It’s a lengthy story. I began researching the life of John Newcombe and the worlds of 1960s and 1970s professional tennis way back in 2011. By 2013, I had a two-act play for four actors beginning with Newk in the early 1960s and working through to his life just before turning seventy in 2013. This version of the plays remains unproduced although I remain hopeful that one day it may see the light of day. In 2015, I began working on a much cheaper to stage one-man adaptation of the original script. Set in 2014, at Newk’s 70th birthday, this version will have its debut during the first week of the Australian Open in 2019 – Mon Jan 14 to Sat Jan 19. Newk will be played by three time Barry Award nominee, Damian Callinan. It’s a project I’m really looking forward to working on. Stay tuned for more details.
In The Mens which began its life way back in December 2008 at the Tap Gallery, Sydney, and was then remounted at the La Mama Courthouse in May last year, returns in another fresh guise in June 2018. Featuring Ben Maclaine and Ben Grant from the La Mama Production, the show has now extended in length and added Matthew Charleston (Sons of Sun). On Fri June 1st the show plays at Kingston Arts Centre in Moorabbin. On Sat June 2 it goes into country Victoria to the town of Yarck. More details soon.