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WRITERS IN THE SKY: THE EMPRESS MURDERS
Sat
1
Sat 1 Nov 5:45 PM
Sold Out
Scenic Skyway
General Admission
All Ages
45 Mins November
Everyone is in peril. Everyone is a suspect . . . When award-winning playwright and actor Toby Schmitz set his mind to writing his first crime novel, he couldn’t bear to follow the predictable tropes of the genre. What better place to dig into this mind-bendingly clever whodunnit than an unconventional venue like the Scenic World Skyway?
Set sail across the valley, just like the Toby’s razor-sharp debut, the Empress of Australia, crosses the Atlantic. Expect big ideas, audience interaction, puns and fun with writer and comedian Jennifer Wong, as well as Toby’s trademark charm!
“Whatever you think this book is, think again. Cosy murder mystery? Historical crime fiction? Flamboyant literary feast? Slasher horror? The Empress Murders has all that, but Toby Schmitz has created a unique beast. I loved it. What a trip. Be ready for anything.”
Malcolm Knox
“A tense and claustrophobic mystery told with startling wit.”
Tim Minchin
Toby Schmitz is a writer, director and actor, most recently seen on television in Boy Swallows Universe. He has received nominations for his performances in The Seagull, Thyestes, Much Ado About Nothing, Measure for Measure, Ruben Guthrie and The Great. He is also a celebrated playwright and was awarded the Patrick White Award for his play Lucky. His debut novel The Empress Murders was published in 2025.
Jennifer Wong is the co-author of Chopsticks or Fork?: Recipes and Stories from Australia’s Regional Chinese Restaurants (also on ABC iView), and a contributor to Admissions: Voices within Mental Health. Her writing has appeared in The Guardian, ABC News, SBS Food, Monocle and The Big Issue. Jennifer’s comedy in English and Cantonese has been seen by millions online, and her stand-up shows have sold out around Australia. She has appeared on The Cook Up, Celebrity Letters and Numbers, Thank God Its Friday! and Chat 10 Looks 3.
Set sail across the valley, just like the Toby’s razor-sharp debut, the Empress of Australia, crosses the Atlantic. Expect big ideas, audience interaction, puns and fun with writer and comedian Jennifer Wong, as well as Toby’s trademark charm!
“Whatever you think this book is, think again. Cosy murder mystery? Historical crime fiction? Flamboyant literary feast? Slasher horror? The Empress Murders has all that, but Toby Schmitz has created a unique beast. I loved it. What a trip. Be ready for anything.”
Malcolm Knox
“A tense and claustrophobic mystery told with startling wit.”
Tim Minchin
Toby Schmitz is a writer, director and actor, most recently seen on television in Boy Swallows Universe. He has received nominations for his performances in The Seagull, Thyestes, Much Ado About Nothing, Measure for Measure, Ruben Guthrie and The Great. He is also a celebrated playwright and was awarded the Patrick White Award for his play Lucky. His debut novel The Empress Murders was published in 2025.
Jennifer Wong is the co-author of Chopsticks or Fork?: Recipes and Stories from Australia’s Regional Chinese Restaurants (also on ABC iView), and a contributor to Admissions: Voices within Mental Health. Her writing has appeared in The Guardian, ABC News, SBS Food, Monocle and The Big Issue. Jennifer’s comedy in English and Cantonese has been seen by millions online, and her stand-up shows have sold out around Australia. She has appeared on The Cook Up, Celebrity Letters and Numbers, Thank God Its Friday! and Chat 10 Looks 3.
November