The Father Program

PIP Theatre acknowledges the Turrbal and Jagera people, the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we gather to tell stories and play.

Photos by Kris Anderson

DIRECTOR’S NOTE Thank you for stepping onto this roller-coaster ride with us. Please fasten your seatbelts tightly and be prepared for whatever the journey may bring.

There is no planned route or scheduled stops; you must go with the flow and hold on as long as possible.

As a director, I was drawn to this play

by Florian Zeller because it is written from the perspective of the person with dementia. It has a beginning and an end but in between it is a confusion of interconnecting scenes, characters who may or may not be who they say they are and an ever-changing set.

Central to the action is The Father ‘André’, a once authoritative man with a great deal of responsibility whose family has fragmented. He is teetering on the edge of a precipice and there is no knowing when he might fall or how bad that fall may be. Sometimes dismissive, often verbally abusive to his primary carer, Anne, his daughter, André is desperately trying to realign the pieces of his fractured mind.

It hasn’t been an easy play to direct but it is such a beautifully crafted piece of work by Florian Zeller (originally written in French and translated into English by Christopher Hampton) that it has given me plenty to explore and dive into with the cast. Working with such a willing and open cast has been 4

Photos by Kris Anderson

truly incredible. The standard of acting is consistently high, always genuine and the connection between the performers is very strong. You will cry and laugh along with them. Yes, there are moments of ‘comic relief ’, expertly inserted by the writer. Dementia is a cruel condition, so nuggets of humour are most definitely worth hanging on to.

I have worked with people with dementia for some years, exploring the benefits of theatre, music and dramatherapy and have witnessed some powerful transformations. The 401,300 people living with dementia in Australia in 2022 are expected to more than double to 849,3000 people by 2058 so I am passionate about helping people to understand more about the burden of this disease.

The Father is about the loss of connection, identity and belonging. For me these are the foundations of family and friendship units and as they erode, so we start to lose ourselves. The play carries a message we simply can’t ignore; nobody wants to lose their ability to make their own decisions so society needs to make the process as manageable and kind as possible.

Society has a long way to go to achieve this.

At some stage most of us will be affected by dementia, either ourselves or through someone we love. As a team we hope The Father will make you question the current system, ask the right questions

and demand change. In the meantime we invite you into André’s world without judgement or prejudice.

I would also like to acknowledge Clare Nowland, a dementia sufferer who passed away on 24 May 2023 because the people who were supposed to care for her and keep her safe didn’t understand the changes this disease can cause to a person.

-Angela Witcher-

“LE PERE in its original French production was first presented at the Théâtre Hébertot,Paris, on September 11, 2012, starring Robert Hirsch, directed by Ladislas Cholat. The play has been awarded several Molière Awards, including Best Play. THE FATHER, in this translation by Christopher Hampton, was commissioned by the Ustinov Studio, TheatreRoyal Bath, and first presented on 16 October 2014.”

CAST

TONY NIXON Andre

JANELLE BAILEY Anne

REAGAN WARNER Pierre

Tony Nixon grew up in England.

Tony attended summer schools at RADA, and numerous professional workshops. He worked at Pinewood studios on productions including “Hunchback of Notre Dame”, “Ivanhoe” and “Hart to Hart UK special”.

A highly regarded actor with a great range and true breadth of experience across theatre, film and television. Janelle’s theatre credits include Rabbit Hole (Ad Astra theatre) Romeo and Juliet (Shakespeare in the Park/ Brisbane Immersive) and The Normal Heart (Ad Astra theatre).

Theatre Credits Include “Haircuts”, “Wogs in Love”, “1984”, “Only Fools and Horses”, “Mercy Thieves” and more. Working in every state and territory in Australia and internationally in the UK, New Zealand, Thailand, Vanuatu, Fiji, Hong Kong, Singapore and France.

Film and Television roles include The Shallows, Swimming for Gold, Harrow, The Lost One, At Last, and The Santa Hunters alongside numerous short films and TV commercials. Janelle also had the recent opportunity of being Julia Roberts’ full time stand-in actor and picture double in Ticket to Paradise.

For the past sixteen years, Reagan has graced the stages and screens of Brisbane, showcasing his talent in more than seventy diverse theatrical productions. Recently, he achieved international recognition through his participation in the first two seasons of NBC’s Young Rock.

He has also appeared in various guises including ‘Manuel’ in Fawlty Towers at the Adelaide, Melbourne,and Edinburgh Comedy festivals.

The film, “Scout” (2 best actor Nominations) took him to New York and Vancouver.

Film credits include,“Getting Squared”, “Narnia Voyage of the Dawn Treader”, “Occupation” “Occupation Rainfall”, “Harrow”, “Scout”, “Mudskipper”, “Singapore fall of an empire” and more recently “Elvis”.

Janelle has trained extensively at The Factory Acting Studio with teachers such as Christopher Sommers, Darren Gilshenan and Rob Horton. She has completed many acting masterclasses with the likes of Larry Moss, Kim Farrant and Scott Williams.

Janelle is the recipient of a Matilda Award for Best Supporting Actor for her role as Dr Emma Brookner in The Normal Heart.

With an impressive array of roles, Reagan has portrayed iconic characters such as Mr. George Banks in Mary Poppins, Dr. Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Show, Stanley Kowalski in A Streetcar Named Desire, John Proctor in The Crucible, and Gomez Addams in The Addams Family and most recently as Tommy in PIP Theatre’s recent prodcution of Grand Horizons.

