Playwright

Theatre Director

Dramaturg

Writing and directing for theatre for over twelve years. 

 

Get in Touch

Work in Progress

News

Writer / Director

Dramaturgy

Career

Performance Gallery

Here are some of my past productions 

  • Shows
  • Catastrophising
  • Arthurs Place
  • Charity Case
  • Chemistry Test
  • Stoned Ape
  • Not Toilet Trained
  • Motherhood the Musical
  • Margaret Fulton the Musical
  • Forgotten
  • Downsizing
  • Asylum
  • Pirate Spectacular
  • You Don't Have to be Jewish
Dudley Level
Dudley Level

Dudley Level plays Ross in Chemistry Test, a hapless online dater who has no idea how unappealing he is. 

Asylum
Asylum

ASYLUM 2017

Chemistry Test
Arthur's Place
Arthur's Place
Kyle and Aaron
Kyle and Aaron
Pirate Spectacular
Pirate Spectacular

Commissioned and written to be performed on a tall ship this Pirate Spectacular took the audience on a dramatic adventure around Sydney Harbour

Charity Case video
Sandra charity case
Sandra charity case

Sandra Campbell plays the bird lady who doesn't want any charity. 

https://www.facebook.com/sandra.campbell.98

Catastrophising
You Don't Have to be Jewish
You Don't Have to be Jewish

Liz Hovey and Andrea Ginsburg in You Don't Have to be Jewish

Stoned Ape
Stoned Ape

Stoned Ape

Charity Case
Charity Case

Christine Greenough

https://www.facebook.com/christine.greenough.5 

Pirate Spectacular
Pirate Spectacular

Commissioned and written to be performed on a tall ship this Pirate Spectacular took the audience on a dramatic adventure around Sydney Harbour

Stoned Ape
Stoned Ape

Stoned Ape

Chemistry Test
Chemistry Test

Chemistry Test

Stoned ape
Stoned ape

Stoned ape

RIYA
RIYA

RIYA

Asylum
Asylum

Eli Saad 2024

Stoned ape
Stoned ape

Stoned ape

Pirate Spectacular
Pirate Spectacular

Commissioned and written to be performed on a tall ship this Pirate Spectacular took the audience on a dramatic adventure around Sydney Harbour

Chemistry Test
Chemistry Test

Chemistry Test

Lisa Hanssens 

https://www.facebook.com/lisa.hanssens.14

Not Toilet Trained
Not Toilet Trained

Not Toilet Trained

Not Toilet Trained
Not Toilet Trained

Not Toilet Trained

Motherhood the Musical
Motherhood the Musical

Motherhood the Musical

Margaret Fulton the Musical
Margaret Fulton the Musical

Margaret Fulton, the Musical

Emma Burns in ASYLUM
Emma Burns in ASYLUM
YDHTBJ reading of will
YDHTBJ reading of will
Margaret Fulton the Musical
Margaret Fulton the Musical

Margaret Fulton the Musical

Margaret Fulton the Musical
Margaret Fulton the Musical

Margaret Fulton the Musical

Forgotten
Forgotten

Forgotten

Downsizing
Downsizing

Danny Osomanski Downsizing

Downsizing
Downsizing

Danny Osomanski Downsizing

James Burchett and Geoff Sirmai in You Don't have to be Jewish
James Burchett and Geoff Sirmai in You Don't have to be Jewish
Downsizing
Downsizing

Danny Osomanski Downsizing

Asylum
Asylum

Asylum 2017

Asylum
Asylum

Chris Miller and Levi Kenway in ASYLUM 2024

Asylum
Asylum

Asylum

Stoned ape
Stoned ape

Black comedy is notoriously difficult to pull off, and director Ruth Fingret has clearly prioritised clarity of plot, even if it sacrifices intention or tonal cohesion, a safe choice with a script that needs work and a production on a shoestring budget.

Stoned Ape
Stoned Ape
Stoned ape
Stoned ape

Stoned ape

Stoned ape
Stoned ape

Stoned ape

Black comedy is notoriously difficult to pull off, and director Ruth Fingret has clearly prioritised clarity of plot, even if it sacrifices intention or tonal cohesion, a safe choice with a script that needs work and a production on a shoestring budget.

