“Here’s hoping this new community theatre company becomes a staple of Healesville life”
Kate Stratford
Venue: The Memo
Healesville Victoria
3rd May 2025
Veteran entertainers like to retire. And then not. Phillip Stephenson is one such. Having “retired” to Healesville, Victoria he felt the need for the community to have its own community theatre group. He called a meeting in September 2024 and, as he says, they were away and The Hills Act Theatre Company was born.
Community Theatre is the backbone of the Arts, providing training, camaraderie, opportunity and connection when access to these things can be costly and difficult geographically. One does not have to be just and actor or singer – there is always a welcome for those with painting, carpentry, organisational skills. Any skills really – or even just a willingness to work and be involved. And it is wonderful when the community does get involved. Local businesses and groups gave their support with funds or goods or services. And this is what is so gratifying about community theatre – it really does bring many varied strands of the community together. Poet Laurence Webb took on the role of Producer, the weaver of all the necessary strands.
Hills Act first offering was Deborah Mulhall‘s Breathless. Stephenson chose it because he felt “it would create an impact as a first production, setting the seeds of inspiration and creativity”. It is an ensemble style of play offering 10 roles of roughly equal size. The mostly young cast delivered with dedication and gravitas; the play after all is what may be termed a “war play” – exploring the camaraderie found in the army and the demons of PTSD for soldiers and their families. The soldiers Tom (Jacob Vulfs), Alan (Adam Boswell), Dave (Levi Wall) and Harry (Harrison Grant) gave lovely moments in isolation and well as in their broader scenes “at home”. Boswell’s final words were quite chilling and left the audience in a silence they were unwilling to break. As the mother figure, Kaz Kershaw encompassed all the worry and fear of any woman sending her son off to war. Whilst Milo (Asher Rae) and Harry’s story broke a few audience hearts, Donna (Kasey Stephenson), Louise (Carley McCormick) and Joyce (Ettie McCarthy) embodied the various perspectives back “home” and a suitably smarmy Rowan (Joshua Young) got his comeuppance. They were supported by a chorus of dancers and protestors in Donna Paterson, Harper deWacht, Christine Reed and Nat Tresidder.
The sound and music support were excellent. Relevant period music set the mood before the show and at interval whilst sound effects layered in the experience. The performance overall could have been a little pacier but given this is a first ever production by a new community company, there is much to be lauded. Pace and more confidence will come with each new production.
Here’s hoping this new community theatre company becomes a staple of Healesville life and a launch pad for new artists; providing a place and space for people of all ages to come together to learn, create and entertain.
Kate Stratford, Theatre Now
