ACROSS THE BARRICADES
presents Middle School students in
ACROSS THE BARRICADES Directed by AMY CHRISTENSEN and WAYNE BACON Produced by MARCUS PINNELL
Lighting Design by JASON BOVAIRD and ROB BALLINGALL Sound Design by DAVID BROWNE
Performed in the Beckett Theatre at The Malthouse 20-22 June 2012
A NOTE FROM THE DIRECTORS Sometimes when you read a script like this, you realise it could actually be set anywhere – anytime. Historians say ‘History repeats itself’ – which is so true. In our world, we have been in conflict – all different types; Catholic vs Protestants, English vs Scottish, Iraq vs Kuwait, Greece vs Sparta – that conflict continues today. In our direction of this production we have tried to incorporate this concept of anywhere/anytime into the elements of the play. While we have kept with the setting of Ireland, we have provided you, the audience, with a range of generations and backgrounds. This has been achieved through the costumes, the music, the set and the props. The love story between Kevin and Sadie is timeless. We have seen it all before; Romeo and Juliet, Tony and Maria. It’s the story that pulls at our heart strings and has been doing so for generations - it is all too real, and could be happening anywhere, anytime. We hope you enjoy our take on the forbidden love story of Kevin and Sadie, in a country that still struggles today, with an identity crises spanning centuries.
SYNOPSIS Across the Barricades was written in response to “The Troubles” in Northern Ireland during the 1960’s and 1970’s, the deployment of British Troops into Northern Ireland, and “Bloody Sunday” in Derry, 1972. The conflict revolved initially around the troubles between the Protestants and the Catholics of Northern Ireland, but later became about so much more. The violence between the two religious groups escalated, and as a result, British troops were sent Ireland by the Thatcher government to keep the peace. This “peace keeping” effort soon turned to British soldiers abusing their powers and arresting any suspect of terrorism. These suspects were sentenced without trial. The violence in Across the Barricades has many complicated causes. It centres on the question of whether Northern Ireland should remain part of the United Kingdom, or breakaway and join the Irish Republic in some way. The play revolves around a love story in the midst of such turmoil. Based around the characters of Romeo and Juliet and the “star-cross’d lovers”, Kevin McCoy and Sadie Jackon’s story is one just as complex as Shakespeare’s most famous lovers. Not only is their relationship destined to fail before it begins, with Sadie being a Protestant and Kevin a Catholic, but they are also living in a country where they must contend with such political unrest. It begs the question of “who can be trusted?” If your own countrymen can’t be trusted because you are bred into a world full of prejudice, all based around the premise of a different set of religious beliefs and you can’t trust the people who have been brought in to to stop the fighting between these religions, then what choices do you have? Ultimately, Kevin and Sadie find that trust in each other, much to the displeasure of the majority of their family and friends. It is a tale that most teenagers can relate to. Choices that seem so natural and obvious to them, yet ultimately bear the brunt of animosity from those they are closest to. But when there is an element of understanding, such as that demonstrated by Tommy Jackson, Brede McCoy and Mr Blake, it makes the plight so much easier to bear. But on these troubled streets (”It looks so peaceful”, Sadie says plaintively at one point in the play; ”I wish it were”) there is no room for innocence or youthful love, only centuries - old wounds that refuse to heal. In this grim place, hate is celebrated and love is reviled, and Sadie and Kevin must reach out to each other across these murderous barricades to find an unlikely peace and harmony.
CAST
ELOISE BAGNARRA SADIE JACKSON
BENJAMIN WALTER KEVIN McCOY
MILLIE LALOR BREDE McCOY
REMI BELAND TOMMY JACKSON
MATTHEW COOKE MR JACKSON
LAUREN STEWART MRS JACKSON
CHRISTOPHER WARWICK UNCLE ALBERT
SAM JOHNSTON BRIAN RAFFERTY
LISA STEVENS KATE KELLY
ISABEL COCKS LINDA MULLET
ELYSE STEWART MRS MULLET
SAMUEL WASSMANN MR MULLET
NIKITA CHRONIS MR BLAKE
FERGUS ORR NEWSREADER
TOBY COOPER SOLDIER 1
EDGAR HORTON SOLDIER 2
AMELIA HOLLAND STEPHANIE
LUCY STEWART TEENAGER 1
CHARLOTTE OMOND TEENAGER 2
DANAE BARBAYANNIS NEIGHBOURS
ANGUS CAMPBELL NEIGHBOURS
PRODUCTION TEAM Directed by ....................................................................................................................... Amy Christensen & Wayne Bacon Assistance in Direction and Produced by .............................................................................. Marcus Pinnell (OW2001) Designed and Constructed by ......................................................................................................................... Andrew Plant Costumes by ..................................................................................................................... Stephanie Des Barres & Jill Welch Make-up by ................................................................................................... Stephanie Des Barres, Jill Welch & Val Crees Lighting Designed by ........................................................................................................ Jason Bovaird & Rob Ballingall (Movinglight Productions) Sound by ............................................................................................................................................ David Browne (OW2010) Backstage Crew ..................................................................... Jasmine Valcic, Guy Sowden, Gabriel Neri, Indi Randall Properties .............................................................................................................. Dawson Hann & Margaret Molina OAM Business Manager ........................................................................................................................... Brett Fairbank (OW2003) Program .......................................................................................................... Marcus Pinnell, Brett Fairbank, Mark O’Neil Running time is approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes. There will be no intermission. Refreshments will be available from the bar and bistro located in the foyer.