Holding the Man is a 2006 Australian play written by Tommy Murphy of Tim Conigrave's memoir of the same title. It is one of the most successful Australian plays of recent times and the winner of multiple awards. It premiered in Sydney, and then across Australia, as well as internationally–on London's West End and in Los Angeles.

Productions

The original production, directed by David Berthold, premiered in 2006 in a critically acclaimed, sold-out season at Sydney's Griffin Theatre Company, Australia's leading new writing theatre, and became the company's highest-grossing production in its 30-year history.

The production played six, highly successful seasons in various theatres around Australia:

The production was remounted at La Boite Theatre Company with a new cast, 16 February – 9 March 2013.

The 2014 key poster art for the Australian Theater Company's Los Angeles production of Holding the Man directed by Larry Moss starring Nate Jones and Adam J. Yeend

West End (London) season

This original Australian production was recreated in London's West End for a limited season from 23 April to 3 July 2010. The cast included Jane Turner, (Kath from TV's Kath & Kim), and Simon Burke. David Berthold directed and Brian Thomson designed the sets, with costumes and puppets by Micka Agosta. The production was nominated for Best Play and Berthold was nominated for Best Direction of a Play in the BroadwayWorld UK Awards. [1] The Trafalgar Studios season was produced by Daniel Sparrow and Mike Walsh, Matthew Henderson and Suzie Franke, Benjamin Jones and Neil Gooding Productions

Other productions

The North American premiere of Holding the Man was staged by San Francisco's New Conservatory Theater Center, 21 September – 4 November 2007.

A New Zealand production was produced by Silo Theatre (at Auckland's Herald Theatre, Aotea Centre) from 7–29 August 2009, directed by Shane Bosher.[2][3]

The State Theatre Company of South Australia production ran from 21 October – 13 November 2011 at the Dunstan Playhouse, Adelaide Festival Centre, directed by Rosalba Clemente and starring Nic English, Luke Clayson, Catherine Fitzgerald, Nick Pelomis, Geoff Revell and Ellen Steele. It was designed by Morag Cook, composed by Stuart Day, with lighting design by Mark Shelton and puppets created by Stephanie Fisher.

In 2019, Holding The Man was presented for the first time in New York as a benefit reading for Gay Men's Health Crisis starring Greg Ramsey and Charlie Munday directed by Andrew Victor Myers and Morgan Bartholick.[4]

Los Angeles season

The Australian Theatre Company presented their production in Los Angeles in May/June 2014 at the Matrix Theater with Larry Moss directing. The production was met with much fanfare with a launch hosted by the Australian Consul General in Los Angeles. The cast featured Nate Jones, Adam J. Yeend, Cameron Daddo, and Roxane Wilson and was very well received by US critics citing Moss' direction, Murphy's writing and the performances of the cast, particularly the two leads.

Publication

The stage version was published by Currency Press in November 2006 in a double volume with another play by Murphy, Strangers in Between. A new edition of the play was published in April 2010 by Nick Hern Books in the UK to coincide with the London season of the production.

Creative teams

Original Australian creative team

London creative team

  • Director: David Berthold
  • Designer: Brian Thomson
  • Costumes and puppets: Micka Agosta
  • Lighting Designer: James Whiteside
  • Composer & Original Sound Designer: Basil Hogios
  • UK Sound Designer: Avgoustos Psillas
  • Associate Director: Adam Spreadbury-Maher
  • Associate Designer: Morgan Large
  • Timothy Conigrave: Guy Edmonds
  • John Caleo: Matthew Zeremes
  • Mary-Gert Conigrave and various: Jane Turner
  • Dick Conigrave and various: Simon Burke
  • Phoebe and various: Anna Skellern
  • Peter Craig and various: Oliver Farnworth
  • Understudy Timothy Conigrave and John Caleo: Oliver Stoney
  • Understudy Mary-Gert Conigrave and various: Kali Hughes
  • Understudy Dick Conigrave and various: Lawrence Carmichael

New Zealand (Auckland) creative team

  • Director: Shane Bosher[5]
  • Set Designer: Rachael Walker[5]
  • Costume Designer: Elizabeth Whiting[5]
  • Lighting Designer: Jeremy Fern[5]
  • Composer & Sound Designer: Andrew McMillan[5]
  • Timothy Conigrave: Dan Musgrove[5]
  • John Caleo: Charlie McDermott[5]
  • Mary-Gert Conigrave, Lois Caleo and various: Alison Bruce[5]
  • Dick Conigrave, Bob Caleo and various: Andrew Laing[5]
  • Phoebe and various: Michelle Blundell[5]
  • Peter Craig, Biscuit, Kevin and various: Matt Whelan[5]

San Francisco creative team

  • Timothy Conigrave: Ben Randle
  • John Caleo: Bradly Mena
  • Mary-Gert Conigrave, Lois Caleo and various: Danielle Perata
  • Dick Conigrave, Bob Caleo and various: Dennis Parks
  • Phoebe and various: Nicole Lungerhausen
  • Peter Craig, Biscuit, Kevin and various: Wesley Cayabyab

Los Angeles creative team

  • Director: Larry Moss
  • Designer: John Iacovelli
  • Assistant Director: Peter Blackburn
  • Timothy Conigrave: Nate Jones
  • John Caleo: Adam J. Yeend
  • Mary-Gert Conigrave, Lois Caleo and various: Roxane Wilson
  • Dick Conigrave, Bob Caleo and various: Cameron Daddo
  • Juliet and various: Adrienne Smith
  • Peter Craig, Biscuit and various: Luke O'Sullivan

Awards for stage version

Articles and interviews

Reviews of original stage production

Australian production information

Articles and interviews from the New Zealand production

Reviews of New Zealand stage production

Reviews of San Francisco stage production

Articles and interviews from the Los Angeles production

Reviews of Los Angeles stage production directed by Larry Moss

References

  1. ↑ "Karimloo, Boggess, Ellis, Smith All Nominated in First BWW:UK AWARDS!".
  2. ↑ "Holding the Man - Love in the time of Aids". Theatreview. Retrieved 2021-10-08.
  3. ↑ Simei-Barton, Paul (10 Aug 2009). "Review: Holding the Man at Herald Theatre". NZ Herald. Retrieved 2021-10-08.
  4. ↑ "Holding the Man - A Benefit Reading for Gay Men's Heath [sic] Crisis".
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "New Zealand Theatre: theatre reviews, performance reviews". Theatreview. Retrieved 2021-10-08.
  6. 1 2 3 "Holding the Man". Australian Plays Transform. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
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