# Deidre Rubenstein

Deidre Rubenstein (born 1948) is a Jewish-Australian screen and theatre actress, dramatist and playwright, well known for her performance in Australian soap operas and main stage dramatic roles.

## Early life

Rubenstein graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in 1967.

## Career
### Television and film

Rubenstein has worked in television comedies, drama, mini-series and TV movies. In 1970 she appeared in an episode of Homicide. She played a recurring guest role in Prisoner (1979–80), as terrorist Janet Dominguez.
She had leading roles in 1990 film Breaking Through and 1985 miniseries Palace of Dreams, the latter for which she won an Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actress.
In 2004 Rubenstein played the scheming Svetlanka Ristic for twelve episodes of the soap opera Neighbours.
She has appeared in further guest roles in 1980 miniseries Water Under The Bridge, medical dramas G.P. and MDA, Mercury, comedy series Introducing Gary Petty, The Secret Life of Us, Kick and police dramas Blue Heelers and City Homicide.
Rubenstein also has appeared in Australian feature films Siam Sunset (1999), Hey Hey It’s Esther Blueberger alongside Keisha Castle-Hughes and Essie Davis (2008), Salvation with Wendy Hughes (2008) and Force of Destiny alongside David Wenham (2015).

### Theatre

Rubenstein's career in the theatre includes work with several major Australian companies, including the Nimrod Theatre Company and Melbourne Theatre Company.
In 1993, she had a solo show called What's a Girl to Do?, where she performed poems written by contemporary Australian female poets. It was later performed by Rubenstein at The Stables Theatre in Sydney (1994) and at the 1995 Edinburgh Festival.
This show inspired her to do another solo show using work commissioned for her, work that was written to be performed live. She was awarded a Victorian Government Women Artist's Grant and commission contemporary writers to produce the performance pieces that were later produced in a book called Confidentially Yours. The first performance was in the Playbox Theatre Centre, C.U.B Malthouse, Melbourne on 11 February 1998. The writers commissioned to produce the work that became Confidentially Yours were Janis Balodis, Andrew Bovell, Nick Enright, Michael Gurr, Daniel Keene, Joanna Murray-Smith and Debra Oswald. Andrew Bovell wrote a pair of stories for the show that he later used in the script for the film Lantana.
In 2005, Rubenstein performed in Menopause the Musical, a comedy breaking down the taboos about menopause. with Caroline Gillmer, Susan-Ann Walker and Jane Clifton. Rubenstein as 'The Dubbo Housewife', explored the stereotypes and madness of that time in a woman's life.
In 2015, she played Gertrude Stein in the musical Loving Repeating - a Musical of Gertrude Stein in Melbourne.

### Audiobooks

Rubenstein has produced a significant body of work as a narrator of audio books and has won several awards in this field.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Type |
| 1990 | Breaking Through | Ann | Film |
| 1991 | The Girl Who Came Late (aka Daydream Believer) | Trish Schultz | Feature film |
| 1996 | Inner Sanctuary | Peggy | Feature film |
| 1999 | Siam Sunset | Celia Droon | Feature film |
| 2000 | The Calling | Martha O’Connor | Short film |
| 2001 | Like Mother Like Son: The Strange Story of Sante and Kenny Kimes | Las Vegas Judge | TV film |
| 2002 | Secret Bridesmaids' Business | Ruth | TV film |
| 2004 | Josh Jarman | Theatre Actress | Feature film |
| 2008 | Salvation | Gloria’s Coach | Feature film |
| 2008 | Hey Hey It’s Esther Blueburger | Mrs Fleisher | Feature film |
| 2011 | Underbelly Files: The Man Who Got Away | Uncredited | TV film |
| 2015 | Force of Destiny | Miriam | Feature film |
| 2023 | The Rooster | Mrs Poulson | Feature film |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Type |
| 1970 | Homicide | Jane | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1978–1980 | Prisoner | Janet Dominguez | TV series, 5 episodes |
| 1980 | Water Under the Bridge | Lainey | TV series, 3 episodes |
| 1982 | The Mike Walsh Show | Guest (with Tony Taylor) | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1985 | Palace of Dreams | Chana Mendel | Miniseries, 10 episodes |
| 1988 | Australians | Nance | Miniseries, 1 episode |
| 1988 | Rafferty's Rules | Peggy Guest | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1988 | A Country Practice | Helen Morris | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 1989 | E Street | Louise Baker | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1989 | G.P. | Iris Grimshaw | TV series, 3 episodes |
| 1996 | Mercury | Steffi Petrakis | Miniseries, 2 episodes |
| 1997–2003 | Blue Heelers | Helen Delaney / Magda Lapenscu | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 2000 | Introducing Gary Petty | Nancy | TV series, 6 episodes |
| 2001–2002 | BackBerner | Psychologist | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 2002 | The Secret Life of Us | Nathan’s Mum | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 2002 | MDA | Dr Fallows | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2004 | Neighbours | Svetlanka Ristic | TV series, 12 episodes |
| 2007 | Kick | Reva Feinmann | Miniseries, 1 episode |
| 2008 | Saddle Club | Rosemary Cross | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2008 | City Homicide | Cheridah Lapstone | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2021 | Superwog | Agnes | YouTube series, 1 episode |
| 2024 | White Fever | Grandma Coral | TV series, 1 episode |

