| Summer of the Seventeenth Doll | New Theatre |
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 Summer of the Seventeenth Doll
By Ray Lawler
It’s 1953 and Australia is changing. England is no longer the great protector, Australians are feeling the stirrings of republicanism, and the myth of the Outback, with its bronzed pioneers, is receding as the country becomes increasingly urbanised.
In a fading inner-city terrace in Melbourne, the lives of a small group of friends are also changing. For 16 years, canecutters Roo and Barney have come south from Queensland to spend their summer lay-off with two barmaids, Olive and Nancy, bringing a kewpie doll as a memento. In this fateful seventeenth summer, however, Nancy has left for the respectability of marriage, replaced by the sceptical Pearl; Roo has lost his position as leader of the cane cutting gang; and Bubba is no longer just the girl next door. The summer of the seventeenth doll will mark a turning point for all.
At the heart of Ray Lawler’s remarkable play lies the pain of having to change and the desire to keep things the way they’ve always been. With its working-class characters, colloquial language and controversial subject matter, “The Doll” shocked the conservative audiences of the Menzies’ era. Yet the play was an instant hit, both here and abroad. Australian theatre found its voice with Summer of the Seventeenth Doll.
Directed by Rosane McNamara
Assistant Director: Augusta Supple
Set & Costume Design: Gemma-Lark Johnson
Lighting Design: Tony Youlden
Cast: Valentino Arico, Blair Cutting, Stefanie Funnell, Emma Harris, Jan Langford-Penny,
Laura Munro and Stephen Peacocke
4 JUNE – 4 JULY
Thursday – Saturday @ 8pm, Sunday @ 5pm
Tickets: $28 / $22 concession
Bookings: 1399 306 776 / mca-tix.com.au (no booking fee)
New Theatre
542 King Street Newtown
www.newtheatre.org.au
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