Hearth

Past Show

Hearth

BY FLEUR MURPHY
DIRECTED BY DAMIAN JONES

Hearth

The Robinsons gather at their Kinglake family home in February 2009, to celebrate the birthday of their younger son. As the Black Saturday bushfires begin to rage outside, tensions in the family also rise, as long-held secrets and conflicts are exposed.

Cast

Stephen Rogerson

John

Stephen Rogerson

In 2023 Stephen was encouraged to come out of retirement to play Bob Price in Andrew Bovell’s play, THINGS I KNOW TO BE TRUE, and he had such a great experience he was happy to audition at Mordialloc Theatre Company for HEARTH by up-and-coming playwright Fleur Murphy. Stephen’s theatrical journey started in Gospel musicals in the 70’s and he joined the local Charlton Theatre Group in his first year of Secondary Teaching. While there, he was lured onto stage to perform a major role in BRIGADOON and later, continued to sing and play other roles with Gateway Theatre Company in Seaford, including their standout performances of PIRATES OF THE PENINSULA and SEUSSICAL.

Barb

Lyn Laister

Lyn is pleased to be back on stage at Mordialloc after being behind the scenes for the past couple of years. Some of her previous roles include Mrs Gardner in INSPECTOR DRAKE’S LAST CASE with Brighton Theatre Company, Mrs Boyle in PRELUDE TO A KISS here at Mordialloc, Sal Kerrigan in THE CASTLE and Charlotte in CHARLOTTE’S WEB with Beaumaris Theatre. Lyn has also worked extensively in musical theatre, short films and commercials. When she is not being Mordialloc’s Finance Manager or taking part in theatre events you will find her on the golf course. She hopes you enjoy this wonderful Australian play.

Breanna Geer

Abbey

Breanna Geer

Originally from Tasmania, Breanna has been acting for over fifteen years in a variety of theatre, film and commercial projects including THE NIGHTINGALE and THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE KILLER. Bree has also worked in post-production on television shows such as ROSEHAVEN and RFDS, and has trained in long form Improv Comedy at THE IMPROV CONSPIRACY. HEARTH is Bree’s first show with Mordialloc Theatre Company.

Sergeant Lauren

Tanya Wade

Tanya feels privileged to be a part of HEARTH, her first production with Mordialloc Theatre Company. Tanya has recently been seen as the fiery and tough Rona in Brighton Theatre Company’s award winning production, THE REVLON GIRL in 2023, as the quirky and fast paced multiple characterisations in Beaumaris Theatre Company’s THE THREE MUSKETEERS – A COMEDY ADVENTURE in 2023 and as the loveable and unhinged Cherry in COSI in 2022. Tanya remembers tragic stories of victims who perished on Black Saturday- she extends her heartfelt sorrow to anyone that was affected by the fires.

Damian Jones

Damian Jones

Director

Damian makes his Mordialloc Theatre Company directorial debut with this production of HEARTH. An actor with decades of experience including an appearance many years ago at Mordialloc in THE VENETIAN TWINS, his favourite roles include Max in LAST CAB TO DARWIN with Sherbrooke Theatre Company, Leo Bailey in MR BAILEY’S MINDER with Williamstown Little Theatre, George in LIFE AFTER GEORGE with Peridot Theatre. In recent times Damian has turned his focus more on direction, with productions of ABSURD PERSON SINGULAR with Malvern Theatre Company, BRILLIANT LIES with Peridot, AFTER DINNER with Sherbrooke and the 2022 VDL nominated WHEN DAD MARRIED FURY with Encore Theatre Company.

Blake Stringer

Matthew

Blake Stringer

HEARTH is Blake’s thirty-first production, and is his second time working with Mordialloc Theatre Company, with his first being THE ONE DAY OF THE YEAR back in 2017. Select credits elsewhere include at Williamstown Little Theatre in PHOTOGRAPH 51 in 2024, at STAG Theatre in THE NORMAL HEART in 2023, at Brighton Theatre Company in TORCH SONG in 2022, for 1812 Theatre in THE HISTORY BOYS in 2022, GHOSTS in 2019, NEVER THE SINNER in 2017 and PATIENT 12 in 2015. Off the stage, Blake has a passion for music production, sound design, videography, photography, video games and spread sheets.

