Power Play

Notes on the production: In the events surrounding Julia Gillard’s ill-fated prime ministership, I saw not only an affront to her personal rights, intelligence and capability, but symptoms of a deep-seated malaise within the Australian political landscape – a growing culture of corruption, influence and enmity that, under the tutelage of individuals such as Tony Abbott and Rupert Murdoch, has now become endemic.

The play is designed to stimulate public debate about the integrity of our political process and who ultimately controls it.  It examines the reality behind the façade of big party politics and electoral populism, and the influence of mass media, big business and the party machines on our political and life choices.  It challenges us to consider some fundamental questions: How do our leaders stack up in terms of qualities such as integrity, compassion and honesty?  How much are they guided by a genuine interest in the welfare of the people and the country?

The guide tracks for the musical were developed and recorded at Fernmount NSW, with the assistance of Jethro Farquarson and Glenys Page.  With the support of a couple of private patrons, the project was able to commence planning for production in June 2014.  The play opened in the Memorial Hall, Bellingen NSW, on Friday 14^th November 2014, and ran for a two-week season to sell-out houses.  It was subsequently invited to open the 2015 Bellingen Readers’ and Writers’ Festival…. read script

Why Ronald McDonald Must Die

Sometimes we do things just for the hell of it.  The challenge on this occasion was to create an effective script less than ten minutes long.  The play was written in a single afternoon, in a frenzy of literary insanity, and much to my surprise was a Finalist and selected for performance at the inaugural Sydney Short & Sweet Play Festival (2004).  The performance was fair, although I had some reservations about the direction…  read script