Difference between revisions of "Inheritance (2008)"

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Directed by [[Peter Stevens]]
 
Directed by [[Peter Stevens]]
  
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Performances:  Tue 4th - Saturday 8th November [[2008]], [[Bell Theatre]]
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Performances:  Tue 4th - Sat 8th November [[2008]], [[Bell Theatre]]
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==Auditions==
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*Sunday 6th July, 6-8pm ([[Rehearsal Room]])
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*Monday 7th July, 8-10pm ([[Prompt Corner]])
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*Tuesday 8th July, 8-10pm ([[Bell Theatre]])
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This production is the UK premiere of this play.
  
 
== Introduction ==
 
== Introduction ==
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In Western Australia, a family gather to celebrate the 80th birthday of the Myrtle twins, Dibs and Girlie,  aware that big decisions will need to be made about the future of Allandale, the family farm.
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"My friends, this is Australia, where people say g'day to each other in the street and lend a hand when they see a mate in trouble."
  
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Single mother Julia journeys to the family farm with her 19 year old son Felix and some news.
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During the closing ceremony of the Sydney 2000 Olympics, the rock band Midnight Oil performed their international hit Beds are Burning with the word "SORRY" emblazoned on their clothes. They were supporting the campaign for a formal apology to the Aboriginal people of Australia for their suffering under white settlement. Conversely, two years earlier, Pauline Hanson of the overtly racist One Nation party had secured a parliamentary seat, and shot to notoriety with her maiden speech in which she asserted that "present governments are encouraging separatism in Australia by providing opportunities, land, moneys and facilities available only to Aboriginals."
  
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<blockquote><i>So, are you planning to go ahead with the pregnancy.<br><br>
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First performed at the Melbourne Playhouse in 2003, Inheritance by Hannie Rayson explores Australian national identity through the personal relationships of a family. Rayson's powerful drama captures the rural perspective of those that work the land and attitudes behind these wider political issues. Although the setting is specifically Australian, the play deals with issues that have strong echoes in a Europe where the far Right is again garnering support, campaigning on the issue of national identity in a globalised world.
  
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Yes.<br><br>
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Set in the Mallee, rural north-western Victoria, the play begins as two families gather at the family farm to celebrate the 80th birthday of the Myrtle twins, Dibs Hamilton and Girlie Delaney (Pam Lyne and Margaret Glenn). Rayson presents their families, the tensions between generations and those who have stayed close to home and those who have moved away with a wry humour.
  
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Christ. And do you mind if I ask-?<br><br>
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Julia Hamilton (Sanchia Leddy) is travelling back to the family farm, Allandale, from her home in Melbourne with her son Felix (Ryan Quinn) and some unexpected news. Meanwhile, her brother William (James Hough) is trying to persuade their mother, Dibs, to sell the farm and move with his partner, Kevin, to the Mornington Peninsula. Their father, Dibs' husband, Farley (John Lyne) is growing increasingly senile and only holding the farm together with the help of his adopted Aboriginal son, Nugget (Ed Annan). Meanwhile, Lyle Delaney (Bob Callender), who has worked the land all his life, is paying the price for a decision made by the twins following the death of their father, Norm Myrtle (Jason Lord). Lyle is struggling to sustain a living with his wife Maureen (Tina Patrick) and their daughters Ashleigh and Brianna (Yvette Misseldine and Karen Darroch). As the families gather, speculation grows and blood ties are tested as one question takes precedence: who will inherit the farm when Farley is gone?
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Graham. From work.<br><br>
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That short Indian bloke.<br><br>
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No, that’s Amitav. Graham’s the tall Indian bloke.</i></blockquote>
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William is trying to convince his mother, Dibs, to sell the farm and set up a vineyard and restaurant with his partner.
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<blockquote><i>The old man is going to need full-time care. Pretty soon... He’s deteriorating rapidly. The important thing now is not to be too influenced by what he’s feeling. Because he’s very addled and soon he will be completely gone.</i></blockquote>
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Maureen is supporting her family whilst her husband Lyle, Girlie’s son, struggle’s to make a living from the land as a result of an agreement made by the twins many years ago.
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<blockquote><i>I’m putting in a sixty hour week – for what? We’re going down the toilet and you won’t do a damn thing about it.<br><br>
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It’s not Lyle’s fault. He’s a good farmer.<br><br>
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He’s a share farmer. We are paying one third of every dollar we earn to your sister and her miserable demented husband..</i></blockquote>
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Nugget, Dibs’ adopted Aboriginal son, is suffering at the prejudices of the small town.
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<blockquote><i>Sorry about Annie<br><br>
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Yeah. She cleared out about a month ago. They can make it pretty rough. White teacher living with a black fella. Even the kids in her class were having a go at her..</i></blockquote>
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Hannie Rayson’s brilliant drama takes issues of Australian identity and plays them through the personal tensions of a family. First performed in Melbourne Playhouse in 2003, Inheritance explores the impact of decisions made in the name of blood ties. The family is divided by liberal political views and entrenched racisim. Whilst some of the family have built lives away from the home, others have suffered the diminishing returns of working the land. Not only does the play act as powerful exploration of family divisions, it also stands for a country that questions its internal identity.  
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By turns hilariously funny and tragically moving, this really is an actor’s dream of a play where fully developed characterization takes the audience on an emotional journey, challenging personal intentions and motivations where kinship is concerned. Accents will be required representing rural Western Australia to urban Victoria. Playing ages range from 16-80 with 6 male and 6 female roles. 1 male actor will need to be of Australian aboriginal descent (though as I don’t believe we have a current member who would readily fit the bill, we may require some liberal dramatic licence...). The production will use a representative rather than naturalistic set and part of the production will be filmed. As always, a tight schedule including some improvisation will require total commitment from the cast.
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== Cast ==
 
