by Ray Lawler
4 June - 4 July 2009
It’s 1953 and Australia is changing. England is no longer the great protector, Australians are feeling the stirrings of republicanism, and the myth of the Outback, with its bronzed pioneers, is receding as the country becomes increasingly urbanised.
In a fading inner-city terrace in Melbourne, the lives of a small group of friends are also changing. For 16 years, cane-cutters Roo and Barney have come south from Queensland to spend their summer layoff with two barmaids, Olive and Nancy, bringing a kewpie doll as a memento. In this fateful seventeenth summer, however, Nancy has left for the respectability of marriage, replaced by the sceptical Pearl; Roo has lost his position as leader of the cane-cutting gang; and Bubba is no longer just the girl next door. The summer of the seventeenth doll will mark a turning point for all.
At the heart of Ray Lawler’s remarkable play lies the pain of having to change and the desire to keep things the way they’ve always been. With its working-class characters, colloquial language and controversial subject matter, the “Doll” shocked the conservative audiences of the Menzies’ era. Yet the play was an instant hit, both here and abroad. Australian theatre found its voice with Summer of the Seventeenth Doll.
Creative Team
Director Rosane McNamara
Set & Costume Design Gemma-Lark Johnson
Lighting Design Tony Youlden
Assistant Director Augusta Supple
Cast Valentino Arico, Blair Cutting, Stefanie Funnell, Emma Harris, Jan Langford-Penny, Laura Munro and Stephen Peacocke
Performance Times
Thurs - Sat @ 8pm
Sun @ 5pm
Ticket Prices
Full $28
Concession $22
Group $22 (10+)
School $17 (10+)
Preview Wed 3 June $10
Sunday 7 June @ 5pm "Pay What You Can" (minimum $10 - in person from 1 hour prior to performance. Subject to availability)
Running Time
TBC
