Image Credit ~ Irene Lemon 
Director: Jule Waddington
Cast: Mel King, Jane Polley, Joan Murray & Robert Jarman
Mel is a 40-year-old single working mother, struggling but strong, trying to maintain family, job and herself in a harsh world. Al is older, a compulsive reader of Death Notices, and obsessive attender of the funerals of strangers. Their lives converge at Mel’s funeral.
‘Precipice’ is an evocation of the state of being suggested by the play’s title. Suspension, balanced right on the edge, hovering, held in the moment before inevitable change. ‘Precipice’ is sparse and poetic, fragmented yet often lyrical – a journey into the mind, the imagination, and the desperate, abiding importance of compassion and love. The play won the 2009 George Fairfax Playwrights Award, shared the 2009 Inscription National Regional Play Award and was shortlisted for both the Patrick White and Griffin Awards.
“… Exceptionally interesting script ….. Taxi driver Al, a most ingenious creation…” Chris Boyd, The Australian
“… This is a very poetic, lyrical piece..” Elly Varrenti, ABC Radio
Catherine RyanA graduate of the VCA, Catherine is a writer, dramaturg and community theatre maker, working in stage, radio, prose, documentary film and visual/text pieces. She has been an Affiliate Writer with the MTC, and a Resident Writer at Sydney’s Griffin Theatre. Her plays have won an AWGIE (2009), two INSCRIPTION Awards (2006, 2009), the George Fairfax Prize (2009), and have been shortlisted finalists for many others, both nationally and internationally. She lives in Dja Dja Wurrung country in Central Victoria (via Sydney and Melbourne), just outside a town with a name, but no shop, pub, tennis court or phone box (there is, however, a gorgeous river and wedge-tailed eagles). In 2001, she co-founded Castlemaine’s Barking Owl Theatre (BOT), continuing to create professional community projects with them (most recently Couch for the 2009 Castlemaine State Festival) and independently. Productions include: Gravity (La Mama, BOT, ABC Radio National), Aurora Calling: The Results of a Joint Observation (Radio National – AWGIE winner) and Precipice (Castlemaine State Festival).
Director: Iain Lang
Cast: Ryk Goddard, Bryony Geeves, Jami Bladel, Christopher Wright & Iain Lang
Ray - Ray develops early onset Alzheimers’ Disease. The play shows how his wife and family attempt to cope. ” originally commissioned by the Alzheimer’s Association for presentation at an international conference in Mandurah WA”
Counter Culture – A playwright turns up for the first performance of his play but, alas, he is the only person who does. Apart from the box office girl, that is….. “for theatre lovers this will be excruciatingly funny” (Iain Lang)
“These 2 pieces, from one writer, could not be more different” (assessment panel)
Born in England Tony Nicholls is an actor, director and writer. For many years he coordinated and taught the Performance Studies course at Curtin University of Technology. As a writer he is probably best known for his original pantomimes which are performed all over Australia and internationally. His version of Old Mother Hubbard was published by Samuel French Ltd in 2009. He is a pioneer of the use of live theatre in professional conferences and in safety training programs, particularly in the mining industry. He has also written extensively for adults and young people and his adaptation of The Wind in the Willows has proved very popular with a number of productions around the country including one last year in Hobart. Tony now lives in Tasmania.
November 7th – Killers of Time – SPECIAL EVENTAfter the success of Pescador’s Wake in 2010 The Tasmanian Theatre Company is excited to once again be partnering with the Tasmanian Writers’ Centre to present a rehearsed reading of a new adaptation by Tasmanian playwright Sean Monro of a short from by award winning Tasmanian author Geoffrey Dean.
“Geoff’s skill is to engage the reader and draw them into his stories. His life experience and his story telling, display a clever feel for the vernacular and at times a deep sadness” – Chris Gallagher – The Tasmanian Writers Centre.
The Age newspaper has described his short fiction as among the best in the country.
The playreading will be adapted from a story in Geoff Dean’s latest book, Mysteries, Myths and Miracles, published by Ginniderra Press and accompanied by a reading of Geoff’s latest short story published in Island #124. Geoff’s latest stories focus on ageing, the myth of beauty and the pursuit of happiness.
Tickets are $12 and $8 for TTC 2011 FRIENDS members
Adaptation & Direction by Sean Monro
Cast: James Casey, Mark Cutler, Guy Hooper, & Matthew Stolp
