Have you ever overheard a conversation and wanted to be a fly on the wall? Perth playwright Noel O’Neill allows audiences to get a glimpse into people’s lives as they take a break on the park bench.
Written and directed by Perth playwright Noel O’Neill, the latest in his “park bench series” is being presented by Maverick Theatre Productions at the Old Mill Theatre.
The Unforgiven deals with a homeless man and a lonely woman, where one person is a victim of her own innocence and the other is a casualty of circumstances beyond his control.
It’s followed by Three Way Split, a story of a woman who wishes to be married again but wants the blessing of her two ex-husbands before she walks down the aisle.
In Man’s Best Friend, a man risks his relationship with his girlfriend because of his obsession with his dog while The Lake sees three women meeting in the same spot each year to honour the drowning death of one of their children.
The Passion Play is a comedy about an egotistical, lecherous theatre director who has walked out of auditions for an Easter play about the crucifixion because his wife auditioned for the role of the Virgin Mary.
Out of Sight features an agent trying to convince a stand-up comedian who is losing his vision to go on stage with a seeing-eye dog.
For three performances, The Passion Play will be swapped out for Two Birds With One Stone, as two men damaged by alcohol and drugs visit the grave of a priest – but they have not come to pay their respects.
O’Neill also acts in The Passion Play and Out of Sight and said he usually imagined the scenarios for each play, although they stemmed from an initial real-life observation.
“I sat in a park years ago in New York and it amazed me what was happening on each bench,” he said.
“There were couples arguing, meeting for the first time, people cheating on their spouses and those who were down and out.
“By just using a park bench, it seemed to be the simplest way to tell a story – I’ve never been one to be amazed by a theatrical set and keeping it simple has been a lifelong lesson.”
Born in Ireland, O’Neill moved to New York in his late teens and appeared in many off-Broadway productions before moving to Perth more than 20 years ago, clocking up a plethora of awards for writing and directing.
He has previously worked as a lecturer at the WA Academy of Performing Arts and Perth Actors’ Collective and appeared as Watto in the ABC-TV series The Heights and Dennis Glennon in The Claremont Murders.
“I like the idea of the park bench plays because I feel the audience joins the characters, as if they are eavesdropping,” O’Neill said.
“I’m sure there is a connection with the audience – I have always found theatre reflects life more than the cinema.
“Audiences can see a little bit of themselves in some of the characters and empathise and laugh at the situations people get themselves into.”
The park bench series plays at 7.30pm August 31, September 1, 2, 7, 8 and 9 with 2pm matinees September 3 and 10. Tickets at trybooking.com.
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