The Testament of Mary (2017) Program by Malthouse Theatre

THE TESTAMENT OF MARY BY COLM TÓIBÍN 3 – 26 NOV

3 – 26 NOV MERLYN THEATRE I TELL THE TRUTH, NOT BECAUSE IT WILL CHANGE NIGHT INTO DAY. THE TRUTH MUST BE SPOKEN ONCE IN THE WORLD. I SPEAK SIMPLY BECAUSE I MUST.

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Originally produced on Broadway by Scott Rudin Productions. Commissioned by Dublin Theatre Festival and Landmark Productions with the support of Irish Theatre Trust.

BY / Colm Tóibín DIRECTION / Anne-Louise Sarks CAST / Pamela Rabe COSTUME & CO-SET DESIGN / Marg Horwell LIGHTING & CO-SET DESIGN / Paul Jackson COMPOSITION & SOUND DESIGN / Steve Toulmin STAGE MANAGER / Tia Clark

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A NOTE FROM THE DIRECTOR

ANNE-LOUISE SARKS TIME: NOW

I have deep affection for the woman that Colm Tóibín has written for us. I love her spunk. The fierce intelligence of her. Her cynicism. The fire that this woman has within her. She is a woman and a complex, full human being, something we still don’t often get to see on stage. There’s a kind of sarcasm, a kind of Irish humour inside the work that I like. But there’s also rage. And nobody thinks of Mary in this way. There are no paintings of the Mother Mary who is angry—but why wouldn’t she be angry?

My starting point was this: Mary is a woman. A regular woman. Who has lost a son. In this production we have made her real, grounding the foundational myth of western society in something very human and personal. When you look back at the Bible, there’s actually very little of Mary. Over time cultures have shaped that figure into whoever they need her to be at any given moment: the grieving mother, a transcendent figure, a bleeding heart. And that realisation gave me a real freedom as a theatremaker, to ask: who is Mary to us now? And how will this story resonate now?

I admire Mary’s commitment to only speaking the truth, the small but very powerful protest she’s making. She refuses to consent to the way that this story—this myth—is being constructed around her. I also feel deeply sad for her. She is stuck inside a kind of nightmare, reliving her trauma over and over again. And trying to come to terms with her own responsibility. Her grief. And her guilt.

For me Mary is a mother, who has lost a son, who watched her son become obsessed with ideas that felt very foreign or distant to her. She hears these reports, these strange stories about her absent, radicalised son, and realises that she has no power to protect him. She was forced to flee. She will never return to her home, her country. She’s stuck in

I think it’s incredibly powerful to hear a woman speak her own truth in the way that Mary does. There’s a power in reclaiming our stories, in our voices. It gives me hope.

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an impermanent limbo space, living out her days, isolated in a foreign land. That’s a story that resonates enormously with our world right now.

Colm Tóibín’s first stage direction at the top of the play is: ‘Time: now.’ There are only two other stage directions in the entire script. He’s asking us to shape Mary anew. And that’s what first drew me to this work. It’s Mary speaking about her personal truth. She’s re-writing the history that we know. She’s asking us to look again.

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A NOTE FROM THE DESIGNERS

MARG HORWELL & PAUL JACKSON: ON CO-DESIGN Assumptions are a constant danger, and language can often cloak the reality of having two completely different images in our heads: you never really know what you’re talking about until you draw it.

The Testament of Mary will be the second time we’ve collaborated as co-designers, although we’ve worked together on many other projects in the past few years. It’s not often you get to work with another designer in this way, and it prompts us to create work that looks very much our own but is also something more—something we would never have made without the other person.

We were both consistently interested in questions about traces and loss, of what is left behind. What can and cannot be known through the implied history of this place and its previous, transient occupations.

Co-design is rewarding and instructive, but also has its hazards. When it isn’t working well, it’s too easy to feel compromised and blocked. When it’s flowing, ideas develop with an ease and fluency that is striking, exciting and deeply satisfying. We have a very similar aesthetic but our points of difference are always specific, detailed and often surprising. We rarely differ on concept, but have argued vehemently over the height of a power point or the size of a lampshade.

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The space we’ve proposed for this production is about the absence of objects and structure, a place of exile, memory and displacement—not a home.

CAST & CREATIVE BIOS

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Colm Tóibín WRITER

Anne-Louise Sarks DIRECTOR

Pamela Rabe CAST

Colm Tóibín is the author of nine novels, including The Master and Brooklyn, and two collections of stories. His play The Testament of Mary was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Play in 2013. He is a contributing editor at the London Review of Books and Mellon Professor of Humanities at Columbia University. His work has been translated into more than thirty languages.

