THe Review
Written by Rod Ainsworth, Directed by Travis Hock, Musical Score by The Short Fall, and inspired by cyclone Marcia and the community's memories and responses, Monsoon is a rich, intergenerational story of family, the supernatural, grief, madness, and climate science.
Acknowledgements
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Funding
Australian Government Regional Arts Fund The John Villiers Trust Livingstone Shire Council Queensland Government Cast Roman Willson as Young Sam Jesse Warren as Older Sam Maisy Bartley as The Girl/Young Gen Kendal Lane as Older Gen/Mia Mark Alston as Max Jill Stevens as Marcia Garyth Walpole as Daryl Jodie van de Wetering as Bernadette Oliver Skrzypczynski as Bill Kat Robinson as Lauren |
Production Team
Playwright: Rod Ainsworth Director: Travis Hock Music: The Short Fall Costumes: Amanda Hock Set Design, Sound & Lighting: Ross James Lighting: Ian Rendell Videographer: Hughi Simmons Project Coordinator, Stage Manager, Graphic Design Publicity & Programs: Steve Marshall Special thanks Leanne Smith: Keppel Coast Arts Sam Willoughby: Maisy’s mum Robert Bartley: Maisy’s dad Matthew Willson: Roman’s dad Ren Roby: BlingBling Costumes Nora Hanasy: Artist Crissy Williams: Elements Hair & Co Allan Reinnika: Photographs |
Copyright
Monsoon was commissioned by Keppel Coast Arts and is rights protected under the Australian Copyright Act 2017.
Monsoon Script © 2017, Rod Ainsworth. Musical score © 2017, The Short Fall. All Rights Reserved.
Monsoon was commissioned by Keppel Coast Arts and is rights protected under the Australian Copyright Act 2017.
Monsoon Script © 2017, Rod Ainsworth. Musical score © 2017, The Short Fall. All Rights Reserved.
Monsoon Documentary
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The Playwright: ROD AINSWORTH
Rod Ainsworth. PHOTO Allan Reinikka
Rod Ainsworth was commissioned by Keppel Coast Arts to write a project called, at the time, Marcia: The Musical. This was to be a way of bringing the community together through story and song – through a fun night of theatre to collectively remember.
Rod talked with a broad range of people from those directly affected to those who recorded the event. He spent some inspiring time with a range of students at Keppel Sands, Farnborough and Byfield State Schools who talked about the environment around us. Drawings from these students helped to inform the main character of the play, which has now been named MONSOON. He has been inspired by both the sadness and the strength.
Coming from Bundaberg, which, only a couple of years before, had been ravaged by floods brought to us by ex Tropical Cyclone Oswald, and having worked in the arts recovery process in his home town, he has become familiar with the tragedy but also the resilience, the humour and good will of fellow humans in recovering from devastation like this. Or at least collectively getting through. You never forget.
It is hoped that the play moves beyond the local and becomes a universal story which can connect to anyone, at any time, but especially those who have been hit by natural disaster. It’s part poetry, part song and – hopefully – a great night out.
With music by The Short Fall and direction by Travis Hock, there’s no doubt it will be.
Rod talked with a broad range of people from those directly affected to those who recorded the event. He spent some inspiring time with a range of students at Keppel Sands, Farnborough and Byfield State Schools who talked about the environment around us. Drawings from these students helped to inform the main character of the play, which has now been named MONSOON. He has been inspired by both the sadness and the strength.
Coming from Bundaberg, which, only a couple of years before, had been ravaged by floods brought to us by ex Tropical Cyclone Oswald, and having worked in the arts recovery process in his home town, he has become familiar with the tragedy but also the resilience, the humour and good will of fellow humans in recovering from devastation like this. Or at least collectively getting through. You never forget.
It is hoped that the play moves beyond the local and becomes a universal story which can connect to anyone, at any time, but especially those who have been hit by natural disaster. It’s part poetry, part song and – hopefully – a great night out.
With music by The Short Fall and direction by Travis Hock, there’s no doubt it will be.
The Director: TRAVIS HOCK
Travis Hock: PHOTO Allan Reinikka
"With Monsoon, I think the audience can expect something dark." Travis Hock, Director, MONSOON, The Morning Bulletin 17 July 2017.
Travis Hock is a local actor and creative. His involvement in the recently commissioned MONSOON is to interpret and produce the play whilst collaborating with Rod Ainsworth.
Following on from the scripting process, Hock was successful to achieve grant funding to write the music and produce the play, now scheduled for a November 2017 release in Central Qld.
During the past months Hock has set about contracting writers The Short Fall who have been commissioned to produce the score.
Travis Hock is not restricted in his interpretation of the production, which he says he has free reign over the creative process although “I do speak to Rod about the finer points in the script, the character and symbolism.” To be able to speak with the author, there’s a beauty in that, to bounce ideas.
It’s like a tempest, a Greek tragedy even, everything was there, the key indicators, and then it arrived.
