2023
Gwen in Purgatory
by
Tommy Murphy
directed by
Lucy Moxon
Gwen is 90. She woke up this morning to discover that purgatory is sitting alone in a new house in a new subdivision on the edge of town, trying to work out if the remote in her hand operates the TV, the air-con or the fanforced oven.
But the kids are coming round and Father Ezekiel is on his way to bless the house, so the beginning of the end is looking up.
PRODUCTION TEAM
Lucy Moxon
Director
Lia Surrentino
Costumes
Petra Donnison
Stage Manager
Peter van Brucken
Sound & Lighting Design& Operation
Dani Park
Sound Design
CAST
Lorraine Fox
Gwen
John Evans
Laurie
Shane Fell
Daniel
Ganiyu Dimeji
Father Ezekiel
Leanne Look
Peg
Tommy Murphy
Playwright
Tommy is a playwright and screenwriter.
Tommy created and was the Head Writer and Script Producer for the original television series Significant Others for Fremantle Media Australia and the ABC. Tommy recently wrote an episode of The Twelve for Foxtel/Warner Bros and Easy Tiger. He is currently writing the Book for a new stage musical for the Michael Cassel Group, in addition to commissions for Belvoir and The Sydney Theatre Company.
In 2020 Tommy was awarded the prestigious Australia Council Theatre Award. His play Packer & Sons closed in January 2020 after a record-breaking sell-out season at Belvoir Street Theatre. Packer & Sons was also nominated for a NSW Premier’s Award.
Tommy wrote and was associate producer on the feature film Holding The Man (Goalpost Films) directed by Neil Armfield. Tommy's script won the AWGIE Award for Best Writing in a Feature Film Adaptation and Critics Circle Award for Best Screenplay. Tommy's long association with Tim Conigrave's memoir Holding The Man began with his 2006 stage adaptation for Griffin Theatre Company. This very successful production returned in 2007 to Griffin, then onto the Sydney Opera House, Company B Belvoir, Brisbane Powerhouse and MTC presentations. There also have been many separate productions internationally, including the West End. The play won the NSW Premier's Award and an AWGIE Award.
Tommy's other stage works include: Peter Pan (Belvoir St, including Broadway presentation at New Victory Theatre); Gwen in Purgatory (Belvoir St and La Boite); Saturn's Return (STC); Blood Wedding (Royal and Derngate Northampton Theatre, UK); Troy's House (ATYP); Strangers in Between (Griffin, Winner NSW Premier's Award) which opened on the West End in 2018. Tommy’s stage adaptation of Nevil Shute’s apocalyptic novel On The Beach recently premiered at the Sydney Theatre Company in July 2023.
His numerous screenwriting credits include writing for the award-winning series Devil's Playground (Matchbox/Foxtel) and Fighting Season (Goalpost Pictures/Foxtel Showcase). He is also adapting his 2017 play Mark Colvin's Kidney (Belvoir Street) for screen.
For enquiries regarding Tommy Murphy please contact Camerons Management via info@cameronsmanagement.com.au or on (02) 9319 7199.