Anne-Louise works professionally as a director, actor, writer and dramaturg. In 2017 she has directed Minnie & Liraz (MTC), Merchant of Venice (Bell Shakespeare) and Testament of Mary (Malthouse Theatre). Recently she has directed Jasper Jones and Stories I Want To Tell You In Person; directed and co-wrote Elektra/ Orestes, A Christmas Carol, Nora and Medea (Belvoir). In 2015 she directed a new production of Medea with Kate Mulvany at The Gate Theatre in London to critical acclaim. Medea won five 2013 Sydney Theatre Awards, was awarded an AWGIE for Best Stage Play and was nominated for four Helpmann Awards. Silo Theatre’s production marks the show’s New Zealand premiere. Other theatre credits include Seventeen (The Lyric Hammersmith, London); The Fiery Maze (Malthouse Theatre/ Sydney Festival); The Seed (MTC); The Nest, Yuri Wells and By Their Own Hand (Hayloft Project). She has also worked as dramaturg for post on Oedipus Schmoedipus (Belvoir/ Arts House) and Ich Nibber Dibber (Sydney Festival). Sarks was Resident Director at Belvoir, Sydney from 2013-2015. In 2011, she was Director in Residence at Malthouse Theatre and from 2010-2013 was Artistic Director of The Hayloft Project.

Pamela is one of Australia’s most highly regarded and awarded actors. She has performed for major theatre companies, around the nation and internationally, in close to a hundred plays and musicals. She makes her return to Malthouse Theatre after 2016’s much-lauded production of The Glass Menagerie. Other Malthouse Theatre credits include directing Porn.Cake in 2011 and performing the solo show Woman-Bomb in 2005. Recent performances include The Cherry Orchard, Hamlet, God of Carnage (MTC); Les Liaison Dangereuses, and as a founding member of STC’s Actors Company, The War of the Roses, The Season at Sarsaparilla, The Lost Echo, Mother Courage and Her Children (STC); Footfalls (STCSA/ Dark MOFO); Ghosts, The Glass Menagerie, A Room of One’s Own, Gertrude Stein and a Companion and Cho Cho San (Belvoir); Moira Finucane’s Burlesque Hour; Do Not Go Gentle (45 Downstairs); Grey Gardens (The Production Company); and My Fair Lady (OA/ GFO). Pamela has directed the plays Jumpy and In the Next Room, or The Vibrator Play (MTC/STC); Serpent’s Teeth: Citizens, Elling (STC); Solomon & Marion, Elling (MTC). Pamela’s screen credits include, most recently, the television series Wentworth as well as the feature films The Well, Cosi, Vacant Possession, Sirens and Paradise Road.

Marg Horwell

Paul Jackson LIGHTING & CO-SET DESIGN

Steve Toulmin COMPOSITION & SOUND DESIGN

Marg is a multi-award winning designer and the Designer In Residence at Malthouse Theatre. Marg has won seven Green Room Awards and two Sydney Theatre Awards for her work and was nominated for a Helpmann Award for Marlin (MTC and Arena Theatre). Credits include: Caravan, The Real and Imagined History of the Elephant Man, Revolt. She said. Revolt again., The Homosexuals or ‘Faggots’, Edward II, I Am A Miracle, The Good Person of Szechuan, The Histrionic, Tame (Malthouse Theatre). Birdland, Peddling, Constellations, Cock, Music, The Dream Life Of Butterflies, The Water Carriers, Circle Mirror Transformation, I Call My Brothers (MTC). Eight Gigabytes of Hardcore Pornography (Griffin), The School For Wives (Bell Shakespere). Nora (Belvoir). Lilith The Jungle Girl, La Traviata, Summertime in the Garden of Eden (Sisters Grimm). Shit, Savages (Dee & Cornelius). Chapters From The Pandemic, Save For Crying, Wretch, Resplendence (Angus Cerini Doubletap).

Paul is a multi-award winning designer who has worked with Australia’s leading arts organisations. Credits include: The Real and Imagined History of the Elephant Man, Black Rider: The Casting of the Magic Bullets, Away, I am A Miracle, Blaque Showgirls, Picnic at Hanging Rock, Meow Meow’s Little Mermaid, Edward II, Night on Bald Mountain, Antigone, Timeshare, Hello, Goodbye and Happy Birthday, Little Match Girl, Die Winterreise, The Threepenny Opera, Vamp, The Tell-Tale Heart, Sleeping Beauty (also co-creator), The Odyssey (Malthouse Theatre). Love and Information, The Histrionic, The Trial (STC/ Malthouse Theatre), True West, The Mysteries: Genesis (STC). Merchant of Venice, Othello, As You Like It, Phedre, Tartuffe, Julius Caesar (Bell Shakespeare). Seventeen, Nora, Oedipus Rex, Happy Days, It Just Stopped (Belvoir). Three Little Words, Hay Fever, Di, Viv and Rose, Private Lives, Miss Julie, Endgame, Ghosts, The Crucible (MTC). The Magic Flute, Don Giovanni, Ariadne auf Naxos (Victorian Opera). Awards: Helpmann Award (2012), five Green Room Awards, a Sydney Theatre Award and an APDG award. He is a Churchill Fellow and an Australia Council Fellow. Positions: Artistic Associate at Malthouse Theatre 2007-2013. Paul has lectured in design and associated studies at the University of Melbourne, RMIT and VCA.

