The scripts for The Les Robinson Story and NEWK! (The John Newcombe Story) will now only be available from the Australian Script Centre. If you would like to read these scripts or are interested in a possible production of them, please go to:
http://australianplays.org/script-search
The plays are now available for download from there. Please note: The Les Robinson play is an earlier version and has had some updating since it was accepted by the ASC in 2012.
Sons of Sun – Elvis, Jerry, Johnny and Me – (The Sam Phillips Story) returns to the stage next Saturday the 7th of March at Camelot, Marrickville. The show then goes to Melbourne and appears at The Spotted Mallard, Brunswick on Thurs April 23 and the Flying Saucer Club, Elsternwick on Fri April 24. The following weekend the show returns to the Sydney Opera House Studio for shows on Fri May 1 and Sat May 2. Stay tuned for further details about shows later in the year.
From now until late November 2015, I will be working on a play adaptation of the book The Truth Is Longer Than A Lie. Written by Neerosh Mudaly and Chris Goddard it looks into the world of systematic child abuse and professional intervention techniques to help the victim cope and begin the path to recovery. The play will take place at the Richmond Theatrette in Melbourne in November and will be performed elsewhere in 2016.
Sons of Sun returns for further shows in March/April/May with a return to the Sydney Opera House Studio on Fri May 1 and Sat May 2, and Melbourne shows at Flying Saucer Club, Elsternwick on April 23 and the Spotted Mallard, Brunswick on April 24. More details soon.
The World Comes To Mordialloc has its final show at the Globe To Globe Festival, Clayton at 3PM on Mon January 26.
Now we are in 2015, I feel as if a few reflections on the theatrical year of 2014 are in order. I’ve never had a year of such a wide variety of theatrical experiences. I feel ready to push on with the world of NEWK, a new drama entitled ‘All The Things She Gave Me’ and a commissioned playwriting job for Monash University. 2014 delivered three new works: a site-specific, historical play in the south-western NSW town of Narrandera, a community devised production with the fantastic ESL group from Mordialloc Neighbourhood House and a mad and outrageous comedy for Caroline Ferguson – Narelle Macdonald – which had its debut season in North Melbourne @ Club Voltaire. From 2012, Sons of Sun had two great nights at the Sydney Opera House Studio while The Les Robinson Story in its third season at The Old Fitzroy was a big artistic and critical success. Theatre jolts me, surprises and causes sleepless nights. It is exhilarating when things click.
‘Don’t write for the reward. The work is the reward.’ – Edmund Wilson
‘Stay textcentric’ – Gregory Day
I’ve found that the only way to make theatre that gets the audience thinking is when I feel uncomfortable making it.’ – Young Jean Lee
Sons of Sun plays the Sydney Opera House Studio on Fri 14th Nov and Sat 15th Nov. The show then travels to Thirroul on Fri 28th November and back to Camelot in Marrickville on Fri Dec 12. Melbourne shows are being planned for 2015.
The Les Robinson Story runs from Tues 18th Nov to Sat 29th November at The Old Fitzroy Theatre in Woolloomooloo. All shows @ 8PM except for the Sunday @ 5PM. The opening Tues and Wed are previews. The play runs in a double bill package with a terrific Sydney play ‘Belle Of The Cross’.
Finally, the community show ‘The World Comes To Mordialloc’ devised with ESL students from Mordialloc Neighbourhood House has been given another life and will be performed at the enormous Globe Music Festival in Clayton on Australia Day 2015 @ 3PM.
Sons of Sun – Elvis, Johnny, Jerry and Me – (The Sam Phillips Story) plays The Clarendon in Katoma on Sat Nov 8 before hitting the Sydney Opera House Studio for two big nights on Friday Nov 14 and Sat Nov 15. Plans are also afoot for touring in 2015 beyond Sydney and Melbourne. For the Opera House details, please see below.
The Giraffe’s Uncle (The Les Robinson Story) about the life of eccentric Sydney bohemian writer, Les Robinson, returns to the stage for a third season! It is playing as part of a double bill entitled Rough Edges at The Old Fitzroy Theatre in Sydney from November 18 to Nov 29. After seasons at the New Theatre in Sydney and La Mama in Melbourne, it will again be starring Martin Portus and directed by Ron Hadley. Further details can be found here.
I am directing Bill Marshall’s latest play, ‘Doug Holcombe’ at the Owl and the Pussycat in Swan St, Richmond. The show runs from Tuesday Oct 7 to Sun Oct 12. Bill had terrific success earlier in the year at La Mama with ‘Zena Ladner’ and this exploration into the tricky relationship between a miserly Communist father and a dope addicted, schizophrenic son is a great follow on. Details are below.
Bill Marshall’s latest play
Sons of Sun (The Sam Phillips Story) returns after a bumper run of shows in May and plays The Camelot Lounge in Marrickville Sydney on Saturday August 30.
Things have been building this last couple of months and a trio of shows happen between August and October. Narelle MacDonald: The Descent Into Pop Madness, directed by Noel Anderson and starring Melbourne’s finest traffic reporter Caroline Ferguson (3AW, Magic 1278) and the ever prolific Dennis Manahan, starts on Wed Aug 6 at Club Voltaire in Raglan St, North Melbourne. Lots of details on the poster below.
The World Comes To Mordialloc will have a second and final show at AMES Noble Park on Mon Aug 11 from 6PM. It’s a free event but please contact me if you’d like to come along, and if you missed it at the Shirley Burke Theatre.
I will be directing Bill Marshall’s new play ‘Doug Holcombe’ at The Owl and the Pussycat in Richmond in early October. More details soon. My other directing job, a planned stage show with Belfast singer/songwriter/poet Andy White is currently looking towards January 2015 for its debut. Check out Andy’s latest album, How Things Are too.
And in very good news for NEWK! (The John Newcombe Story), director/producer Simon Myers (The Man in Black, The Etta James Story) has jumped on for some serve and volley over the next few months. A rehearsed reading of NEWK! is being planned for later in the year.
Kieran Carroll - Playwright 