Travis Hock is a local actor and creative. His involvement in the recently commissioned MONSOON is to interpret and produce the play whilst collaborating with Rod Ainsworth.
Following on from the scripting process, Hock was successful to achieve grant funding to write the music and produce the play, now scheduled for a November 2017 release in Central Qld.
During the past months Hock has set about contracting writers The Short Fall who have been commissioned to produce the score.
Travis Hock is not restricted in his interpretation of the production, which he says he has free reign over the creative process although “I do speak to Rod about the finer points in the script, the character and symbolism.” To be able to speak with the author, there’s a beauty in that, to bounce ideas.
It’s like a tempest, a Greek tragedy even, everything was there, the key indicators, and then it arrived.
The Musicians: The Short Fall
The Short Fall. Photo supplied
The short Fall were commissioned by Keppel Coast Arts to undertake the challenging adventure of writing the score for MONSOON.
After almost 3 years since the release of their last EP, State of Mind, Rockhampton troubadours The Short Fall are back in the studio working on the new material under the guidance of Director, Travis Hock, and the influence of the writer's intent.
For singer-songwriter siblings Angelo & Ryan Conway, this challenge will assuredly leave their mark on the works that will underpin the tempest that is Monsoon. This will eventually lead back to the creation of new music works.
Their new songs are a continuation of their previous endeavours, featuring their trademark harmonies, catchy melodies and guitar work; albeit with a renewed energy and perspective that comes from revisiting the natural song-writing chemistry that was put on hold for the past 2 and a half years.
‘We’d been constantly writing and evolving our songs up until the release of our second EP in late 2014, after which we decided to step back and focus on other creative endeavours. The past 2 and a half years have been a chance for us to rediscover what we love about The Short Fall’s sound and where we want to take our music into the future.’ – Angelo
The siblings have in no way slowed down since the release of State of Mind, instead choosing to focus their creative energy into other projects. Ryan’s business, Conway Custom specialises in guitar servicing & repair, though his true passion is in guitar making and is in the midst of building a repertoire of custom-built signature guitars. Angelo’s passion for art & design is expressed through his website & graphic design studio, Conway Creative, which has been in operation for the past seven years. He also recently starred as Fiyero in the Rockhampton Venues & Events’ musical production of Wicked in April 2017. What is evidently clear is that both siblings’ talents lie beyond that of just song writing, but their musical connection & on-stage chemistry keeps bringing them back to The Short Fall.
They struck gold in November 2013 with their debut single ‘The Meadow’, winning the annual MusicOz Australian Independent Music Award for best acoustic singer-songwriter, while their 2014 follow up single ‘Seasons’ garnered airplay on Triple J, Triple M, ABC Radio, Sea FM and on a huge amount of Community Radio Stations across the country. Since the release of State of Mind they have toured & performed relentlessly across Queensland, and are now in the process of writing songs for a long-waited new record.
www.theshortfall.com.au
After almost 3 years since the release of their last EP, State of Mind, Rockhampton troubadours The Short Fall are back in the studio working on the new material under the guidance of Director, Travis Hock, and the influence of the writer's intent.
For singer-songwriter siblings Angelo & Ryan Conway, this challenge will assuredly leave their mark on the works that will underpin the tempest that is Monsoon. This will eventually lead back to the creation of new music works.
Their new songs are a continuation of their previous endeavours, featuring their trademark harmonies, catchy melodies and guitar work; albeit with a renewed energy and perspective that comes from revisiting the natural song-writing chemistry that was put on hold for the past 2 and a half years.
‘We’d been constantly writing and evolving our songs up until the release of our second EP in late 2014, after which we decided to step back and focus on other creative endeavours. The past 2 and a half years have been a chance for us to rediscover what we love about The Short Fall’s sound and where we want to take our music into the future.’ – Angelo
The siblings have in no way slowed down since the release of State of Mind, instead choosing to focus their creative energy into other projects. Ryan’s business, Conway Custom specialises in guitar servicing & repair, though his true passion is in guitar making and is in the midst of building a repertoire of custom-built signature guitars. Angelo’s passion for art & design is expressed through his website & graphic design studio, Conway Creative, which has been in operation for the past seven years. He also recently starred as Fiyero in the Rockhampton Venues & Events’ musical production of Wicked in April 2017. What is evidently clear is that both siblings’ talents lie beyond that of just song writing, but their musical connection & on-stage chemistry keeps bringing them back to The Short Fall.
They struck gold in November 2013 with their debut single ‘The Meadow’, winning the annual MusicOz Australian Independent Music Award for best acoustic singer-songwriter, while their 2014 follow up single ‘Seasons’ garnered airplay on Triple J, Triple M, ABC Radio, Sea FM and on a huge amount of Community Radio Stations across the country. Since the release of State of Mind they have toured & performed relentlessly across Queensland, and are now in the process of writing songs for a long-waited new record.
www.theshortfall.com.au