Steve’s theatre credits as composer and/or sound designer, include: Hir, The Rover, Jasper Jones, The Blind Giant is Dancing, Ivanov, La Traviata, Blue Wizard, Is This Thing On?, 20 Questions, The Seed and Scorched (Belvoir); Richard III, Othello (Bell Shakespeare); Black is the New White, A Flea In Her Ear, Power Plays, Little Mercy (STC); Edward Gant’s Amazing Feats of Loneliness (STC/La Boite); The Homosexuals or ‘Faggots’ (Malthouse Theatre/Griffin); The Bleeding Tree, Gloria, Beached (Griffin); A Hoax (Griffin/La Boite); Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Great Falls, Liberty Equality Fraternity, Circle Mirror Transformation (Ensemble); Switzerland, That Face (Queensland Theatre Company); Tender Napalm, Julius Caesar and Hamlet (La Boite); Fun House, Love Riot and Blanc De Blanc (Strut & Fret); and All The Sex I’ve Ever Had (Sydney Festival). Event credits include Papua New Guinea’s 40th Year of Independence Celebrations and the EKKA Arena Spectacular (2013, 2014, 2015). As a songwriter and music producer, he has worked with artists including Megan Washington, Ricki-Lee Coulter and Samantha Jade. Steve graduated from NIDA (Technical Production) in 2006.

COSTUME & CO-SET DESIGN

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CAST & CREATIVE BIOS

Tia Clark STAGE MANAGER

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Since graduating from WAAPA in 2009, Tia has worked as a stage manager in various sectors across the entertainment industry. Her previous Malthouse Theatre credits include: The Real and Imagined History of the Elephant Man, Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again., Edward II, Picnic at Hanging Rock (with BSSTC), I Am a Miracle, Timeshare, Hello, Goodbye and Happy Birthday, Walking into the Bigness, Ugly Mugs (with Griffin), The Government Inspector (with Belvoir), The Bloody Chamber, Dance of Death, Hate, A Golem Story and Baal (with STC). Tia has also worked on Anti—Gravity (Chunky Move), Grease (Gordon Frost Organisation [GFO]), A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (GFO), Every Breath (Belvoir), The Rake’s Progress (Victorian Opera), Scooby Doo Live (Entertainment Store Group), The King and I, The Boy from Oz, Sugar (Some Like It Hot), Anything Goes, Kismet, Grey Gardens (The Production Company) and various live events in Melbourne and around Australia.

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ABOUT MALTHOUSE THEATRE

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT At Malthouse Theatre we collaborate with local and international artists to create inventive performances that cut to the core of the human experience. #THETESTAMENTOFMARY

Theatre has the power to interrogate, disrupt and to be an agent of changeâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; and we think it always should. At Malthouse Theatre the work we produce explores the world personally, socially and politically. Based in a dedicated venue, The Coopers Malthouse in Melbourne, we are a home for live experiences that entertain and provoke a dialogue with and within audiences. Welcome to Malthouse Theatre.

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URANIA—MUSE OF THE STARS—$25,000+ Carrillo Gantner AO, Mary-Ruth & Peter McLennan, Craig Reeves CLIO—MUSE OF HISTORY—$10,000+ Roseanne Amarant, Annamila Fund, Debbie Dadon AM, Colin Golvan QC, Michele Levine, James Penlidis & Fiona McGauchie, Janine Tai, The Vera Moore Foundation, Anonymous (1) THALIA—MUSE OF COMEDY—$5,000+ John & Lorraine Bates, Gjergja Family, Sue Kirkham, The Pratt Foundation, Richard Leonard & Gerlinde Scholz, Mary Vallentine AO, Anonymous (1) MELPOMENE—MUSE OF TRAGEDY—$2,500+ David Bardas, Rosemary Forbes & Ian Hocking, Sue Prestney, Elisabeth & John Schiller, Dr Jenny Schwarz, Fiona Sweet & Paul Newcombe, Leonard Vary & Dr Matt Collins QC, Jason Waple, Jon Webster, Jan Williams, Tom Wright, Anonymous (1) EUTERPE—MUSE OF MUSIC—$1,000+ Chryssa Anagnostou & Dr Jim Tsaltas, Marc Besen AC & Eva Besen AO, John & Sally Bourne, Sally Browne, Beth Brown & Tom Bruce AM, Ingrid & Per Carlsen, Tim & Rachel Cecil, Min Li Chong,

