Author: Richard Morgan

Six rather peculiar guests arrive at a mysterious dinner party hosted by an anonymous figure and greeted by the ever-composed butler, Wadsworth—played with flair by Mummers aficionado Ryan Bond. Bond’s performance served as the thread that ties the entire production together, guiding the audience through a whirlwind of hilarity, intrigue, and theatrical chaos.

The cast, portraying both the eccentric guests and the quirky house staff, delivered a riotous romp filled with cleverly staged death scenes and witty wordplay inspired by the classic board game Cluedo. Adding to the fun was the stage crew’s frequent and visible presence, darting on and off stage to manage the “way too many doors”—a running gag noted by Mummers President and show director Freya Carmody. Their involvement not only enhanced the comedy but also highlighted the ensemble nature of the production.

Congratulations to St Paul’s College Mummers, who have once again excelled. In her program notes, Freya wrote: “It’s been an honour to work with a group of such energetic, dedicated people who have lifted this play off the ground over the past 10 weeks. The Mummers Society is a lively, passionate group of Paul’s residents.” This spirit of camaraderie and creativity has long been a hallmark of the Mummers’ storied history.

Sandy Rustin’s adaptation of the cult-hit film CLUE was performed on Thursday 22 and Friday 23 May at 7:30 pm, with a matinee on Sunday 25 May at 4:30 pm, all held in the fabulous Waddy Centre. The Mummers made excellent use of the theatre’s professional sound and lighting systems, while the green room and foyer—complete with a pre-show bar—added to the welcoming and polished atmosphere.

Director: Freya Carmody

Cast (pictured above) –

• backrow: Charlie Bevis (Professor Plum); Annika Johnson (Miss Scarlett); Olivia McMillan (Mrs White); Ryan Bond (Wadsorth); Samn McCredie (Mr Green); Anna Morrison (Mrs Peacock); Deuchar Taylor (Colonel Mustard)
• Front row: Helen Jordan (Yve); Abby Long (Motorist); Bridget Rae (Cook); Olivia Dight (Mr Body); Jack Rowe (Ette); Absent: Felix Power (Cop)

Crew –

• Stage Manager: Tahlia Sorgiovanni
• Backstage: Hamish lerino*, Jack Parker, Huck Jurd, Seamus Shepard, Nick Carmody
• Props: Aidan Cheung*, Grace Morrow, Matilda Myers, Elliot Mackay
• Lighting: Milly O’Connell*, Rory Lambert
• Sound: Alex Mudri*, Ella Wilden
• Marketing: Ria Alva*, Sam Walter, Ava Dunnett, Georgie Miller
• Costumes: Ines Treharne*, Angela Ramsay, Isabella Watson, Phoebe Andrews
• Hair/Makeup: Libby Carey*, Milly Simpson, Tara Gold
• Set Design: Greta Bourne*, Matilda Johnson*, Jess Allen-Waters, Huck Jurd
• Photography: Lili Alexiou

* Head of department

Special thanks to –

• Brad Skone, Peter and Alex from the Maintenance Team, Jack Stephens, Jaya Daemion, Eleanor Campbell, Jack Vukasovic

Ticket selling…

For a second year in a row a Victory Dinner for the Rosebowl Rowers was held in the Quad on 28 May when the team of Harry Scambler (coach), Greta Bourne (coach), Bow: Grace Merrilees, 2: Ella Ramsay, 3: Grace Anderson, 4: Anya Koturanova, 5: Grace Charge, 6: Libby Carey, 7: Jaime Lock, Stroke: Frankie Richards, and Cox: Bridget Pye were honoured. Back-to-back wins by the team in only the third year of women undergraduates at Paul’s is a testament to the St Paul’s spirit of commitment, tenacity and team building. 

On Tuesday 27 May 2025, a Service of Baptism and Confirmation was the College’s final Chapel service of Semester 1. During the service Auryn Griffiths was baptised by the Chaplain and Auryn, Hunter Hyde and Rory Lambert, were Confirmed by the Bishop of South Sydney, the Rt Rev. Dr Michael Stead.  Baptism is an outward sign of the inward transformation that comes through turning to Christ and putting one’s faith in him, that moment when a person publicly declares his or her faith and discipleship. Baptism is with water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and the candidate proclaims the heart of the Gospel: that Jesus died for their sins, was buried, and rose again, identifying themselves with Jesus as Lord and Saviour. Confirmation is for those already baptised who wish to make a mature and public affirmation of their faith in Jesus Christ. It is also the moment when the Church formally recognises and confirms their membership within the Body of Christ.

Conducted by our Director of Music, Dr Jack Stephens, the Choral Communion service was sung by the Chapel Choir augmented by over 20 alumni choir members with the setting of Mass in Honour of Mary MacKillop by David Drury, College Organist and Composer-in-Residence. The Bishop gave the sermon on building life on good foundations and the service concluded with Fanfare by William Matthias played by 2025 Organ Scholar, Bailey Yeates.

After the Service family, friends and choristers all gathered down at the Salisbury concluding what was a particularly special evening in the life of St Paul’s College.

A recent Sydney Morning Herald article (17 May 2025) by Education Reporter Christopher Harris has shone a spotlight on the vibrant and evolving experience of residential college life at the University of Sydney. Featuring St Paul’s alongside St Andrew’s, St John’s, Sancta Sophia, and Wesley Colleges, the piece highlights a renewed enthusiasm for the traditional college experience.

Harris describes an “early autumn evening at St Paul’s” where “dinner is more Downton Abbey or Harry Potter,” capturing the unique blend of tradition, community, and academic focus that defines college life. Since the pandemic, applications to residential colleges have surged—with St Paul’s seeing a five-fold increase.

