Program

David Williamson’s The Great Divide

David Williamson

by

Directed by

Elizabeth Morris

23rd May to 1st June 2025

About the playwright

David Keith Williamson AO is an Australian playwright, who has also written screenplays and teleplays. He became known in the early 1970s with his political comic drama Don's Party, and other well-known plays include The Club, Travelling North, and Emerald City.

About the play

The play is set in the fictional seaside town of Wallis Heads.
Contains strong language and adult themes. Parental Guidance recommended.

Director's Notes

It has been an absolute pleasure directing David Williamson’s THE GREAT DIVIDE. It was his first play out of retirement, which he said he was compelled to write due to the “lack of discussion in theatre and in the media about class and economic inequality.” [Source: SMH Hannah Story 14/8/23]

David hits a few nerves with some hard truths in his typical biting satire style on the lengths “the haves” will go in getting what they want. No-one is spared!

I couldn’t have wished for a better cast and crew, and I hope you enjoy this “dig at developers;” the rich and the not so famous. I have particularly enjoyed working with the cast in developing their own take on their characters.
You may even recognise a couple…

I would like to dedicate this production to my good friend and fellow VP Life Member, Bruce Stanley who passed away recently.
RIP Brucey. I think you’ll like this one.

ELIZABETH MORRIS - DIRECTOR

Director

Elizabeth Morris

Stage Manager

Zee Paulsen

David Sakko

Lighting & Sound Design

Cosmas McHugh

Technical Operators

Jane Binstead

Publicity

Christopher Sharman

Photography

Venus Abala

Technical Operators

David Sakko

Technical Operators

Christopher Sharman

Photography

Grace Delahunty

Victoria McCrystal

Alan Bridger

Troy Bullock

Penny Poulter

Jane Binstead

Joel

Ken Dutt

Brian

Nathan Seng

Rachel Poulter

Jade Davis

Alex Whittle

Carissa

Cast

Grace Delahunty

Victoria McCrystal

Victoria was last seen on the VPs stage in Away [2024]. After a long break building her career in IT and raising a family, Victoria returned to the theatre as Sheila in Jake’s Women with St Luke’s theatre in 2022. In her younger years Victoria took every opportunity to perform, write and direct for the stage, including producing her own plays for school and community productions. She also spent several years working with a small tv and film company, producing short films in the USA.

Alan Bridger

Troy Bullock

Troy Bullock has been acting regularly in Brisbane over the last decade. He has played lead roles in productions including The Foreigner, Deathtrap, Private Lives, An Ideal Husband, Gaslight, and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. This is Troy’s third show with Villanova Players, and he is excited to be performing in the Queensland premiere of a new David Williamson play.

Penny Poulter

Jane Binstead

Jane has been involved in theatre for more than 20 years and loving every minute of it. Last year, she played Gwen in Villanova Players’ (VPs) Away; Sheree in Sweet Delilah Swim Club (2023) Lindy Chamberlain in Letters to Lindy (2022). Other highlights with VPs include going solo in comedy, HerBig Chance by Alan Bennett (2020); The Memory of Water and Edith Stein (both 2009) and Goodnight Desdemona, Good Morning Juliet (2007). Jane has also tried out directing a Short & Sharp, VPs The Bear by Anton Chekhov (2021).

Joel

Ken Dutt

Ken has been appearing on (and behind) SEQ stages for the past 30 years, in a repertoire ranging from Euripides (The Trojan Women) to Lloyd Webber (Jesus Christ Superstar) with an awful lot of Shakespeare in between. Previous appearances with Villanova Players include productions of Much Ado about Nothing, Picnic at Hanging Rock and The School for Scandal. He would like to thank Liz and the cast and crew for all their support and encouragement during the rehearsal process.

Brian

Nathan Seng

This is Nathan's fourth production with Villanova Players. Last seen as Meyer Wolfsheim in The Great Gatsby earlier this year. In 2024, Nathan appeared as the youngest Fail brother in VPs Failure: A Love Story (2024); Towards Zero (St Luke’s Theatre, 2024) and My Family and Other Animals (VPs, 2023).

Rachel Poulter

Jade Davis

With a background in dance and a diploma in musical theatre, Jade is looking forward to being back on stage in her first play after spending recent years studying psychology. Jade’s previous stage credits include ensemble/dancer roles in Annie, Oliver! with Savoyards and Carousel with Queensland Musical Theatre.

Alex Whittle

Carissa

Crew

Director

Elizabeth Morris

Elizabeth (Liz) has been a VPs member for over forty-five years! She has appeared in many productions with VPs, and other companies such as The Young TN Company, API Theatre and Arts Theatre over the years. Liz last appeared onstage as the iconic Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Earnest in 2024. Liz made her solo directorial debut with Steel Magnolias in 2018. Liz directed Falling from Grace in 2020; and Letters to Lindy in 2022.

Stage Manager

Zee Paulsen

Zee Paulsen is embarking on his first production as a stage manager in community theatre, bringing a fresh perspective and a lifelong passion for musical theatre and staging. Despite not having prior theatre experience, Zee's exceptional organisational skills and dedication to putting on a great show shine through. His enthusiasm and meticulous attention to detail ensure that every aspect of the production is well-coordinated, creating a memorable experience for audiences. Zee's commitment to excellence makes him a promising new talent in the theatre community.