Sydney's underbelly gets an airing

HOW do you turn a monster book into a monster theatrical production?

That was the question Cate Blanchett and Andrew Upton considered when an adaptation was suggested of John Birmingham's doorstopper Leviathan: The Unauthorised Biography of Sydney.

His is no celebratory tale. A creepy-crawly slither through Sydney's chequered past is how one critic described it.

To realise the work, which takes its name from a Biblical sea monster, the Sydney Theatre Company's artistic directors have turned to the city's ethnic groups to collaborate on a production about how waves of migration have shaped the city.

The STC's ensemble, the Residents, will work with performers from the Chinese, Macedonian and Indian communities.

The project was a new road for the company, Blanchett said. ''To earn the right to call ourselves the Sydney Theatre Company is about creating work in all parts of Sydney,'' she said.

The project comes as the number of Anglo-dominated theatre productions has been a source of criticism.

It is a criticism Upton shares. ''The voice is very, very Anglo on all our stages,'' says Upton. ''It's a vicious cycle and hopefully we can turn it into a virtuous circle.''

The STC's resident director, Stefo Nantsou, who will adapt and direct the production, said the piece was timely.