This resurgence reflects a broader trend: as the vitality of campus life has declined in recent decades, students are increasingly seeking the connection, support, and enrichment that college communities provide. At St Paul’s, students benefit from shared learning, lifelong friendships, and a strong sense of belonging—key ingredients for both academic success and personal growth.

Importantly, the college community is becoming more diverse. Students from public schools, regional and remote areas, interstate, and overseas are finding a welcoming and inclusive environment where they can thrive. Many describe the experience as transformative, grounded, and deeply human.

While college fees are often discussed in the context of affordability, the value offered by St Paul’s is significant—especially in today’s challenging rental market. Students enjoy high-quality accommodation, meals, study spaces, music, sport, and a vibrant social life. Thanks to the generosity of alumni and philanthropic partners, scholarships and financial support are available to ensure that cost is not a barrier to opportunity.

As interest in college life continues to grow, so too does the need for support. The St Paul’s College Foundation is currently running its mid-year appeal to expand scholarship opportunities and ensure that more students can access the transformative experience of college life.

🔗 Learn more about the Foundation and how to support the appeal: CLICK HERE

See SMH (17 May 2025) CLICK HERE

[This article is a follow-up to the previous story posted on 31 July 2024 – see Webnews]

Graduate House PhD student Ines Wen has been a University tutor during Semester 1 in #BUSS4907 Innovation and Entrepreneurship Foundation and since 2024 is author of three research papers all accepted for conference presentations about her thesis topic How Disruption Catalyses the Innovation Process in State-Owned Enterprises in Global Contexts. Ines has been accepted to present her most recent research paper Unfolding Innovation Processes for Sustainability within State-Owned Multinational Enterprises at the Academy of International Business (AIB) Sustainability Special Interest Group[1] International Symposium in Shenzhen, China.

The AIB Sustainability SIG symposium is a flagship international event that will bring together leading scholars (including Ines), policymakers, and industry experts to discuss cutting-edge research and practical solutions for integrating sustainability into global business strategies. With a focus on emerging markets and technological innovation, the symposium aims to foster interdisciplinary collaboration and generate actionable insights for sustainable international business practices.

Ines is also going to the 11th Biennial Conference of the International Association for Chinese Management Research 11-15 June 2025 and at the awards ceremony she is to be presented with a significant cash prize for her first paper. This event is China’s largest management research conference and takes place in the ancient city of Xi’an with over 1,500 participants.

Ines has also been Sydney Area Director at Toastmasters International[2] since July 2024. Ines supports the clubs of NAB, Deloitte, AMP, RMG (Macquarie) Toastmasters clubs and organised the Humorous, Evaluation, Impromptu, and International Speech Contest in Sydney CBD for club development and individual growth during 2024-2025.

Pic above: on the left is Antonia Badger, daughter of Pauline Lloyd Waddy, and Ines is on the right.

Ines joined Toastmasters International at the age of 18 in 2011. Whilst volunteering she has championed the benefits of Toastmasters in each of the cities where she has lived and studied—Taipei and Shanghai and now Sydney. Her contributions and achievements have been significant and across international borders to support communities, particularly during COVID-19. For example, as President of Shanghai CHJ High-Tech Park Toastmasters Club Ines and her colleagues strategized plans for rescuing individual club members locked-down by authorities in Shanghai and Wuhan and achieved significant growth of District 85 (Shanghai).

Ines was born in on the shores of Sun Moon Lake a major tourism site in Nantou near the city of Taichung in Taiwan. Ines joined Graduate House in 2024 and studies in the University of Sydney Business School.

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[1] AIB Sustainability Special Interest Group is a community of scholars and practitioners dedicated to advancing research and dialogue on sustainability issues within the field of international business. The SIG fosters collaboration and innovation in addressing global challenges such as climate change, social responsibility, and sustainable development. It serves as a platform for sharing insights, best practices, and research that explore how international firms and institutions can contribute to a more sustainable global economy. AIB is hosted at Michigan State University, USA.

[2] Toastmasters International is a nonprofit educational organisation that helps people improve their public speaking and leadership skills through a worldwide network of clubs. Founded in 1924 Toastmasters International has over 300,000 members in more than 14,000 clubs across 150 countries. District 70 is Australia, Central Division is Greater Sydney area and Area 16 is Sydney CBD where Ines is currently Director.

Mummers’ plays in recent years have delved into the comedic genre to provide wholesome entertainment to the masses who now regularly attend their performances in the professional environment of the Waddy Theatre at Paul’s.

Mummers plays are presented for anyone to attend and residents, alumni, parents, fellow uni students and those studying drama in school are all welcome.

With over 4,000 productions, Sandy Rustin’s adaptation of the cult-hit film CLUE was named by American Theatre one of America’s most produced plays and the New York Times called it “a welcome throwback to an era of physical comedy!”

This is a very funny farce-meets-murder mystery set in a mansion, with a controlling butler and characters who race to find the killer as the body count stacks up, without the mushroom foraging!

Director: Freya Carmody
Cast: Anna Morrison, Annika Johnson, Abby Long, Bridget Rae, Charlie Bevis, Deuchar Taylor, Felix Power, Helen Jordan, Jack Rowe, Kate Eggleston, Olivia McMillan, Olivia Dight, Ryan Bond, Sam McCredie.

Dates: Thursday 22 May 7:30 pm, Friday 23 May 7:30 pm, Sunday 25 May 4:30 pm

Venue: The Waddy Theatre, St Paul’s College; the lobby bar will be open before the show. Pedestrian entry at 9 City Rd, Camperdown, walk along the driveway to the McMillan Building past the roundabout (please park in City Rd or Carillion Ave).
*Please note there is NO show on Saturday 24 May*

Tickets $10-17: CLICK HERE

Photos from the rehearsals: