Poignant Trip To Bountiful For Roleystone

A PLAY from the author of the Academy Award-winning To Kill A Mockingbird screenplay comes to Roleystone Theatre from May 9 – 17, 2014.

Written by Horton Foote, The Trip To Bountiful is a poignant story of an ageing widow unhappily living with her son and daughter-in-law in a small city apartment.

She longs to return to the town of Bountiful where she grew up and finally manages to make the journey, discovering more about her early life and disappointments along the way.

Ultimately, she is reconciled to the reality of her present situation and faces the future with peace.

Originally written for television in 1953, The Trip To Bountiful made its Broadway debut the same year and scored Tony, Theatre World and Outer Critics Circle Awards.

It was revived for Broadway in 2013, scoring numerous Tony Award nominations.

Foote turned his script into a 1985 film, scoring an Academy Award nomination for best adapted screenplay and a best actress Oscar for Geraldine Page.

“I first saw the celebrated movie version many years ago and thought it a beautiful and very moving story,” director Kim Martin said.

“The Trip To Bountiful deals with many issues that people face at one time or another in their journey through life, whether it’s lost dreams, lost love, disappointments or family tensions.

“They’re all dealt with in a very compassionate yet realistic way – most audience members will find something they identify closely with.”

Involved in theatre for more than 40 years, Martin has been an actor, director, musical director, composer, playwright, lyricist and pianist for shows in Northam, Kalgoorlie and Roleystone.

He’s been a regular with Roleystone Theatre for the past three decades and has also worked with Attic Theatre and the Graduate Dramatic Society.

In 1985, Martin won the Finley Award for best musical for Esther and also scored the 2000 best play award for An Ideal Husband.

More recently, he has directed The Crucible, The Club, Influence and The Teahouse of the August Moon and performed in By Jeeves, Into The Woods, Cosi and A Month of Sundays.

“My main challenge with The Trip To Bountiful is to build the emotional climaxes while keeping the pace of the play flowing,” Martin said.

“It’s an intimate portrayal of life and we want to maintain that intimacy throughout.”

The Trip To Bountifulplays from May 9 to 17. Tickets are $20, $15 concession – book on 9397 5730 or at www.roleystonetheatre.com.au.

Roleystone Theatre is located at 587 Brookton Highway, Roleystone, opposite the Croyden Road junction.

Images: Mrs Watts (Patricia Bona, right) meets Thelma (Bree Hartley) on her journey to her home town & Patricia Bona, right, is Mrs Watts, frustrated with her daughter-in-law, played by Sarah Shipcott in The Trip To Bountilful. Picture: Zyg Woltersdorf.

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