Summer of the 17th Doll by Ray Lawler
Directed by Petra Kalive, Movement Direction by Xanthe Beesley
A Union House Theatre Production, Union House, University of Melbourne, October 2023.
This was performed with professional artists and students.
1953.
Carlton, Melbourne. Australia.
Summer - and it's flamin' hot.
Olive is desperately attempting to recreate the happy days and heady nights of the cane cutting 'lay-off'.
For the past sixteen years, she's spent this glorious time with Barney, Roo and Nancy in her mother's house - a small Carlton terrace that they call home.
But on this, the seventeenth summer, nothing will be like it was.
Nancy got married. And, try as she might, Olive can't replace her as easily as she thinks.
The lay-off can't be the same anymore because they aren't the same anymore. As the facade they're keeping up disintegrates around them, memories fade and everyone has to face reality.
This extraordinary play was first performed in 1955 at the Union Theatre, Union House, University of Melbourne. This version is a fitting tribute that marks Union House Theatre's first production in the new Union Theatre. With it we bring with us a long history into this brand new space and nearly seven decades later the work provide a new generation of actors, designers, creatives and crew the chance to embed themselves into the rich legacy that is theatre on campus.
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Directors note
I am deeply humbled to be directing this production of Summer of the 17th Doll. This production is more than just another staging; it’s a culmination of my own journey and a testament to the enduring legacy of Union House Theatre.
In revisiting our cultural legacy works like this one (originally staged by the Union Theatre Repertory Company at the old Union Theatre in 1955), we don’t merely dwell in the past; we engage in a dialogue with history. In this production Summer of the Seventeenth Doll acts a mirror and reminds us of the human propensity for nostalgia, and how we sometimes willingly choose not to see the uncomfortable truths lurking beneath the surface. The play’s characters, much like our society, wrestle with the fear of embracing a different future. I think this narrative endures because at its core The Doll is grappling with a white/migrant Australian identity, who, in the main are wilfully blind and fiercely protective of the status quo. In our current socio-political climate, where our nation grapples with the impending referendum regarding the First Nations’ Voice to Parliament, these themes couldn’t be more relevant. Just as Olive and her companions are reluctant to confront the fantasy they have created; we too must reflect on the narratives that underpin our nation’s identity.
The ability to direct this production at this time in this brand-new Union Theatre with professionals and students is personally incredibly special. I began my career in student theatre, forging my path, like so many others before and since. Student theatre has an impressive legacy in this country and the Managers and Artistic Directors of the Union (and Guild) Theatres, have provided opportunities, given voice to, and shaped so many artists lives from performers to riggers. The Union Theatre and its programs have an indelible impact on our theatre culture. For me, directing this production, completes a circle; from those formative years on campus performing in every play I could (to the detriment of my Science Degree), to my role as Artistic Director of Union House Theatre supporting and mentoring student creatives, and recently as Associate Director of Melbourne Theatre Company, a department born from the Union Theatre Repertory Company. This work brings together all these threads of my career in a singular work – which is pretty special.
This production isn’t just a play; it’s a journey, a reckoning, and a celebration of our shared cultural tapestry. My hope is that it encourages conversations about our past, our present, and our vision for the future.
Article about the history of the work
Cast
Olive - Alexandra Aldrich
Roo - Martin Blum
Emma - Margot Fenley
Barney - Henry Kelly
Pearl - Leah Bourne
Bubba - Nuo (Cecilia) Liu
Johnnie - Kailen Missen
Creatives and Crew
Director – Petra Kalive
Movement Director & Producer – Xanthe Beesley
Lighting Designer – Richard Vabre
Costume Designer – Natalie Gillis
Set Designer – Brynna Lowen
Sound Designer – Rachel Lewindon
Stage Manager – Annese Lingafelter
Assistant Director – Charlotte Rogers
Intimacy Coordinator – Margot Fenley
Understudy Cast – Maggie Dunleavy, Annanya Musale, Pippa Arton-Powell, Oscar Lidgerwood, James Madsen-Smith, Clare Birtles
Production Manager – Connor Ross
Stage Carpentry – Allen Laverty
Head Technician – Clynton Jones
Marketing – Simran Giria
Assistant Stage Manager – Felicity Siegenthaler
Technical Stage Manager – Christa Jonathan
Lighting Mentee – Ishana Girish
Sound Mentee / Lighting & Sound Operator – Amy Todd
Costume Mentee – Bridie Turner
Set Design & Construction Mentees – Maya Anderson, Lauren Luchs, Leanne Kong
Production Management Mentee – Felicity Bayne
Marketing & Producer Mentee – Elizabeth Victoria Pardallis
Publicity Assistant – Weiying (Irene) Lu
Poster Imager Photography – Alice Hutchinson
Cover for Olive – Sophie Lampel
Production Photography - Liv Morrisoon
