PVT Wars

PVT Wars Indigo Parer, Josh Massarotti and Joseph BaldwinAfter successfully staging The Lonesome West in June, Lab Theatre in association with Aleksandar Vass and Vass Productions present James McLure’s PVT Wars as their second collaboration, at the Alex Theatre St Kilda for a limited season from 27 July 2018.

It’s 1975. Three U.S Servicemen, now Vietnam veterans, find themselves in a hospital, post war. Gately, a hillbilly; Silvio, a street-wise big city type; Natwick, a rich kid from Long Island. They tease, torment, and amuse each other in a vain attempt to distract themselves from the reality of returning to a world that doesn’t want them.

First presented in 1979 off-broadway, PVT Wars has been presented by theatre companies around the world as a vehicle to tackle the comedic yet gut wrenching themes of post-war psychosis, loneliness and fighting personal truths experienced by post-war veterans and in this case post-Vietnam war veterans.

Directed by Peter Kalos – the director and founder of Melbourne Actors Lab, and performed by Josh Massarotti, Indigo Parer and Joseph Baldwin (featuring Diana Puot), these actors have been living, breathing, developing and working on these characters for over a year as part of their training at Lab Theatre where they work with an absolute commitment toward one goal; the truthful revelation of character.

James McLure was an American playwright, whose works include Lone Star, Laundry and Bourbon, Thanksgiving, The Day They Shot John Lennon, The River Cane, Wild Oats (adaptation), Seduction, Max and Maxie, Fran and Brian, Ghost World, The Agent, Southern Christmas and Iago. McLure died at his Californian home in 2011.

“does not dwell on the war in Vietnam but on the small talk that conceals the inner turmoil of the patients.” – New York Times

Director: Peter Kalos Featuring: Josh Massarotti, Indigo Parer, Joseph Baldwin, Diana Puot

PVT Wars
Alex Theatre St Kilda, Level 1 – 135 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda
Season: 27 July – 4 August 2018 (preview: Thursday 26 July)
Information and Bookings: www.alextheatrestk.com.au

Image: Indigo Parer, Josh Massarotti and Joseph Baldwin feature in PVT Wars (supplied)