## Theatre
### As actor

| Year | Title | Role | Type |
| 1966 | Two Programs of Short Plays: The Pier | Second Girl | Jane Street Theatre, Sydney |
| 1967 | Camille and Perdican | Dame Pluche | UNSW, Old Tote Theatre, Sydney with NIDA & Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust |
| 1967 | Point of Departure | Cashier / Mother | UNSW, Old Tote Theatre, Sydney with NIDA & Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust |
| 1967 | Three Men on a Horse | Hotel Maid | UNSW, Old Tote Theatre, Sydney with NIDA |
| 1967 | The Schoolmistress | | UNSW, Old Tote Theatre, Sydney |
| 1967 | The Winter’s Tale | Perdita | UNSW, Old Tote Theatre, Sydney with NIDA |
| 1968; 1969 | The Boy Friend | Hortense | Canberra Theatre, Phillip Street Theatre, Sydney, Comedy Theatre, Melbourne with Harry M. Miller |
| 1969 | The Rise and Fall of Boronia Avenue | | Jane Street Theatre, Sydney with NIDA & Old Tote Theatre Company |
| 1970 | Cat Among the Pigeons | | Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne, Canberra Theatre with MTC |
| 1970 | Philadelphia, Here I Come! | | Russell Street Theatre with MTC |
| 1970 | The Caucasian Chalk Circle | Tractor Driver / Ludovica | Russell Street Theatre |
| 1970 | A Doll’s House | | Canberra Theatre, Russell Street Theatre with MTC |
| 1970 | Day of Glory | | Russell Street Theatre with MTC |
| 1970 | The Devils | | Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with MTC |
| 1970 | Son of Man | | Russell Street Theatre with MTC |
| 1970 | The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds | | Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with MTC |
| 1970; 1971 | All's Well That Ends Well | Diana | Princess Theatre, Melbourne, Canberra Theatre, Octagon Theatre, Perth with MTC |
| 1971 | The Government Inspector | | Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with MTC |
| 1971 | The Philanthropist | | Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with MTC |
| 1971 | Galileo | | Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne, Canberra Theatre with MTC |
| 1971 | The Contractor | | Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne, Canberra Theatre with MTC |
| 1971 | The Recruiting Officer | | Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with MTC |
| 1971 | The Trial of the Catonsville Nine | | Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with MTC |
| 1971; 1972 | The Man who Shot the Albatross | Mary Putland | Princess Theatre, Melbourne, Canberra Theatre, Elizabethan Theatre, Sydney, Her Majesty's Theatre, Adelaide with MTC |
| 1975 | The Enchanted Forest | | St James Playhouse, Sydney with PACT Youth Theatre |
| 1979 | The Twenties and All That Jazz | | Queensland Theatre |
| 1979 | The Ripper Show | Jane Sharpe | Playbox Theatre, Melbourne with Hoopla Theatre Foundation |
| 1980 | The Bride of Gospel Place | Delia | Jane Street Theatre, Sydney with NIDA |
| 1980 | The Dybbuk | Frade | Jane Street Theatre, Sydney with NIDA |
| 1980 | You and the Night and the House Wine | | Nimrod Theatre, Sydney (also Playwright) |
| 1980; 1981 | Catch a Rising Star | | Melbourne Theatre Restaurant |
| 1981 | Three Sisters | Natalya Ivanova | Nimrod Theatre, Sydney |
| 1981 | A Couple of Strangers | | Nimrod Theatre, Sydney (also Devisor) |
| 1981 | Cloud 9 | Edward / Betty | Nimrod Theatre, Sydney |
| 1981 | Tales from the Vienna Woods | Alfred's Mother / Various characters | Nimrod Theatre, Sydney |
| 1982 | Candide | The Baroness | Seymour Centre, Sydney, Melbourne |
| 1982 | Burn Victim | Deidre | Nimrod Theatre, Sydney (also Writer) |
| 1982 | Variations | Fran | Nimrod Theatre, Sydney |
| 1983 | Top Girls | | Nimrod Theatre, Sydney |
| 1983 | As You Like It | | Nimrod Theatre, Sydney |
| 1986 | Mixed Doubles | | Wharf Theatre, Sydney with STC for Sydney Festival |
| 1986 | Wild Honey | | Seymour Centre, Sydney |
| 1986 | She Stoops to Conquer | Mrs Hardcastle | Seymour Centre, Sydney with Nimrod Theatre Company |
| 1986 | The Merchant of Venice | | Seymour Centre, Sydney with Nimrod Theatre Company |
| 1986 | All's Well That Ends Well | Circus Style Performer | Seymour Centre, Sydney with Nimrod Theatre Company |
| 1987 | Trumpets and Raspberries | | State Theatre Company of Northern Territory |
| 1987 | Les Liaisons Dangereuses | Matron | Seymour Centre, Sydney with Nimrod Theatre Company |
| 1988 | Absurd Person Singular | Jane Hopcroft | Playhouse, Adelaide with STCSA |
| 1989 | Curtains | | Northside Theatre, Sydney |
| 1990 | Once in a Lifetime | | Sydney Opera House with STC |
| 1991 | Morning Sacrifice | Miss Charlotte Bates | Russell Street Theatre with MTC |
| 1991 | Heroic Measures | Nadia Ginzburg | Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne with Playbox Theatre Company |
| 1992 | Petrov: The Musical | | Melbourne Concert Hall with Victorian Arts Centre |
| 1992 | No Going Back | | Russell Street Theatre with MTC |
