In a night of suspense, humour and compromised morality, Around the Moon Productions presents Lobby Hero by Oscar-winning playwright Kenneth Lonergan at fortyfivedownstairs from 22 October 2019.
When you can’t trust the law, who can you trust? When Jeff, a luckless young security guard, is drawn into a local murder investigation, loyalties are strained to the breaking point. As Jeff’s tightly wound supervisor is called to bear witness against his troubled brother, and an attractive rookie cop finds she must stand up to her seasoned partner, truth becomes elusive and justice proves costly.
“Lonergan writes characters that are layered and nuanced whilst also being hilarious and relatable,” says Around the Moon Director Monique Fisher. “As a long-time fan of his works, I was drawn to this particular piece because of the way he cleverly uses suspense and wit to lure you into a very powerful political commentary on the moral compass of average working class people in relation to issues of sexism, racism and the justice system.”
“The work is perhaps more pressing now than when it was originally written. To work with such a highly talented team of creative’s on such a brilliant piece is a dream come true,” adds Fisher.
Director James Vinson, whose recent credits include working in the script departments of acclaimed series Wentworth and Glitch, and several internationally recognised, award winning short films, leads a quartet of talented actors including Monique Fisher (The Turning, Dead Gorgeous), Charles Grounds (Crazy Rich Asians, Babyteeth), Ryan Murphy (Maybe Tomorrow, The Importance of Being Earnest), and Victory Ndukwe (Mr Burns, The Flick).
Kenneth Lonergan is an American film director, playwright, and screenwriter. He is known for his work on the films Gangs of New York (2002), You Can Count On Me (2000), Margaret (2011) and Manchester by the Sea (2016) – which won an Oscar and a BAFTA for Best Original Screenplay. Besides Lobby Hero Lonergan’s plays include This Is Our Youth and The Waverly Gallery – each have had a successful revival engagement on Broadway, which resulted in each play receiving a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play.
“Few playwrights match Mr Lonergan in making confident art out of such constantly shifting uncertainty.” – New York Times
Director: James Vinson Featuring: Monique Fisher, Charles Grounds, Ryan Murphy, Victory Ndukwe Sound Designer: Connor Ross Set Designer: Juliette Whitney Costume Designer: Alice Wilson Lighting Designer: Rachel Lee Music Composer: Albert Salt Production & Stage Manager: Jackie Mates
Lobby Hero
fortyfivedownstairs, 45 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
Season: 23 – 27 October 2019 (preview: 22 October)
Bookings: www.fortyfivedownstairs.com
For more information, visit: www.aroundthemoonproductions.com for details.
Image: Monique Fisher, Victory Ndukwe, Charles Grounds and Ryan Murphy feature in Lobby Hero – photo by Isabella Ferrier