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MALTHOUSE THEATRE STAFF

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Fiona McGauchie (Chair), Debbie Dadon AM, Colin Golvan QC, Michael Kantor, Jan Owen AM, Sue Prestney, Pamela Rabe, Nick Schlieper, Kerri Turner & Mary Vallentine AO. ARTISTIC & PROGRAMMING Artistic Director & CO-CEO / Matthew Lutton Executive Producer & CO-CEO / Sarah Neal Resident Dramaturg / Mark Pritchard Resident Artist / Declan Greene Resident Designer / Marg Horwell Director In Residence / Sapidah Kian Producer / Toby Sullivan Associate Producer / Jason Tamiru #THETESTAMENTOFMARY

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Front of House Staff / Abi Murray, Alice Dixon, Aly Grace, Amy Dowd, Andrew Foord, Ben Andrerson, Ben Carollo, Carissa Godwin, Daniel Moulds, Daniel Newell, Dirk Hoult, Emma Corbett, Gem Clarke, Gianni Agostononi, Hannah Mc Kittrick, Ian Michael, Jo Bassilios, Kate Calton, Kate Gregory, Kathryn Joy, Kirilie Blythman, Lara Kerestes, Lee Threadgold, Leon Rice-Whetton, Mark Hoffman, Mitchell Brotz, Sam Harrison, Sanne Rodenstein, Sophia D’urso, Vaughn Rae. ABORIGINAL & TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER COMMITTEE Uncle Jack Charles, Richard Frankland, Tony Briggs, Lisa Maza, Pauline Wyman, Melodie ReynoldsDiarra & Jason Tamiru Malthouse Theatre acknowledges the Land and Songlines of the Wurundjeri and Boon Wurrung peoples of the Kulin Nation.

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SEASON 2017

MONASH MEETS MALTHOUSE PRESENTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MONASH UNIVERSITY

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Some savvy theatre-goers prefer an expert discussion to get the most out of their experience. To coincide with Malthouse Theatre’s soaring production of The Testament of Mary, Monash University’s Centre for Theatre and Performance will present a panel discussion on how myths are made, and how to unpick the stories at the foundations of Western religion. Our Major Partner, Monash University, will offer their scholarly expertise in a special afternoon conversation between the matinee and evening performance of The Testament of Mary at 5pm on Saturday 18 November.

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SEASON 2018

SEASON PASS 2018 #MALTHOUSETHEATRE2018

STORIES TOLD ANEW

LAUGH UNTIL YOU CRY

PROVOKING A DIALOGUE

1— PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK

1— BLACKIE BLACKIE BROWN

1— TRUSTEES

2—BLISS

2— ICH NIBBER DIBBER

3—MELANCHOLIA

3— G OING DOWN

3— B ROTHERS WRECK

4—BROTHERS WRECK

4—GOOD MUSLIM BOY

5—GOOD MUSLIM BOY

5— A PACIFIST’S GUIDE TO THE WAR ON CANCER

*—GENERATION JEANS

*—FLEABAG

2— B LASTED 4—GOOD MUSLIM BOY 5— A PACIFIST’S GUIDE TO THE WAR ON CANCER

*—GENERATION JEANS

SEASON 2018

CURATE YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE, OR LET US GUIDE YOU. *AND THROW IN SOMETHING SPECIAL! A Malthouse Theatre Season Pass is your subscription to subversion. Guarantee your seat to five or more mainstage shows and save up to 40% off single ticket prices.

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Our exclusive Season Pass booking period closes 4 December. Book early for the best prices.

BIG TICKET ITEMS

FEMINISTS WITH A TO-DO LIST

OUR MODERN AUSTRALIA

1— TRUSTEES

1— GOING DOWN

2— B LASTED

2— B LACKIE BLACKIE BROWN

2— G OOD MUSLIM BOY

3— ICH NIBBER DIBBER

4—ICH NIBBER DIBBER

3— B LISS 4—MELANCHOLIA 5— P ICNIC AT HANGING ROCK

*—FLEABAG

4—A PACIFIST’S GUIDE TO THE WAR ON CANCER 5— B ROTHERS WRECK

*—FLEABAG

3—BROTHERS WRECK 5—TRUSTEES

*—BLISS

SCENE & HEARD

There are 9,312 words spoken in this production. ‘Jesus’ is not one of them.

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