Episode 161: The stars of Benefactors, a new play featuring an architect talking about design, urban planning and the compromises architects make

Emma Palmer and Gareth Davies star in Benefactors, an Olivier Award-winning architecture comedy set in the late 1960s, where they play Jane & David,  where he’s an idealistic architect and she’s an anthropologist who always stands with him. Their neighbours Colin and Sheila are by comparison struggling. Colin’s glory days are over, while Sheila is subservient and unfocused.David feels his new architectural dream, the redevelopment of an inner-city housing project, will be the answer to future home building. However, as Sheila settles into her neighbours’ way of life, Colin starts to oppose David’s bright new view of the future.In this exclusive interview, Emma & Gareth talk about what architecture means to them, what it should mean to all of us, the value of social housing and what it was like getting into the heads of their respective and complex characters.Benefactors is on from the 21 June-22 July at the Ensemble Theatre in Sydney, which is it 78 McDougall St, Kirribilli. So got out and enjoy the play starring  Emma Palmer and Gareth Davies. Go to https://www.ensemble.com.au/ for more details.