Director’s Note: Janine Watson, ARIA
I first encountered ARIA by David Williamson when I was asked to present a scene from it for a fundraising event at Ensemble Theatre. After working on just four pages of the play I told Mark Kilmurry that if they were programming ARIA I wanted to direct it. It isn’t surprising, given the immense wit and intelligence so typical of David’s work, how it leaps off the page. The characters and relationships are so vivid, so recognisable and intriguingly flawed. And very funny.
The structure of the play struck me as incredibly exciting – one afternoon, a family gathering, a special event. All taking place in the piano room of Monique’s opulent home, it plays out in real time without scene changes. The atmosphere is charged with ego and discord as long suppressed grievances find their way to the surface. I was drawn in by the extreme dynamics of these characters when they are forced to engage with one another. I wanted to direct these scenes, to tell this story. The savage social satire is grounded in an incisive vision of contemporary Australian class and social politics. David uses the protagonist Monique as a beacon of unremitting power, whose assertive dominance is a cover for deep fault lines in her relationships.
I think ARIA is one of the pinnacles in David’s incomparable and prolific career. It has all the humour and laughter so beloved of his plays while fearlessly staring privilege and hypocrisy directly in the eye. In ARIA he centres four complex intelligent female roles at the heart of the story and has a wonderful time positioning them opposite deeply flawed male characters who have enjoyed immense economic advantage.
It is always an honour for me to be entrusted by a writer with a new work. And when that writer is a giant in the world of playwriting it is a major career highlight. However, the real privilege is in the artistic collaboration that we’ve formed as the play is readied for production. How encouraging, kind, and supportive David has been. He’s always available and open to questions and discussions. His passion for his work is evident in his energy, his research, his clarity of vision.
Our creative team and cast are magnificent. I’m so excited to bring ARIA to the stage for its World Premiere. My heartiest thanks to David and Mark for giving me this opportunity.
Janine Watson
Playing 24 Jan – 15 Mar, don’t miss the world premiere of David Williamson’s biting new social comedy ARIA!