What are we made of? Who will carry the torch when no one else will? And at what point does tradition overtake humanity?​

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My Notes:

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My grandfather passed away when I was fifteen, and during that period of time, I was struck by all the commotion: the people who came to visit my grandparents old suburban house, the whispered conversations about the estate, the arrangements in place and who would be inheriting what. I remember thinking "What happens now?" and that one day I probably will be in the same situation, dealing with the aftermath and implications of succession.

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So I wrote about that and here it is. It's a play about the end of childhood and facing the big questions of life ahead; it's a play about loyalty and whether we should be more loyal to ourselves or to the people who've been there since day one; it's about doing away with the past and thinking realistically about the future; and at some midway point in the process, I realised it's deeply a story about toxic masculinity and the culture of 'manning up'. It's about the struggle that all of us face in grabbing onto an identity, a personality, a condition that we feel comfortable with. But as the characters you are about to see realise in violent and confronting ways, such an identity is difficult to grasp.

 

Creating this play has involved so many people who have given such generosity, not just from this production but also from previous iterations. I hope this plays reaches down deep into your soul and speaks with brutal honesty, otherwise my dad will be very very disappointed in me..... Just kidding.

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Playwright, Director, Designer: Lachlan Driscoll

Script Dramaturg and Production Consultant: Alex Macdonald

Projection Designer: Rachel Hall

Assistant Stage Manager: Charlotte Carter

Stage Manager and Technical Support: Samuel Seagrott

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Cast: James Hogan, Emile Regano, Robert Wainwright, Rebecca Day​

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Reviews:

 

"“Portraits” offers a sophisticated take on complicated and important themes like choices, consequences, regret and even religion. Its script is well written; this is especially evident in its dialogue between the Godbold siblings which naturally transforms from banter to intense confrontation reflecting the range of their emotions as the story’s reality unfolds. More moments of light and shade beyond just their escalating anger could maybe help more clearly establish details of the twisting storyline to aid audience members in appreciating the nuance of its complications, however, ultimately the story of the family’s crumbling empire makes for an intellectually-engaging expose of the price of legacy. " Meredith Walker, Blue Curtains Brisbane

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"​The performance gave us plenty of answers in an intense, thought-provoking experience. Written and directed by Lachlan Driscoll, the script was sharp and held plenty of memorable moments. At times, it was hard to piece together connections and the story, as context was occasionally limited. However, this did not detract from the fun of watching the mystery unfold. Described as a cross between “The Godfather” and “The Haunting of Hill House”, the script allowed both actors and the audience to be submersed into a high stakes situation with twisted family values at the heart of it. Performers, Emile Regano and Rebecca Day delivered an excellent portrayal of an estranged brother and sister relationship. Their verbally-fuelled fight scenes were shocking, realistic and quite harrowing; a credit to their skillsets. James Hogan’s portrayal of a powerful father, faced with illness and tumbling into darkness, was powerful and memorable. Robert Wainwright proved to be an asset to the production, playing additional characters that further enriched the narrative." Pippa Haupt, Theatre Haus

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