Stoned ape
Stoned ape

Stoned ape

Asylum
Asylum

Levi Kenway and Dianne Weller in ASYLUM

Stoned ape
Stoned ape

Stoned ape

Why We're Here

Short + Sweet Reviews

Take a look at what the reviewers said about my short plays over the years

 

"an audience favourite on opening night, the perfect comedy cast"
2018 This Too Shall Pass
2018 This Too Shall PassSydney Arts Guide
"Comedy on a grand scale with Josie the hyper-active hypochondriac teenager, blessed with a google android telephone, supplying her with all the wrong answers, and each answer providing her with brand new illnesses."
CATASTROPHISING IS NOT A WORD! 2016
CATASTROPHISING IS NOT A WORD! 2016Sydney Arts Guide
"With so many very funny dating lies, this delicious comedy, was an audience favourite."
Chemistry Test 2016
Chemistry Test 2016Sydney Arts Guide
"Superb cast choices selected by director Ruth Fingret. Delicious dementia comedy, quickly builds effective back stories into each character, via music lyrics used as dialogue."
Not Toilet Trained 2017
Not Toilet Trained 2017Sydney Arts Guide
"Perfectly cast and superbly directed by Ruth Fingret."
RIYA 2021
RIYA 2021Sydney Arts Guide
"This superb dialogue intensive drama is beautifully constructed ... Perfectly cast, and deliciously directed with panache by Garreth Cruikshank."
Disconnected 2024
Disconnected 2024Sydney Arts Guide
" This comedy play is so much more fun, and so very anti-banks, all in the best possible way. Constantly rhyming whilst on the telephone, in a queue waiting for ninety-four minutes, waiting for one real live human to finally answer the call and provide answers to the many banking questions."
Your Call is Important 2018
Your Call is Important 2018Sydney Arts Guide
"a funny play about infidelity in a strained marriage, with a fresh take on relationships and counselling by writer Ruth Fingret. “Of course I ejaculate prematurely, I’m a busy man”, says husband Steve. The acting is great too."
Why We're Here 2013
Why We're Here 2013Sydney Arts Guide

Writing Work in Progress

Dismissed
06Oct

Dismissed

I was asked to write a verbatim piece for Lou’s Place – a refuge for homeless women. I interviewed three homeless women who had been on the streets for years. I used their exact words to tell their story and raise almost $50,000 in the process.

Read more
Asylum
06Oct

Asylum

Inspired by the largescale movement of stateless people  this play explores the dynamics of the family of immigration officer Craig who must decide how far he will go to save his own child while also deciding the fate of a young refugee.

Read more
1 2 3

News & Current events

And that’s a wrap
19Nov

And that’s a wrap

The first Australian staging of “You Don’t have to be Jewish” closed last night after a hugely successful run.

Read more
The Times we Live In by Crescendo 2023
11Nov

The Times we Live In by Crescendo 2023

25 Nov 7pm , 26 Nov 2pm & 5:30 pm at NIDA (Playhouse), Kensington.
Theatre, Film and television actor Shishir Sharma in performance with Crescendo actors !

Read more
You don’t need to be Jewish
05Nov

You don’t need to be Jewish

In my house it was played continually and when we stopped playing it we quoted it,