| 1992 | A Month of Sundays | Mrs Baker | Russell Street Theatre with MTC |
| 1992 | When She Danced | | Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with MTC |
| 1993 | Blood Moon | Anna | Theatreworks, Melbourne |
| 1993; 1994; 1995 | What's a Girl to Do? | Solo show | Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne with Playbox Theatre Company, Stables Theatre, Sydney, Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh for Edinburgh Festival (also Devisor) |
| 1993; 1994; 1995 | Dorothy Parker Says | Solo show | Fairfax Studio, Melbourne, Mietta’s, Melbourne, Stables Theatre, Sydney, Queanbeyan School of Arts Cafe with Victorian Arts Centre (also Creator) |
| 1994 | Song of Songs | | Melbourne Athenaeum with Theatreworks |
| 1994 | Falling from Grace | Maggie Campbell | Australian national tour with STC, Playbox Theatre Company & Queensland Theatre |
| 1995 | The Head of Mary | The Prostitute / Shikuza | Tokyo International Arts Space for Tokyo International Festival, Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne with Playbox Theatre Company |
| 1996 | My Father's Father | Marta | Fairfax Studio, Melbourne with MTC |
| 1996 | Broken Glass | | Sydney Opera House with STC |
| 1997 | The Winter’s Tale | Paulina | Canberra Theatre, Sydney Opera House, Melbourne Athenaeum with Bell Shakespeare |
| 1998 | Dream Kitchen | Voice Over Artist (recorded) | Universal Theatre, Melbourne |
| 1998; 2002 | Confidentially Yours | Lorna / Various characters | Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne, Illawarra Performing Arts Centre, Butter Factory Theatre, Wodonga with Playbox Theatre Company (also Devisor) |
| 2001 | The Seagull | Polina | Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC |
| 2002 | Life x 3 | Inès | Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC |
| 2003 | Birthrights | Margaret | Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC |
| 2003 | Bye Bye Birdie | Mrs Mae Peterson | State Theatre, Melbourne with The Production Company |
| 2003 | Bat Boy: The Musical | | Chapel Off Chapel, Melbourne with Loudmouth Productions |
| 2004 | Night Letters | Innkeeper / Rachel / Patricia Highsmith | Queen's Theatre, Adelaide, Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne with Playbox Theatre Company & STCSA for Adelaide Festival |
| 2005 | Menopause the Musical | The Dubbo Housewife | Comedy Theatre, Melbourne, Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne with GFour Productions, McPherson Inc & Lascorp Entertainment |
| 2005 | The World's Wife | Mrs Midas / Mrs Aesop / Mrs Faust / Medusa / Circe / Mrs Rip Van Winkle / Salome / The Kray Sisters / Pope Joan / Mrs Beast | Fairfax Studio, Melbourne with MTC |
| 2006 | The Clean House | Virginia | Fairfax Studio, Melbourne with MTC |
| 2007 | The Glory | Reading | Fairfax Studio, Melbourne |
| 2007 | The History Boys | Mrs Lintott | Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC |
| 2008 | Cat on a Hot Tin Roof | Big Mama | Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC |
| 2008 | Gala | | Southbank Theatre, Melbourne with MTC |
| 2009 | August: Osage County | Mattie Fae Aiken | Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC |
| 2010 | Richard III | Duchess of York | Southbank Theatre, Melbourne with MTC |
| 2010 | Life Without Me | Alice Jarvie | Southbank Theatre, Melbourne with MTC |
| 2011 | Dear World | The Countess Aurelia | Melbourne Recital Centre with Magnormos |
| 2011 | Circle Mirror Transformation | Marty | Southbank Theatre, Melbourne with MTC |
| 2012 | The Glass Menagerie | Amanda | Dunstan Playhouse, Adelaide with STCSA |
| 2012 | His Girl Friday | Mrs Baldwin | Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC |
| 2013 | A Murder is Announced | Dora Bunner | Sydney Theatre, Comedy Theatre, Melbourne |
| 2013 | Thursday | Various characters | Norwood Concert Hall with English Touring Theatre & Brink Productions for Adelaide Festival |
| 2015 | Loving Repeating – a Musical of Gertrude Stein | Gertrude Stein | Chapel Off Chapel, Melbourne with Vic Theatre Company for Midsumma Festival |
| 2015 | North by Northwest | Roger's Mother | Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC |
| 2015; 2016 | Ladies in Black | Miss Jacobs / Mrs Crown | Playhouse, Brisbane, Southbank Theatre, Melbourne with Queensland Theatre |
| 2016 | Violet | Mabel / Alice | Chapel Off Chapel, Melbourne with Blue Saint Productions |
| 2016 | My Fair Lady | Mrs Pearce | Sydney Opera House, Lyric Theatre, Brisbane, Regent Theatre, Melbourne, Capitol Theatre, Sydney |
| 2018 | A Doll’s House, Part 2 | Anne Marie | Southbank Theatre with MTC |
| 2019 | Shakespeare in Love | Queen Elizabeth | Canberra Theatre, Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC |
| 2022 | Admissions | Roberta | Southbank Theatre, Melbourne with MTC |
| 2023 | Escaped Alone / What If Only | Sally / Fs | Southbank Theatre, Melbourne |

