Wallflowering, by award winning Australian playwright Peta Murray, is a delightfully amusing and poignant play about the nature of marriage, the pursuit of happiness and the perfect foxtrot!
HIT is very excited to be revisiting this beautiful Australian play, directed by award winning Denny Lawrence and starring well credentialed actors in the roles of Cliff and Peggy, and world class dancers as the younger dancing couple.
The play revolves around the lives of Peg and Cliff Small, an ordinary, suburban, middle-aged couple who were once prize-winning ballroom dancers.
The action is interspersed with ballroom dancing by a younger couple, who represent not only Peg and Cliff in their glory days, but also the older couple’s romantic, idealised view of themselves.
While Cliff now has dreams of becoming a writer, but can get no further than writing lists of clever book titles, Peg on the other hand is no longer content to quietly and unquestioningly follow her husband. She wants to lead and sees the possibilities and excitement in change. These changes cause them to be out of step with each other and threaten their marriage.
There is great comedy and pathos in the exploration of Cliff and Peggy’s “ordinary” lives. In the swish of a taffeta skirt and slide of patent shoes across the floor, the audience are transported to a glorious and romantic vision of our champions as perfectly synchronised, beautiful and extraordinary people.
Warning: Adult Themes
“Wallflowering leaves us with the feeling that loving in an ordinary way may be quite an extraordinary gift after all.” The West Australian
“...Noeline Brown and Doug Scroope bring to their roles as a long-married couple going through a troubled time the sort of understated artistry that critics dream about but seldom encounter in the theatre.” Oz Arts Review
“…two unremarkable people whose story is not the stuff of grand drama, but whose journey is authentic and considerable.” The Sun-Herald
“The integrity and finesse of Brown and Scroope, and writer Murray’s ultimate respect for love and marriage and belief that when people stop growing they die, makes Wallflowering a fascinating and rewarding play.” The West Australian
“The elegant Noeline Brown scores a bullseye performance with her finely judged portrayal of Peg…..That both characters win the affection and admiration of the audience is also a credit to director Bruce Myles, who has shaped two engaging and honest performances from this outstanding duo.” Geoff Gibbs, The West Australian
