15 years ago (you’d like to think on a dark and stormy night with a sickle moon glimpsed in the sky, but weather rarely has a sense of narrative), Brendan Cowell’s first play, Men, premiered at the Old Fitzroy Theatre.
Much has changed since those fresh millennial days – the theatre itself has evolved under the stewardship of various companies, though now seems to have found an invigorated direction with Red Line Productions – but the troubling lessons of the play are as pertinent as ever. Sean Hawkins, Red Line co-artistic director and Sydney Theatre Award-winning performer, is part of the team responsible for bringing Men home. What’s more, he’ll actually be performing in the production as well – clearly, directing a theatre must be a pretty cushy role if he gets to run around acting all the time.
“Ha! Well, running an independent theatre is quite diverse, really,” Hawkins explains, “especially when it comes to day-to-day stuff. I’m the co-artistic director alongside Andrew Henry and Vanessa Wright. We all have very different roles, but lately it’s been a little crazier. Half of my time is divided between rehearsals and the other half is there trying to keep the theatre buzzing. Facilitating late shows, gathering sponsorships, all the way down to coffee dates. This is my first time acting since Howie The Rookie, so it’s really been focusing on the producing side of things for the last six months. Now it’s double the effort – rehearsals at night, management during the day – but somehow you find a way to just get it all done.
“We were so busy at the start of the year because we didn’t really have a theatre to operate in. No seats, no lights, no lighting bars, nothing; it had all been stripped away by the previous owners. I think we had about a month before our first show, and it was all so stressful. And of course we were producing these shows as well, so it wasn’t just a matter of bringing in an outside company. We had to market it, run every aspect of the show, and it’s around then that my hair started to go grey. So things aren’t as bad now! We’ve all had our time of being stressed out, and now it’s time for the fun bits.”
When it was first staged, Men proved to be a rather breakthrough success, touring to Edinburgh, New York, and significantly propelling Cowell’s career. Though not without humour, it is quite a dark production, with its focus on the raw material of what ‘makes’ a man. In addition to Hawkins, the production stars Ben O’Toole, Jamie Timony and Cheree Cassidy, and is directed by Jessica Tuckwell.
“We were really keen to have this story told by a woman, from a woman’s perspective,” Hawkins says. “It adds certain interesting layers to this very masculine tale.” But press for any more details and you’ll hit an apologetic brick wall; fundamental to the story is the twist at the end, and Hawkins is cautious not to let too much information slide.
“There’s a great twist at the end which we’re keeping quite hush-hush since it ruins the play a little bit to know, so as much as I’d like to divulge it, you’ll just have to trust me. The three aspects of the men here are the Penis, the Panther and the Poet. That’s the way Brendan described it. It’s kind of about the breakdown of how these males try and… ha, I’m trying to tiptoe around it all without giving anything away. It’s the breakdown of how these men, these aspects, keep interrupting each other.
“There’s an apocalyptic feeling to the play; everything is sort of kicked into hyperdrive. There’s also a lady character, Hazel, who wrangles them all, in a sense. But in terms of thematic significance, it’s definitely still relevant. It’s actually quite a naughty play, very dark and very funny, but also brings up some serious things. Brendan is a writer full of explorations of the Australian male psyche. Every one of his works is like that, and this being his first, it’s the most potent, where he’s just cramming all of these ideas in. There’s a lot of frustration and confusion around the role of a woman in these guys’ lives. It explores the effect of women and the fear of love.”
It is an ambitious, intriguing production that Red Line has undertaken, and Hawkins’ excitement for the play is catching. Right now he seems to be living the dream, having found that subtle balance between management and performance, and for those wishing to follow a similar trajectory, his advice is collaboration.
“Make sure you’ve got the right team around you. You really have to trust your colleagues, and just know why you want to do it in the first place. If you believe in what you’re doing, then it’s not a job. If you’re doing it for the right reasons, then it’s never work. The big thing is just to start doing it. Start a company, and start putting on plays. There’s no other way you’re going to get your work seen, especially with spaces running out. Sydney lost two theatres in two months, so the city is crying out for performance. Find a space and
get a show up. That’s my best advice.”
Men plays at Old Fitzroy Theatre, Tuesday June 30 – Saturday July 25.
