Brown’s Mart Theatre, Darwin
Frederick Copperwaite as The Stranger
Alma lives on a spectacular but debt-ridden cattle station facing seizure by the bank. Out of the blue a wealthy stranger appears. Alma sees in him a chance of salvation, oblivious to the thunderous storm of tumult rolling her way.
Nicola Bartlett as Alma
Melissa Jaffer as Alma
Click on the image below for slide show Photographer Paz Tassone
Alma lives on a spectacular but debt-ridden cattle station somewhere in the middle of nowhere. The cattle are long gone and no income is coming in but she refuses to give up her home. Out of the blue a wealthy stranger appears bearing gifts. Alma spies a plan of salvation. Hope is on the horizon and prosperity is in the air … or is a thunderous storm of tumult rolling her way? Hilarity and tragedy sweep the stage as these beguiling and feisty characters battle for security in their unstable world.
A new play by Kate Wyvill (Marbles, The Wardrobe) with dramaturgy by multi award-winning stage and screenwriter, Katherine Thomson (Diving for Pearls, House of Hancock, Schapelle) directed by Grace Barnes. Indigenous consultant, Noel Tovey AM. Starring Melissa Jaffer as Alma, Russell Kiefel as Frank, David James as Joe and Leroy Parsons as The Stranger.
Season cancelled due to the tragic death of actor Russell Kiefel.
Brown's Mart Theatre, Darwin
http://australianplays.org/script/ASC-1546
Sydney premiere produced by Crying Chair Theatre opened November 2018
Tom Pauling as Stanley Photographer Shane Eecen, Creative Light Studios
Marbles is a funny and moving drama that takes us under the skin of family life. Bit by bit it scrapes away at the veneers of sibling civility exposing the lengths some of us will go to in the name of love.
Stanley, a highly successful autocratic businessman, ran his family with the same force of personality as he ran his business until the incapacitating creep of Alzheimer’s disease. Now with his patriarchal authority diminished he is dependent upon the full-time care of his eldest daughter. Beach walks and feather collecting have replaced boardroom manipulations and union battles. However Stanley still has his power over one thing; a promise he coerced from his three daughters several years ago. As his other two daughters arrive to celebrate his birthday, Stanley has a chance to extract their promise, but can he now control them?
From within his world of Shirley Bassey, Stanley watches his family gather. Frances arrives from Berlin with more than just a recording of her latest symphony. Amelia has baked more than just a birthday cake. Natasha clings to routines with more than just a smile. The last thing Stanley needs, or so he believes, is the arrival of his interfering estranged ex-wife.
Marbles grapples ferociously and hilariously with the challenges of a family under pressure.
CLICK ON THE ARROW TO VIEW SHORT FILM CLIP
CLICK ON THIS IMAGE TO VIEW ABC 730 REPORT ON VOLUNTARY EUTHANASIA AND MARBLES
Gail Evans as Amelia
Darwin Entertainment Centre
'The Wardrobe' is black comedy at its most wicked, a close to home and close to the bone exposé of the effects young children and a stressful career can have on a once-happy marriage. These are the forces that can turn a dream home into a scene of complete chaos.
Emma, a frazzled mother of three boys, has had more than she can take and has locked herself inside the wardrobe to have a day off. Robert, her husband, is also at his wits end, he has a job-threatening deadline at work and he’ll be getting Emma out of that wardrobe by whatever means it takes. Meanwhile the kids are screaming and all hell is breaking loose.
'The Wardrobe' is a full length version of Kate’s one-act play 'Going Potty' that premiered at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2004.
‘The Wardrobe’ premiered in Australia in November 2010 at the Darwin Entertainment Centre.
'Gut-wrenchingly funny … delicious … not to be missed.’ Northern Territory News.
The Darwin production company:
Director: Kate Wyvill
Emma/Sally: Merrilee Mills
Robert: Yoris Wilson
Lighting Designer: Sean Pardy
Stage Manager: Celeste Brocksom
Assistant Stage Manager: Emma Pantazis
Photographer: Shane Eecen
Video: Tim Wood MiseEn Media
Great performances of the horrors of family life and domestic bliss... This is a very funny, very localised mid-life crisis.
3 weeks in Edinburgh
Effortlessly articulates the loneliness and mild hysteria dormant in the majority of relationships...domestic bliss is given a comedy twist in this feisty new piece from Kate Wyvill.
The Scotsman
Its real power lies in the originality and sensitivity of its sadder vision.
Theatre Guide London
Excellent…impressive…genuinely funny.
Camden New Journal
A smartly written comedy.
Birmingham Post
Well worth seeing - if your marriage can stand it!
Birmingham Mail
Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2004, West Midlands 2006, Hampstead London 2007
Going Potty is the precursor to The Wardrobe and was the playwright's debut as a writer. Going Potty is a 50 minute one act, black comedy which premiered in August 2004 at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with the Kate also taking the role of Emma.
The production venue was Sweet on The Grassmarket and the show played daily for the three weeks of the Festival and was reviewed as, 'This is the greatest birth control product since I found out about tearing' (3 Weeks In Edinburgh) and from The Scotsman,'Even the hardest of hearts would have empathy for this script which effortlessly taps into the insecurities of many a middle aged woman'.
'There is a lot of humour in the play but its real power lies in the originality and sensitivity of its sadder vision' (Theatre Guide London)
Director – Denise Gilfoyle
Emma/Sally – Kate Wyvill
Robert – Simon Greenway
Lighting Designer – Nick Marston
Stage Manager – Marie Costa
Photographer - Tony Adams