== Cast ==
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*Dibs Hamilton - [[Pam Lyne]]
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*Girlie Delaney - [[Margaret Glenn]]
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*Farley Hamilton - [[John Lyne]]
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*William Hamilton - [[James Hough]]
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*Julia Hamilton - [[Sanchia Leddy]]
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*Felix Hamilton-Gray - [[Ryan Quinn]]
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*Nugget Hamilton - [[Ed Annan]]
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*Lyle Delaney - [[Bob Callender]]
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*Maureen Delaney - [[Tina Patrick]]
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*Ashleigh Delaney - [[Yvette Misseldine]]
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*Brianna Delaney - [[Karen Webb]]
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*Norm Myrtle - [[Jason Lord]]
  
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All other parts played by members of the cast
  
 
== Crew ==
 
== Crew ==
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*Stage Manager - [[SM Name]]
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*Stage Manager - [[Lauri Morgan]]  
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*Lighting Design - [[Designer Name]]
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*ASM/Production Advisor - [[Deirdre Parkes]]
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*Lighting Operator - [[Operator Name]]
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*ASM/Costume - [[Sue Jacobsen]]
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*Operator - [[James Webb]]
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*Set - [[Dave Hollander]]
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*Lighting - [[Mark Davies]]
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*Sound - [[James Webb]]
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*Filming & Photography - [[Clive Muir]]
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*Fight Choreographer - [[Anton Krause]]
  
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Thanks.
  
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I am indebted to [[Mike Elliott]] for his assistance and advice, [[Alan Buckman]], [[Jess Osorio]], Ian Riley and other members of flickr.com for the use of their photos of the Mallee. [[Carole Coyne]], [[Anna York]] and Walkabout. Thanks to the cast and crew of [[Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens (2008)|Elegies]] and [[King Lear (2008)|King Lear]]. Huge thanks to the cast and crew of [[Inheritance (2008)|Inheritance]] whose dedication to this production has been truly remarkable.
  
 
== Reviews ==
 
== Reviews ==
Line 74: Line 58:
  
 
== Gallery ==
 
== Gallery ==
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Click on thumbnail for larger version.
  
