Festival of Dorothiorama: Miss Hewett's Shenanigans

This project formed the practice-based (PaR) case study component of my research into gender and repertoire formation in Australian theatre. Dorothy Hewett (1923-2002) remains one of Australia's literary mavericks. Poet, novelist and playwright, Communist and rabble-rouser, Hewett's reputation during her lifetime ranked alongside that of her friend and supporter, Nobel Laureate Patrick White. But while White's works now form part of the repertoire of mainstage (Australia Council Major Organisations Board funded) companies as classics of Australian theatre, Hewett's plays are neglected. Many have had only one professional production; others remain unproduced; her major play The Man from Mukinupin (1979) had its last mainstage production in 2009. Despite the continued popularity of works including The Chapel Perilous (1971) as set study texts and in student and community theatre, there is a real danger that Hewett's lively and significant body of work will fail to find a secure place in the Australian theatre repertoire.
My primary research questions for this undertaking were:
1. How performable are the plays of Dorothy Hewett in the context of contemporary Australian theatrical performance practice?
2. How can a practice-based investigation of questions arising from the dramaturgy and performance style of Hewett's plays inform approaches to their performance in that context?
My status as an Adjunct Senior Lecturer in CTP at Monash was detailed in the program for the event (see attached). Other documentation includes copies of handouts for the Poetica and Hewett Happening events, an online review of Miss Hewett's Shenanigans in Australian Stage 24/8/2012 and the edited/adapted performance text of MHS. Archival images from rehearsal and performance available on request.