Australian playwright Fleur Murphy premieres Hearth, a new drama about family and belonging, from May 18-29 at the La Mama Courthouse.
Murphy says: “I’ve been extremely humbled by the response we’ve received from various communities and individuals throughout the development of the work. “What’s been amazing is the space it’s provided others to share their own stories of hope and resilience – whether in the rehearsal room, the classroom, over a cuppa and a scone after a reading, or in the theatre foyer.”
Forged in the exploration of an environmental threat Australians know all too well – an approaching bushfire, Hearth strikes the balance between pathos and humour, with witty and lyrical dialogue, relatable characters and timely themes.
It’s February 7, 2009 – forever known in Australia’s history as Black Saturday. It’s also Tom Robinson’s 18th birthday.
Celebrations kick off at the family’s Kinglake home and nothing seems out of the ordinary. But tensions start to rise between Tom and his older brother Matthew, along with the temperature outside, and before the ice-cream cake has time to melt a deeply held family secret is revealed.
Directed by Tom Royce-Hampton, this play investigates how good intentions can slowly erode away and reveal the cracks in the foundation of a family. It poses the questions: What makes a family? Is it love, blood or law? And, what breaks a family?
“The play is inspired by a number of things: my own upbringing in a small country town, family secrets and the heartbreaking accounts from those involved in the Black Saturday bushfires.
“In the beginning it may look like a familiar family drama but it’s a play scorched in secrets and trauma. For me, Hearth is about striving for a sense of belonging and a desperate yearning to heal,” says Murphy.
The cast of Hearth includes Geoff Paine (Neighbours), Sonya Suares (Melbourne Talam, MTC), Martin Blum (Boy out of the Country, Larrikin Productions), Carole Patullo (Button, La Mama) and Kurt Pimblett (Hir, Belvoir and Because The Night, Malthouse).

• Cheryl Threadgold