### As crew

| Year | Title | Role | Type |
| 1980 | You and the Night and the House Wine | Playwright / Director | Nimrod Theatre, Sydney |
| 1981 | A Couple of Strangers | Devisor | Nimrod Theatre, Sydney |
| 1982 | Burn Victim | Writer | Nimrod Theatre, Sydney |
| 1988 | You and the Night and the House Wine | Playwright | Riverina Playhouse, Wagga Wagga |
| 1993; 1994; 1995 | What's a Girl to Do? | Devisor | Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne with Playbox Theatre Company, Stables Theatre, Sydney, Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh for Edinburgh Festival |
| 1993; 1994; 1995 | Dorothy Parker Says | Creator | Fairfax Studio, Melbourne, Mietta’s, Melbourne, Stables Theatre, Sydney, Queanbeyan School of Arts Cafe with Victorian Arts Centre |
| 1998; 2002 | Confidentially Yours | Devisor | Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne, Illawarra Performing Arts Centre, Butter Factory Theatre, Wodonga with Playbox Theatre Company |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Work | Award | Category | Result |
| 1986 | Palace of Dreams | Australian Film Institute Awards | Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini Series | Won |
| 1996 | Deidre Rubenstein | Women Artists Grants | Victorian Government initiative to encourage emerging women artists living and working in Victoria | Honoured |
| 1998 | Dreamtime Alice by Mandy Sayer | TDK Australian Audio Book Awards | Narrator Award for Unabridged Fiction | Won |
| 2001 | The Architect by Jillian Watkinson | Vision Australia Library Awards | Adult Narrator of the Year Award (joint award with James Wright) | Won |