Sam Wyles

Tom

Sam Wyles

Sam has been acting since 2016 and has performed on stage in musicals and various plays. He really enjoys participating in live performance and has a profound passion for Australian theatre. In 2020, he completed his Diploma in Theatre Arts at Melbourne Polytechnic. From the Yarra Valley, Sam has ventured outside his area and is extremely excited to be joining Mordialloc Theatre Company in this production of Fleur Murphy’s HEARTH.

Reviews

VDL Performance Review

Reviewed by Deborah Fabbro,
11 May 2024

Mordialloc’s latest offering is “Hearth” by Fleur Murphy. A family drama that is played out against the backdrop of the “Black Saturday” bushfires on February 7, 2009. The destructive forces of nature outside mirror the volatile unravelling of the family inside.
 
The Robinsons (mother Barb, father John, their two sons Matthew and Tom, and Matthew’s partner Abbey) have gathered at the family’s Kinglake home to celebrate Tom’s 18th birthday The plot centres on the birthday celebrations with its archetype family tensions and also the revelation of a devasting family secret.
 
The structure of the writing is complex – going between present, past and future – and we are slowly given hints to inform us about this family through dialogue, flashbacks and monologues. It is always hard to stage an episodic play, and on occasion, it takes a moment to register the time and place of some of the 30+ scenes which is distracting but a product of the writing. However Director Damian Jones’ strong vision for this story is evident in the production and, despite some scene changes being less efficaciously handled than others, he and his cast have worked hard to make it accessible to the audience.
 
This starts with the technical and creative team’s concept for the production. Martin Gibbs and the director designed a skeleton set that shows us the kitchen and dining area of the house, while the upstage centre there is a chimney and mantel which is used to hang the birthday banner on but also symbolizes the post-fire devastation. So often chimneys are the only ghostly remains of houses after a fire. This is also represented in the collapsing of the wall on SR and the raising floorboards (Special Effects Neil Barnett), also symbolic of the familial breakdown. Downstage left is an exterior depicting a cleared patch on the property, tree stumps and leaves beautifully suggesting the Australia bush. Jason Bovaird’s lighting design is excellent. The use of haze along with stunning, changing and intense colour effects on the Cyc make for an evocative and effective atmosphere. This is enhanced by Tim Long’s haunting soundscape which builds the tension of the drama unfolding through music, clock ticking, news reports, emergency sounds and ultimately the crackling of the fire. Christina Soliman’s props dressed the set well and suited the changing time periods in the storyline.

Matthew (Blake Stringer) and Tom (Sam Wyles) are 17 years apart in age; they lead very different lives and have never quite connected, but as Tom’s behaviour and actions over recent years threaten to see him in serious trouble he reaches out to the brother with whom he wishes he had a closer relationship. The dialogue in opening scene particularly captures the gulf between them. Each of these actors rose to the challenge of their respective roles making the most of their monologues. Blake nicely portrayed suitable pathos as the older brother who does ultimately step in. Occasionally Sam started on such a high level leaving little room for expansion but mostly captured the turmoil of the character.

Stephen Rogerson turns in a natural performance as husband and father, John, as he tries to hold everything together. Lyn Laister communicates Barb’s early stages of dementia well. However, I did find some of the scenes between them somewhat stilted which belied the dialogue.

The character of Abbey is visiting for the first time and Breanna Geer depicts the discomfiture of someone thrown into an awkward situation handling well the limited dialogue afforded the character.  Also underwritten is the character of Sergeant Lauren Reid but Tanya Wade imbued the character with a solemnity and compassion as befitted what the character needed to be.
 
I commend the efforts of all involved with this production and despite my reservations about the play itself – the tediousness of the confusing time and location shifts and perceived symbolism between the catastrophe of the firestorm and the disclosure of the family secret – the ambiguity of the play’s end does lend itself to discussions all the way home from the theatre.