Under The Influence of Words #2

It was lovely to be invited back again to host the 'Love Winter in Aireys' writers reading event on June 19 at Aireys Pub. My special guest writer, poet Julie Maclean (pictured) shared her beautiful words and I enjoyed interviewing her and hearing about her inspirations and experiences. Best wishes Julie for your book launch at Convent Garden in London next month. Everyone enjoyed listening to the ten talented writers read their work  - everything from memoir to wonderful slam poetry.

Interview by Carol Romanello from Canada

Carol Romanello from Wasaga, Canada,  interviewed me for her blog at
http://ohmjam.com/2016/06/silver/
She asked me about my role as the script writer and producer, about my other writing projects, and gave me the opportunity to brag about my 'dream team' on this project.

'Water, Water' wins Silver at Canadian Film Festival in Wasaga

Over the moon at this news! Our little film 'Water Water' has just been announced as a winner in the International Short Film category at Wasaga Film Festival in Canada. Congratulations to my beautiful talented team: director Iris Walshe-Howling, actor Claudia Clark, cinematographer Adam Tribe, music/score Shaun Brown and production assistant Wendy Joy Robinson. I am very proud of you all.
You can view our film at  https://vimeo.com/90592147

view Claudia Clark's stunning performance in  'Water, Water'

Skin Of Our Teeth's 'The Book of Love'

Who supports new Australian writing? Skin of Our Teeth Productions, that's who. Christine Davey, artistic director, is committed to producing new work. She has recently announced that well known actor and supporter of new Australian writing, William McInnes, is Patron of her innovative theatre company. And she has done it again with 'The Book of Love'. It's on now. And there are only 2 more shows. So if you want to see  'The Book of Love' you will need to get to Shenton Theatre, cnr Ryrie St and Garden St Geelong either tonight or tomorrow night (17 & 18 March 2016).

5 short plays by 5 writers. My new play is called 'Chapter 3: Where the Heart Is' and it's been directed beautifully by my talented friend Cherie Mills. The main role is played by a truly wonderful, sensitive actor, Mary Steuten, and she is well supported by Zach Eastwood and Carolyn Edwards. This play is probably one of the most autobiographical pieces I have written - fun to write and a nostalgic  trip down my memory lane.     

'Water, Water' now available on Vimeo

The film festivals are now all done-and-dusted, and we are so pleased that we were selected for screening in Spain and also in South Australia - poles apart. We were proud to be included in a lovely screening of Australian Shorts on Australia Day eve at the Pivotonian Cinema in Pakington St West Geelong.The audience appreciated our little film and it was great to get their feedback. For anyone interested in viewing the 17 minute film, you can now watch it at https://vimeo.com/90592147    Enjoy!

Dolly Stainer of Kew Cottages script now available from Australian Plays.org

“Dolly Stainer of Kew Cottages",  originally published by Currency Press, is  now available from the Australian Plays website:

http://australianplays.org/script/ASC-1621

I've recently been receiving more interest in this 2006 script - so pleased that it's now been licensed with Australian Plays.org. 

This play, produced by Soul Theatre,  was directed by David Myles and presented by La Mama in August 2006 at Carlton Courthouse.  The script version at Australianplays.org is the later version that was developed during the rehearsal period and then performed.

Dolly Stainer was a remarkable woman and I wish we had met. Her anecdotes and memories were recorded in Kew Cottages: The World of Dolly Stainer by Cliff Judge and Fran van Brummelen (Spectrum, 2002 Melbourne) and they captivated me. I was generously permitted me to use the recounted experiences as inspiration for this play about Dolly’s life. 

Dolly, aged five, was admitted to Kew Idiot Asylum as a neglected child in 1915 and lived almost all of her life in the exceptionally challenging environment of an institution whose community consisted of the most disadvantaged and intellectually disabled people in society. It was a ridiculous idea that I could write a script about her, but that idea lingered and intensified and compelled me to pursue it.

It is pure folly to try to write the story of a person’s life as theatre, yet writers are drawn to such projects. There’s an impossible tension in trying to make the piece work as theatre, building conflict and flagging certain episodes as particularly meaningful so that the work develops and hangs together with a suitable dynamic, whilst remaining true to what is really known of the events, relationships and the spirit of that person’s life. I’ve been trying to pursue the question ‘How did Dolly develop and forge a strong identity in this exceptional environment?”    

It’s been a challenge to avoid the simplistic impression that Kew Cottages was, in Dolly’s time there from 1915 to 1990, either Dickensian or Utopian. That would be an outright misrepresentation. Like all institutions, Kew Cottages was inhabited by people, policy driven by people, and staffed by people. Of course the issues are enormously complex and in writing this script I have tried not to be didactic. Dolly encountered kindness and respect even when the physical surroundings at Kew Cottages were immensely deprived. She also came across cruelty, intractability and unreal expectations.  This is not a celebration of her life, but it is a sincere tribute or bearing witness to a woman who lived a difficult life with much dignity.

The idea of birds and cages became a useful metaphor for me in my writing. I wanted it to be ambiguous, unclear, to be most interesting. Spinning or whirling, too, is a symbol that has been useful imagery for the story as I decided to tell it  And dolls, of course. A little girl named Dolly who has none and as an old lady she has many. Whether as props or as multi-media, I’d very much like them included in any production of the play.

Institutionalisation is a theme that continues to interest me. Previously, I have written about sanatorium treatment for tuberculosis and have published other work on stigma and taboo.  These issues  continue to intrigue me.

In recent times there has been great interest in the way people with disabilities have been treated in Australia. In 2013 the National Disability Insurance Scheme was legislated to create equity for people with disabilities, their families and carers. I do wonder what Dolly would think about it all.

 Dolly Stainer, in the face of tremendous adversity,  lived an interesting and meaningful life. She loved life and loved others, and forged a powerful identity.             

'The Long Shadow' commemorates 100 years of Anzac

Skin of Our Teeth's Production 'The Long Shadow' has been a wonderful experience.

When Christine Davey commissioned me to write for SOOT’s commemorative ANZAC centenary production, I was delighted. The story of Australia’s war horse, 'Sandy', has intrigued me for several years. Sandy was the only Australian horse to return to Australia from World War One, and my play explores the story of  the people who loved him. This script is a challenge to develop successfully from the page to the stage and I am honoured to have had my work performed by such a fine cast: Jesse Bickerton, Mary Steuten, Stephen Macklin, Ann Maree and John Murphy. My sincere congratulations to Christine, such a talented and sensitive director, for her inspired interpretation.

Christine also wrote her own play 'The Thing With Feathers' for this production. (Far too much talent in one person!) It is a poignant, lyrical story based on the experiences of her great, great aunt in Western Queensland whose sixteen year old son George went missing for 12 months on the Western Front, before his family were eventually advised he had been killed. Such a sad story and such wonderful performances by Meryl Friend and Tara Vagg.

The production had 5 performances at the beautiful Shenton Theatre in Geelong during the week of Anzac Day, and audiences appreciated both plays so much that SOOT is planning to re-stage this production in Melbourne, so watch this space for further news...