Auditions

Written by David Williamson and directed by Lee Cook.

3th and 5th July, 2018

Jack Manning, a community conference convenor, has brought together the family of a rape and murder victim and the family of the perpetrator with the hopes that the discussion will give both families the chance to grieve openly and help the healing process for both families to begin.

A Conversation is a realistic, emotionally charged and hard-hitting play by David Williamson that peeks in on the community conference process and delves into the horror, destruction and unspeakable pain that the crimes of rape and murder wreak on people’s lives. The play pulls no punches with its material as it explores the impact of the crime on both families and questions what conditions in someone’s life give rise to such a heinous action and, when all is said and done, whether those conditions even matter at all.

Contact Lee Cook to book an audition by sending an email to nottheotherlee@gmail.com

with A Conversation Audition in the subject line.

Jack Manning – 30 to 40 years of age, community conference convenor. Strongly believes in the positive effect that community conferencing can have in a healing process. Has brought the two families together in spite of their resistance to the idea.

Derek Milsom – Late 40’s and father to the victim, Donna. Derek and his wife Barbara get by in life fairly comfortably – well dressed and a higher class of citizen than the Williams family. Has reluctantly agreed to attend the conferencing session and is cynical about how much it will help, if at all. He is confrontational and aggressive in his approach with the Williams family. A grieving father.

Barbara Milsom – Mid 40’s and the mother to the victim, Donna. Barbara, like Derek, is well dressed and from a higher class of citizen. More ready than Derek to hear what the Williams have to say but still doubtful the conference will do anything positive. Feels like her grief has been managed somewhat by Derek. Proud of her daughter, eager to talk about her and share stories of her life. A grieving mother.

Lorin Zemanek – Late 30’s to mid 40’s. Lorin is a prison psychologist and was in part responsible for giving the perpetrator, Scott, the all clear to be released from his previous sentence. Lorin is a focal point of blame for both families and as such she is quick to defend herself. Carries guilt over the incident with her and has lost faith in herself as a professional.

Mick Williams – Early 20’s. Mick is the younger brother of murderer Scott. Like most of the Williams family Mick is a bit rough around the edges and comes from a low socio-economic background. Is absolutely disgusted with his brother for his crimes and the only member of the Williams family that sees things the way the Milsoms do. Lives somewhere in the western suburbs of Melbourne.

Coral Williams – Late 40’s. Coral is the mother of Mick, Gail and murderer Scott. Coral is from a low socio-economic background and spent most of her children’s upbringing as a single mother working long hours to support her family. In spite of his crimes Coral is very protective of her son, Scott, and, according to her other son Mick, has spent much of Scott’s life defending and to some degree enabling his bad behaviour. Ashamed of Scott’s crimes but unable to completely condemn him for them. Lives somewhere in the western suburbs of Melbourne.

Bob Shorter – Mid 50’s. Bob is Coral’s brother and uncle to Mick, Gail and Scott. Bob has spent most of his life working very hard to build up his own business which is now quite successful. Over the years Bob has been the patriarch of the William’s family and has tried to help Coral out financially when he could. Considered by the rest of the Williams family as the bloke Scott idolised when growing up, Bob’s involvement in the emotional and disciplinary upbringing of the Williams children was tokenistic at best.

Gail Williams – Mid 20’s. Gail is Coral’s daughter and the sister to Mick and Scott. Despises the crimes of her brother but is quick to point out the underlying influences in his actions and unable to completely condemn or blame him for them. She is university educated and versed in studies and statistics relating to socio-economic background and its effect on criminal behaviour. Supportive of her mother, Coral, and openly vocal about the tough upbringing that she and her two brothers, Mick and Scott, were raised with. Like the rest of her family Gail is from the western suburbs of Melbourne.

Scott Williams (Voice only) – Mid 20’s. Scott is the son of Coral and the brother of Mick and Gail. Convicted of raping and murdering Donna Milsom, Scott is reported to have had impulse control problems from an early age. Violent, domineering and a sickening attitude towards women, Scott has served time prior to Donna’s murder for rape. Scott is a beguiling liar and quite charismatic when he needs to be – clinically sociopathic he shows little remorse for his actions and any remorse shown is difficult to believe.