The Boys

Controversial, confronting and chilling: Old Mill Theatre launches 2010 season with intense drama The Boys

THE Old Mill Theatre is launching its 2010 season at the start of February with the highly-acclaimed – yet chilling and confronting – play The Boys.

Best known for the 1998 movie adaptation starring David Wenham and Toni Collette, it scored Western Australian playwright Gordon Graham an Australian Writers' Guild award in 1992.

The Boys follows the story of Brett’s return home from prison when, together with his brothers, they go on a drunken, resentment-filled rampage fuelled by the women in their lives.

Amid considerable controversy, Graham said the characters came from his own upbringing in Perth – but the initial inspiration was from the shocking Anita Cobby case, near Blacktown, NSW, in February 1986.

Director Dannielle Ashton said she chose to direct The Boys because it was an extremely powerful piece of theatre that would challenge audiences.

“Audience members will witness vile and meaningless behaviour from the male characters in the play, who are unnervingly still so identifiable in Australian society,” she said.

“In contrast, the female characters dominate the play with their loyal willingness to continually compromise their lives for the boys.”

“The mother and girlfriends of these boys are extremely prominent and crucial in the delivery of the narrative by showing flashes of vulnerability as women and allowing the boys to treat them the way they do."

“The fact the plot is loosely based on a horrific true story creates even more power for the audience and there is a large amount of depth to play within the seven characters."

“It’s a strong ensemble piece and the actors are required to carry a difficult physical and emotional piece of theatre, with the right amount of strength, aggression, empathy, intelligence and humility.”

Ashton admits the content of the play will be confronting for audiences and is conscious of the actors falling into stereotypes.

“This play relies heavily on reality, so it is important to keep the characters genuine,” she said. “The actors have to be completely truthful in their portrayals so the audience can go on the same emotional journey of hate, anguish, fear, love and resentment.”

Ashton has been involved in theatre for more than 20 years, most recently staging Trainspotting – scoring her a best director award at the 2009 ITA State DramaFest – and an acclaimed production of A Streetcar Named Desire.

Previously, she won the 2008 ITA State DramaFest Best Overall Production Award for The Return and best production and best director awards for co-directing A One Night Stand-Off with Martin Lindsay at the 2008 South West Drama Festival.

Starring Murray Jackson, David Gregory, David Bruce, Val Riches, Julia Hern, Leah Maher, and Krysia Wiechecki.

The Boys plays at 8pm, February 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19 and 20 with a 2pm matinee on February 7. Tickets are $20, $15 concession – book on 9367 8719.

The heritage-listed Old Mill Theatre is on Mends Street, South Perth, opposite the Windsor Hotel.