Life After George
by Hannie Rayson

Melbourne Theatre Company
Playhouse

Reviewed by Murray Bramwell

Since its first performances in January last year Hannie Rayson’s MTC commission, Life After George, has had an impressive trajectory. There were extended seasons in Melbourne and numerous awards and nominations including the Miles Franklin, a stint at the Brisbane Festival and now, since July, a sixteen town whistlestop tour from North Queensland to Launcestoun.

It is not hard to see the play’s appeal – Rayson, …

Holy Day
by Andrew Bovell

State Theatre Company
Playhouse
August, 2001

Reviewed by Murray Bramwell

The pursuit of new Australian works for the stage is an incessant one. Artistic Directors, particularly of state theatre companies, pore over new scripts in the hope of turning them into productions which will capture audiences with their relevance and truthfulness. Over the past twenty years the demand for such plays has been so keen that any writer achieving a modicum of success has been …

24 August, 2001
Murray Bramwell

Jennifer in Security
by Noelle Janaczewska

Vitalstatistix
Waterside, Port Adelaide
ends September 1.
Odeon Theatre, Norwood
4 – 8 September.

Jennifer is in a jam after being down-sized from retail. Then, when her Excel breaks down, she is helped out by the blokes at Oakhurst Security and she talks herself into a job. Now, in her white shirt, black tie, dark windbreaker and with everything but a Colt revolver hanging from her belt, she works …

22 August, 2001
Murray Bramwell

Holy Day
by Andrew Bovell

State Theatre Company of South Australia
Playhouse, Adelaide Festival Centre,
ends 8 September.
Melbourne season at the CUB Malthouse
from 13 September to 6 October, 2001.

Andrew Bovell’s Holy Day had been in draft form for something like ten years, set aside for such various other ventures as his script for Strictly Ballroom and the current New York stage version – as well as the soon-to-be-released Geoffrey Rush film – …