A darkly comedic political thriller exploring what it means to be right… in more ways than one, Katy Warner’s A Prudent Man is currently touring to selected venues across Australia from March to September.
A well-groomed, confident-looking man enters the room and sits on a comfortable and expensive-looking leather chair. A bright light shines on him. There’s water and a glass on a table, but that’s all. Perhaps this is an investigation. What has he done wrong?
What makes the Trumps, the Abbotts and the Hansons of this world tick? What would happen if their world started to shift ever so slightly? This is not a show about one politician or political event, this is a speculative piece inspired by real life events and people.
Embodying their slogans, mannerisms and headlines, A Prudent Man is an amalgamation of recent history’s conservative politicians. Written and directed by Katy Warner and performed by Lyall Brooks, this timely production takes an unapologetic look at a man in control of everything on the edge.
Writer and director Katy Warner recently won the 2016 AWGIE for Best Children’s Theatre for Reasons to Stay Inside and the 2017 Neilma Sidney Short Story Prize for The Trip. Her 2013 Melbourne Fringe play Dropped was nominated for two Green Room Awards and has been performed in Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide and Edinburgh.
Katy holds a Masters of Writing for Performance from VCA and a BEd from Edith Cowan University and has worked as assistant director for Melbourne Theatre Company, St Martins Youth Theatre and The French Woods Festival, New York. Her debut novel will be published by Black Ink in 2018.
Performer Lyall Brooks has appeared in the Helpmann Award nominated North by Northwest (Arts Centre Melbourne), The Heretic (MTC) and Sunday in the Park with George (Victorian Opera). He has received three Green Room award nominations for Patricia Cornelius’ Savages, The Pride for Red Stitch and The Thing About Men (Magnormos). Recent TV appearances include Neighbours and the final season of HBO’s The Leftovers.
Winner: 2016 Melbourne Fringe Festival – People’s Choice Award / Winner: 2016 Melbourne Fringe Festival – WA Tour Ready Award / Nominated: 2016 Melbourne Fringe Festival – Best Performance; 2017 Fringe World Perth Festival – Theatre Award / Official Selection: 2017 New York United Solo Festival
“Katy Warner’s script was tremendous. Lyall Brooks was brilliant… This was lean portrayal, nothing wasted. Every gesture, and slip and shuffle in his seat – all of it served the story. This was really a great work.” – David Collins, Australian Arts Review
A Prudent Man
Engine Room – Capital Theatre, 58 View Street, Bendigo
Performances: 16 – 17 March 2018
Bookings: www.thecapital.com.au
Drum Theatre, Lonsdale Street, Dandenong
Performance: Thursday 22 March 2018
Bookings: www.drumtheatre.com.au
Theatre Royal, 29 Campbell Street, Hobart
Performance: 28 & 29 March 2018
Bookings: www.theatreroyal.com.au
For more information and touring schedule for April to September, visit: www.labkelpie.com for details.
Image: Lyall Brooks stars in A Prudent Man – photo by Pier Carthew