Read more
1 2 3

Dramaturgy and Writing Feedback

Through my work with The Writers Studio, I’ve guided more than 120 aspiring novelists in bringing their first drafts to life.
I’ve also supported numerous playwrights and musical theatre writers through dramaturgy and script doctoring.
For many years I have admired Ruth's playwriting, so it was quite natural that I should seek out her advice when I encountered problems with my own writing. I have always found her critiques to be consistently knowledgeable, practical, achievable and generous. She has an unerring ability to go to the heart of the problem and offer insightful suggestions to improve my writing. I would recommend Ruth as a dramaturg/script doctor without reservation.
Garreth CruikshankWriter, Director, Actor
I engaged Ruth as a script editor in 2024 on my second musical. She has a great talent for finding the heart of the story and winnowing the unnecessary chaff. Ruth also organised two readings which were very useful. At the end of the process, the script was in much better shape – so much so that we now have a NY-based director attached. I wouldn’t hesitate to use her services again or to recommend her to others.
Danny GingesLibrettist, Atomic the Musical
I absolutely would not have finished this if she had not been there to gently keep me accountable. Many of her ideas and suggestions have found their way into the story and have been what’s made it unique. - E. Bennison
E. BennisonWriter
Ruth is a consummate professional and a joy to work with! She is an incredible mentor and dramaturg who has an uncanny knack of getting to the essence of things in record time. She asks the right questions that inspire me to gain a fresh perspective on my work and knows immediately what works and what doesn’t. Her insights have challenged me to cut through the crap and create something I’m proud of. A skilled wordsmith. She gets results!
Melissa HallidayWriter, Performer, Cabaret Artist
Ruth has been a wonderful source of support, advice and at times inspiration. Everything she says is considered and valid, and by applying her advice I feel I have managed to improve what I have written. Her support is the most important thing to me, as I have really been put off by the lack of engagement from the other students during Part One. I found the mutual support from UC students vital, but it is almost non-existent in First Draft. That makes every little encouragement, and criticism from Ruth all the more important, and she has been there every step of the way for me. Thank you Ruth! - James Taylor
J. TaylorWriter
Ruth has been a dream. She has been prompt, generous and honest with her feedback. I couldn’t have done it without her. She even logged on over the holiday break to provide feedback on my scenes and plans, as she knew I was so close to finishing my first draft. I was so grateful for this, as it would have been much harder to start again if I had lost the momentum.
A. KacarWriter
Ruth is terrific – very responsive, encouraging and not afraid to reach out and prompt me if I fall further than a week or two behind. This is exactly what I need and the reason why going it alone on this journey would never work. I’ve always wanted to try my hand at writing fiction, but at least for right now, I need the accountability of knowing that someone is expecting my copy.
L FryWriter
Ruth – you have been attentive, responsive, constructive, too kind and encouraging, and most of all, knowledgeable.
P. BrownWriter
I'm often taken by surprise with your responses. Below is no exception. It's clear you take true care to analyse and interpret language, intent and story. And provide encouragement. I just wanted you to know how much I appreciate it. I love and loathe this process simultaneously. But it's pushing me forward, and that feels good
M. PageWriter
Ruth has been very consistent with her appraisals of my writing. At times I found her comments challenging, but always accurate and her attention to detail flowed on to sharpen mine and keep me on track.
T.KayWriter

AI Play Draft Review available

You have finished a draft. You know something is working—but you may also sense that the play is losing momentum, repeating itself or not delivering the ending you intended.

Playwright Draft Review offers a detailed, story-first analysis of your script. It examines not only what the play is about, but how it works dramatically: what keeps the audience watching, where the pressure builds, where it drops and whether each scene genuinely changes what can happen next.

The analysis is generated using a custom AI Skill developed by Ruth Fingret from her work as a playwright, theatre director, dramaturg and story doctor.

It is not generic AI feedback. T

What you receive

You will receive a professionally presented Word report containing:

  • an overall structural diagnosis

  • analysis of the play’s engine, theme and dramatic question

  • character and relationship tracking

  • scene and sequence analysis

  • a source-of-conflict assessment

  • an exposition and pacing audit

  • analysis of the climax and ending

  • three focused revision priorities

Feedback is candid, practical and supported by specific evidence from the script.

Who is it for?

Playwright Draft Review is useful if:

  • you have completed a first or later draft

  • the individual scenes work but the whole play does not yet hold together

  • you are preparing for a reading, workshop or submission

  • you have received conflicting feedback and need a clearer structural diagnosis

  • you want to understand why a character arc, revelation or ending is not landing

  • you want rigorous feedback without having your work rewritten into somebody else’s play

Confidentiality and creative control

You retain all copyright and intellectual-property rights in your script.

Your work is used only to prepare the requested analysis. It is not reproduced, published, shared or repurposed. Before submitting a script, you will be asked to confirm that the relevant ChatGPT model-training setting has been switched off.

The report is AI-assisted and may contain interpretations with which you disagree. You remain entirely in control of your play and of every revision decision.

Full dramaturgical script analysis: $50 

Please send me a message via the contact box below if interested 

Get in touch

For all inquiries, please feel free to reach out via this contact form.

Ruth Fingret Career History

For a more detailed look at my career and achievements you can download a copy of my CV 

Download CV