Social Model research project (UniMelb, UniSyd, AAV, ARC lastavantgarde.com.au). The same year, her original play, Hold, was presented as part of her Master’s research testing the application of accessible theatre practice conventions and the implications of the disabled body in a new work. This research has been published in part in Australasian Drama Studies Journal (Issue 76) - Hold On: Australian Innovations in Access Aesthetics co-authored with Sarah Austin and Eddie Paterson.
A disabled artist, Madeleine has dedicated her work to accessibility in the performing arts with the aim of increasing opportunities for authentic representation of disabled voices on stage. She provides peer support and mentoring to early career disabled artists and newly disabled established artists alike. Madeleine is currently the Festival Director of Undercover Artist Festival, Australia’s premier performing arts and disability Festival, which is due to return in September 2023. She is honoured to be playing Dr. Emma Brookner in her Ad Astra debut in The Normal Heart.
Ad Astra Plays
Upcoming Plays
Past Plays
Other Theatre & Media
2020 - Table Twelve (Theatre), Metro Arts Creative Development Program, co-playwright with Alistair Baldwin
2019 - Hold, Madeleine Little, Actor - ‘Maddie’/Director/Playwright/Producer
2015 - 2018 - Look Mum… No Hands!!! [The Legless Bar Years] (Theatre), indelabilityarts, Actor - ‘Madeleine’/Co-deviser
2018 - Intimate Space (Theatre), Restless Dance Theatre for Bleach* & Festival 2018, Actor - Laundry Girl
2017 - The No Pile (Media), Khemistry for Queensland Government All Abilities Campaign, Actor - ‘Madeleine’/Co-writer
2016 - You Mad, Bro? (Theatre), Backbone 2high Festival, Actor/Co-deviser
Training
2020 - Master of Arts (Creative Arts), University of Southern Queensland
2016 - Bachelor of Fine Arts (Drama), Queensland University of Technology
Reviews
Special mention must go to Madeleine Little, who shares the role of Dr Emma Brookner with Janelle Bailey. Little stars as the doctor desperately trying to get the attention of the government and medical authorities as she is countlessly shut down and ignored. Her frustration and passion is palpable and accentuates what is already a powerful and emotive performance.
Michael James - Frooty Magazine | Read full review
Joining forces with Ned is Dr Emma Brookner, (Kramer’s tribute to the physician and early AIDS researcher, Linda Jane Laubenstein) played beautifully by Madeleine Little (who shares the role with Janelle Bailey for different productions). Dr Emma is a victim of the polio virus and so uses a wheelchair. And, while that does not prevent her ground-breaking work, her physical frustration is an important mirror of the story’s themes, and her fearlessness in the face of illness an inspiring part of the play. As a seasoned performer and Festival Director of Undercover Artist Festival, Madeleine has a stage confidence that matches Dr Emma’s teadfast dedication. It’s wonderful to see her in this important role.
Beth Keehn - Stage Whispers | Read full review
The ensemble was rounded out by Madeleine Little as a blunt, exasperated Dr Brookner.
Elise Lawrence - Backstreet Brisbane | Read full review
Ad Astra have staged The Normal Heart in a simplistic and slick style, directed by Michelle Carey and Anna Loren. The cast, led by experienced actor, Gregory Wilken as Ned Weeks, are confident and compelling.
Lilian Harrington - Absolute Theatre | Read full review
Completing the cast was Madeleine Little as Doctor Emma Brookner, Luke O’Neill as Ben Weeks and finally, Tom Hardwood and Liam Wallis as multiple characters. They maintained the strong energy of the performance and did justice to a heavy story.
Annabel Gilbert - TheatreHaus | Read full review
‘Little's strong stage presence carries a confident portrayal of a not-always-confident young woman. Little seems to revel in the informal, salt of the earth nature of her character; bouncing her banter back and forth between the actors on stage and any audience member unlucky enough to catch her eye.’
Katya Bryant on Hold by Madeleine Little - Weekend Notes | Read Review