His exceptional performance as Gomez earned him the esteemed Gold Coast Palmie award for Best Male Actor in a Musical. Additionally, Reagan contributed to the success of Brisbane’s rendition of A Midnight Visit, which stands as the city’s longest-running theatrical production to date.

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JADE MOON Laura

JESSE BLACHUT Man

OPHELIA NOVAK Woman

Jade Moon is an early-career actress making her professional Queensland debut as Laura in Pip Theatre and hARTSpace’s production of Florian Zeller’s ‘The Father’.

Jesse is an actor and performer from Wagga Wagga, NSW. He completed an advanced Diploma with APAC in Brisbane after moving from Coffs Harbour to Queensland in his late teens, and his performance credits include roles as Enjolras (Les Misérables), Elvis (Blitz Screed) and Maigne (Destiny Doomed).

He has also worked alongside the Jane Austen Society of Australia as Mr. Collins (Pride and Prejudice) and Sir Walter (Persuasion).

Ophelia Novak is a performance artist, writer and director. Their production SPACE: The Flat Frontier has shown at PIP Theatre for The Original Works Festival and The Anywhere Festival.

Jade is thrilled to finally be presenting her craft for Brisbane audiences.

After finishing her Bachelor of Creative Arts, majoring in Theatre at the University of Southern Queensland, Jade has begun flourishing in the Arts Industry as an actor, voice artist and youth arts facilitator, based in South-East Queensland.

Jade is an extremely passionate creative, some of her past works include: Juliet and Prince in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Abby Prescott in The Mercy Seat

by Neil Labute, Jesse in HOODS

by Angela Betzien, Ensemble in A Place like This by CJ Hopkins and Elle Woods in Legally Blonde by Heather Hach. Additionally, Jade has trained her voice and screen acting skills with institutes such as NIDA and is currently affiliated with Empire Theatre in Toowoomba.

While having performed in some short films and music videos, theatre is Jesse’s real passion.

The more intimate experience of this medium, while being able to fully immerse oneself on-stage for the length of the show, as well as having the privilege to interact and discuss the show with people who have just seen it, are things that really drive his love of the theatre.

Ophelia has previously played Purity in The Female of the Species (Dark Stories), The Grand High Witch in Roald Dahl’s The Witches (1987 Productions) and Ophelia in Those Cabaret Days (Hummingbird Theatre Co.), among others, and is delighted to be joining the cast of The Father as Woman.

While more often found performing in musicals in recent times, Jesse is ecstatic at the opportunity to be a part of “The Father” and to deliver the best possible performance for this beautiful play.

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CREW

ANGELA WITCHER Directorr/Set Designer

AVA MOSCHETTI Stage Manager/Set Designer

CARYS MAGUIRE Assistan Stage Manager

JENNA TODD Marketing Director

TIMOTHY JAMES Lighting Designer

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Photos by Kris Anderson

FLORIAN ZELLER Author

CHRISTOPHER HAMPTON Translater

Florian Zeller, a renowned French writer and playwright, has been hailed by The Independent as one of the most prominent literary talents in France. In 2004, he received the prestigious Prix Interallié for his captivating novel titled “Fascination of Evil,” while his plays “La Mère” and “Le Père” earned numerous Molière Awards, the highest theatrical accolades in France. Translated into English by Christopher Hampton as “The Father,” Zeller’s play has been nominated for Best Play at both the Olivier Awards and the Tony Awards. Notably, esteemed actors such as Frank Langella on Broadway and Kenneth Cranham in London have garnered accolades as Best Actor for their remarkable performances in the play.

Christopher Hampton, born in 1946 in Portugal, is a versatile figure in the entertainment industry, excelling as a playwright, screenwriter, director, and producer. He gained early recognition when his play “When Did You Last See My Mother” was staged in the West End, making him the youngest writer to achieve this feat. Hampton’s notable works include “Total Eclipse,” delving into the relationship between Rimbaud and Verlaine, and the witty comedy “The Philanthropist.” He has also made significant contributions to screenwriting with translations of classics like Ibsen’s “A Doll’s House” and Moliere’s “Tartuffe.” His successful play, “Les Liaisons Dangereuses,” was adapted into a film called “Dangerous Liaisons,” which garnered critical acclaim and numerous awards.

Photos by Kris Anderson

SET DESIGN

Set Designers Angela Witcher Ava Moschetti

The set of the Father has been a challenge. As the scenes in the play are not sequential and the locations change (or do they?), we wanted to create a set that matches the jumbled sequence of events in André’s head.

As the play was originally written in French and set in Paris, we have designed the set as a chic Parisienne apartment with white as the signature theme colour. As the set transitions we move from an autumnal to a monochrome palette depicting the possible changes in location and the journey, we invite the audience to take through the eyes of André.

We hope it makes no sense.

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BEGINNING

BY David Eldridge

In the aftermath of Laura’s London housewarming party, Danny is the last man standing… Over a few more beverages and boogies, the pair try to navigate their vulnerabilities, overcome their fears and end their loneliness.

SHOWING: 13TH -29TH OF JULY

Presented by MoonSparks Production

An intimate and revealing play about trying to make a real connection later in life, with all of life’s baggage and online dating attempts. Beginning was first performed in London at the National Theatre to a sold-out season and then transferred to the West End. This is the Australian premiere.

SPECIAL THANKS TO

LEARN MORE ABOUT PIP THEATRE Scan the QR code to check out our website

@piptheatreau /piptheatreau piptheatre.org This production has been licensed by Australian Plays Transform.