A Stretch Of The Imagination

Bold, Absurd, Yet Intimately Compelling

This is an absolute MUST SEE. If you have been hanging out for some REAL THEATRE, This is the one you have been waiting for. From the writer of Dimboola, Australia’s most successful play, comes this timeless tragi/comedy/drama. Mandurah audiences are in for a real treat. So get excited. Stretch of the Imagination, not only by one of Australia’s Best Writers, there’s more. Teamed up are the awarded Best Actor and Best Director of 2003. Mandurah’s own Karen Francis, awarded the States best director of 2003 has teamed up with Mandurah’s favourite and most loved Actor, Gary Atkinson, winner of the South West Best Actor award for 2003 to bring to you this masterpiece. No secret to Mandurah audiences, is Gary’s talent for “strutting the boards”.
Stretch of the Imagination will take you on a larger than life journey you will never forget. Monk OÂ’Neil, a social outcast living alone in the bush, injects an amazingly physical intensity that will have audiences mesmerised. The humour is black, as the cantankerous, sometimes vulgar, though strangely endearing Monk, re-enacts his version of love, lust, life and death. Warning to Audiences, there are Adult themes, partial nudity and some language may offend.

The Actor: Gary Atkinson Born. Yes he was, although some may argue. There was that rumour to do with aliens. He has lived in Australia some thirty odd years, (many would agree) after being transported from Manchester England at an early age. Gary’s love for theatre started at age 12 and he has many, many, accolades to his credit in Perth, Pinjarra and Mandurah in acting, directing and writing. More recently Mandurah & Murray audiences have relished seeing a LOT of Gary starring in productions such as ‘The Woman Who Cooked Her Husband’, ‘A Few Good Men’, and ‘Oliver’. Locally, Gary directed the very successful 2002 MLT production of ‘Cosi’ and is preparing at present to Direct the irreverent, rude, in-your-face and rollicking classic Australian musical play ‘The Legend of King O’Malley’. Gary was awarded ‘Best Actor’ 2003 (South-west festival) for ‘The Letter Opener’ and shared in the Western Australian Rob De Vaack Innovative Production Award of 2003 (State festival).

The Director: Karen Francis has been in theatre for over 20 years. Karen paid more than her dues nurturing Mandurah’s, up and coming stars for 8 years as Mandurah Little Theatre’s Youth Coordinator. Karen’s taste for directing ‘Challenging Theatre’, has produced many highly successful and applauded sell-out adult shows. ‘Ladies Night’, ‘Starting Stalls’, ‘A Few Good Men’ and ‘The Woman Who Cooked Her Husband’ are just a few of her highly entertaining credits as a director. Karen was awarded Western Australia’s ‘Best Director’ of 2003 (state festival) for her productions ‘Sanctuary’ and ‘The Letter Opener’ as well as the Western Australian, Rob De Vaack Innovative Production Award for ‘The Letter Opener’