MAN ABOUT THE HOUSE

“Must see show of the Festival.”
New York Times.

Why are you looking at this?

You might be curious about what we do. At the heart of our projects is a deep passion for architecture and design. We present a variety of talks, performances and exhibitions, often in non-traditional venues. We also produce films and love collaborating with architects, designers and artists.

The Projects

Man About the House. Live show. Tim Ross and Kit Warhurst.

Devised in 2012, Man About the House is an evolving theatrical show performed in architecturally significant buildings. Equal parts storytelling, comedy, music and architecture, it is designed to give the audience member a chance to enjoy the performance and revel in being within an extraordinary space. Architects whose work has been utilized for these events include Harry Seidler, Richard Rogers, Clare Cousins, Glen Murcutt, John Lautner, Robin Boyd and Erno Goldfinger.

This show is constantly evolving and has been performed across Australia, New Zealand, UK, and the US.

The Mid Century Project. Live show and art project. Tim Ross and Kit Warhurst.

A spin-off of Man About the House, this show collaborates with artists to transform and reimagine Mid Century buildings with art, film and furniture installations. Venues have included the BT Tower in London, the brutalist Wickham Terrace car park in Brisbane and ICI House in Melbourne (see video below).

In August 2019, it will feature as an exhibition at COCA in Christchurch. Collaborators include Stephen Ormandy, Miranda Skoczek, Paul Davies, Sam Cranstoun, Bec Smith, Ben Quilty, Rory Toomey and Dominic Hofstede.

Design Nation. Exhibition and talk curated by Tim Ross.

Debuting at the Powerhouse (MAAS) Museum in Sydney in 2018, Design Nation brings together outstanding examples of Australian ingenuity and innovation from the MAAS Collection. Many of these objects are mainstays in Australian households — the Dolphin torch, Staysharp knife and Esky — yet we tend to take them for granted.

Through an exhibition and series of audio interviews and recordings, Tim invites us to rediscover these ubiquitous, everyday objects of Australian design. He reveals previously untold stories and design narratives to show how our unique design history has helped shape our national identity.

The associated Design Nation Live talk continues its sell-out run across Australia.

How Much for the Green Chair with the Wooden Legs? Talk. Tim Ross.

Conceived for intimate performances in Mid Century Modern furniture stores, Tim shares humorous stories from his 25 years of collecting Mid Century Modern furniture.

The Battle to Save Sirius. Talk. Tim Ross.

In 2016, the New South Wales government ignored advice from its own Heritage Council and refused calls to heritage list Sirius, the iconic Brutalist building overlooking the Harbour in Sydney’s historic Rocks precinct. Designed in 1979 by Tao Gofers, it was the last and arguably most successful of Australia’s experiments with high-rise public housing.

With its former tenants having been moved on and a sale of the site imminent so the government can achieve its real aim of demolition, the Save Our Sirius Foundation was formed.

One of its members is comedian, writer, television presenter and self-described ‘design nerd’ Tim Ross. In this talk, Tim shares the fascinating story of this much loved building, the loss it would represent to Australia’s legacy of forward-thinking design and the spirited battle to save it.

MOTEL. Live show. Tim Ross and Kit Warhurst.

Set in iconic motels around Australia, the latest show is inspired by road trips without air conditioning, collapsing folding beds, Paddle Pop sticks stuffed down the back seat of the car, variety packs of cereal, sunburn on sunburn, a banana lounge for a bed in an annexe, Chinese restaurants in country towns and pods of long-life milk.

After debuting with a sell-out season for Sydney Design Week in 2019 at a 1970s motel in suburban Strathfield, this experiential show continues to take audiences on a sentimental, informative journey through Australian holidays of the recent past.

“A brilliant night!”

Richard Glover

Tim Ross

He may be best known for his work on TV and radio (at different times hosting both the number one breakfast and drive shows in Sydney) but comedian Tim Ross has also always had a passion for architecture and design.

Tim passionately supports important issues in Australian architecture and design, in particular the ‘Save Our Sirius’ campaign, fighting alongside the local community to protect Sydney’s now neglected modernist apartment building, Sirius. In 2018 Tim was awarded the National Trust Heritage Award for Advocacy, which recognised his activism in drawing attention to Australia’s legacy of modernist architecture and promoting its conservation.

In 2019 Tim was awarded the National President’s Prize from the Australian Institute of Architects, to “recognise him for his advocacy, activism and outstanding contribution to the architecture profession”.

Tim’s interest in architecture has led to speaking engagements such as the Heritage Address in Melbourne and the prestigious Griffin Lecture at the National Press Club in Canberra.

Tim’s two-part series on Australian architecture, Streets of Your Town, premiered on ABC TV in November 2016 to rave reviews, and quickly became the most watched arts program on the ABC for the year.

Kit Warhurst

Kit Warhurst is an accomplished composer, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and recording artist who divides his work between live performance and screen composition. Kit is perhaps best known as the drummer in seminal Australian group Rocket Science, the organ driven garage punk band who became a fixture on national radio after the release of their critically acclaimed debut recording “Welcome Aboard the 3C10”. However, after turning his attention towards the guitar and releasing his debut album “Colour Wheel”, the reborn, revitalised and rejuvenated performer is now regarded as a solo artist in his own right.

Kit’s work is drenched in irresistible melodies that belie an often darker content and infuses power pop, garage guitars and 50’s rock n roll with sharp songwriting. Kit has worked on various creative collaborations and has added music director and theatre to his repertoire. Kit’s long running collaboration with Tim Ross has produced the award winning live show Man About the House.

Kit’s screen composition work includes programs such as Rosehaven, It’s a Date and Sam Simmons’ Problems and he has been nominated for APRA Screen awards for Rosehaven and In Gordon Street Tonight.

Touring across Australia and the globe, check out where we are headed next

UPCOMING SHOWS