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<gallery caption="Production photos by Clive Muir" widths="250px" heights="250px" perrow="5">
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Image:InheritancePhoto01.jpg|[[Bob Callender]] as Lyle
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Image:InheritancePhoto02.jpg|The Hamiltons sit down to dinner
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Image:InheritancePhoto03.jpg|[[Pam Lyne]] as Dibs and [[James Hough]] as William
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Image:InheritancePhoto04.jpg|[[Margaret Glenn]] as Girlie, [[Yvette Misseldine]] as Ashleigh and [[Bob Callender]] as Lyle
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Image:InheritancePhoto05.jpg|[[Pam Lyne]] as Dibs and [[Margaret Glenn]] as Girlie
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Image:InheritancePhoto06.jpg|[[Tina Patrick]] as Maureen Delaney
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Image:InheritancePhoto07.jpg|[[James Hough]] as William, [[Sanchia Leddy]] as Julia and [[Ryan Quinn]] as Felix
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Image:InheritancePhoto08.jpg|[[Karen Webb]] as Brianna
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Image:InheritancePhoto09.jpg|[[Ed Annan]] as Nugget and [[John Lyne]] as Farley
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Image:InheritancePhoto10.jpg|[[Jason Lord]] as Norm Myrtle, with [[Karen Webb]] and [[Yvette Misseldine]] as the young Dibs and Girlie
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Image:InheritancePhoto11.jpg|[[Sanchia Leddy]] as Julia and [[Ryan Quinn]] as Felix
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Image:InheritancePhoto12.jpg|[[John Lyne]] as Farley
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Image:InheritancePhoto13.jpg|[[Margaret Glenn]] as Girlie
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Image:InheritancePhoto14.jpg|[[Pam Lyne]] as Dibs and [[Margaret Glenn]] as Girlie
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</gallery>
  
 
== Reminiscences and Anecdotes ==
 
== Reminiscences and Anecdotes ==

Latest revision as of 14:52, 26 March 2014

Poster by Peter Stevens

by Hannie Rayson

Directed by Peter Stevens

Performances: Tue 4th - Sat 8th November 2008, Bell Theatre

This production is the UK premiere of this play.

Introduction

"My friends, this is Australia, where people say g'day to each other in the street and lend a hand when they see a mate in trouble."

During the closing ceremony of the Sydney 2000 Olympics, the rock band Midnight Oil performed their international hit Beds are Burning with the word "SORRY" emblazoned on their clothes. They were supporting the campaign for a formal apology to the Aboriginal people of Australia for their suffering under white settlement. Conversely, two years earlier, Pauline Hanson of the overtly racist One Nation party had secured a parliamentary seat, and shot to notoriety with her maiden speech in which she asserted that "present governments are encouraging separatism in Australia by providing opportunities, land, moneys and facilities available only to Aboriginals."

First performed at the Melbourne Playhouse in 2003, Inheritance by Hannie Rayson explores Australian national identity through the personal relationships of a family. Rayson's powerful drama captures the rural perspective of those that work the land and attitudes behind these wider political issues. Although the setting is specifically Australian, the play deals with issues that have strong echoes in a Europe where the far Right is again garnering support, campaigning on the issue of national identity in a globalised world.

Set in the Mallee, rural north-western Victoria, the play begins as two families gather at the family farm to celebrate the 80th birthday of the Myrtle twins, Dibs Hamilton and Girlie Delaney (Pam Lyne and Margaret Glenn). Rayson presents their families, the tensions between generations and those who have stayed close to home and those who have moved away with a wry humour.

Julia Hamilton (Sanchia Leddy) is travelling back to the family farm, Allandale, from her home in Melbourne with her son Felix (Ryan Quinn) and some unexpected news. Meanwhile, her brother William (James Hough) is trying to persuade their mother, Dibs, to sell the farm and move with his partner, Kevin, to the Mornington Peninsula. Their father, Dibs' husband, Farley (John Lyne) is growing increasingly senile and only holding the farm together with the help of his adopted Aboriginal son, Nugget (Ed Annan). Meanwhile, Lyle Delaney (Bob Callender), who has worked the land all his life, is paying the price for a decision made by the twins following the death of their father, Norm Myrtle (Jason Lord). Lyle is struggling to sustain a living with his wife Maureen (Tina Patrick) and their daughters Ashleigh and Brianna (Yvette Misseldine and Karen Darroch). As the families gather, speculation grows and blood ties are tested as one question takes precedence: who will inherit the farm when Farley is gone?

Cast

All other parts played by members of the cast

Crew

Thanks.

I am indebted to Mike Elliott for his assistance and advice, Alan Buckman, Jess Osorio, Ian Riley and other members of flickr.com for the use of their photos of the Mallee. Carole Coyne, Anna York and Walkabout. Thanks to the cast and crew of Elegies and King Lear. Huge thanks to the cast and crew of Inheritance whose dedication to this production has been truly remarkable.

Reviews

Some review quotes go here


Gallery

Click on thumbnail for larger version.

Reminiscences and Anecdotes

Members are encouraged to write about their experiences of working on or seeing this production. Please leave your name. Anonymous entries may be deleted.

See Also

References

<references/>

External Links

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