Merrigong Theatre Company’s permanent ensemble of neurodiverse actors and musicians, The Strangeways Ensemble, make their triumphant return to the stage in the world premiere of their fictional home-grown thriller, The Seven, at the Wollongong Town Hall from 21 – 29 November 2025.
In 1964, a group of seven friends are on their way home from seeing a concert in Sydney, when an incident on the train forces them to get off at Helensburgh station. Missing the last train, they decide to try and hitch a ride. In the morning light, it becomes clear that none of them made it back.
After a short-lived investigation into their disappearance, the case is closed, and their story becomes local legend. Until 2024, when a grisly discovery at the Helensburgh Tunnel forces the re-opening of the 60-year-old case, and old grudges and conspiracy theories that have circled the mystery for years, are brought to the fore.
“The Seven is the third show created and performed by The Strangeways Ensemble. We have created an original work which showcases the ensemble’s evolution as a creative collective since we began collaborating over 7 years ago – I can’t wait for people to see it!” said Director and Writer Anne-Louise Rentell.
For more than a decade, members of The Strangeways Ensemble have created genre-bending theatre like Trash Talk and Something That Happened, infused with trademark humour, gravity and insight.
Featuring ensemble members Malcolm Allison, Ethan Arnold , Jordan Bowater, Ethan Green, Rachel Head, Phillip Prentice and Christian Tagliaferro, The Seven takes a witty approach to horror and conspiracy tropes, exploring notions of visibility and the unknown.
The Seven
Wollongong Town Hall, Corner Crown and Kembla Streets, Wollongong
Season: 21 – 29 November 2025
Information and Bookings: www.merrigong.com.au
Image: The Seven (supplied)