SO MUCH TO TELL YOU Comes to Garrick Theatre, 5/1-17

A FAMOUS young adult novel, inspired by a true story, comes to the Garrick Theatre stage this May.

Written by John Marsden and directed by Gail Lusted, So Much To Tell You focuses on the 14-year-old Marina who withdrew into silence after she received a facial disfigurement in an accident.

The play explores how family breakdowns can be emotionally destructive, as well as physical, and how emotional effects can be observed in many different ways.

Marina is sent to a boarding school in the hope she will recover from her "anorexia of speech" and learns everyone has their own traumas to deal with but, until there is forgiveness and realisation, the emotional pain will carry on.

Lusted was inspired to direct So Much To Tell You because she wanted to bring some fresh blood to the theatre.

"John Marsden is one of Australia's top young adult authors, responsible for Tomorrow When The War Began," she said.

"So Much To Tell You has been sitting on my bookshelf for many years just waiting to be performed. It has plenty of juicy parts for actresses, which is quite rare in theatre, and I was indeed inundated with talented, enthusiastic teenage girls at the audition, which caused a lot of headaches because I wanted to include them all. The exploration of the emotional impact that family and friends have is also universal and ageless."

Involved with theatre in Brunei and the UK before emigrating to Australia, Lusted has directed several shows for Barking Gecko Theatre Company, Majkidz, Stargate Actors Academy and Ursula Frayne Catholic Primary School and has taken to the stage at the Old Mill Theatre in Hamlet, Jake's Women, We Happy Few and A Conversation.

In 2012, she was named best actress in a lead role for Calendar Girls at Garrick Theatre.

With So Much To Tell You, Lusted believes her biggest challenge is controlling a group of excited teenage girls.

"Many scenes are episodic and short, which can make it more difficult for character development," she said.

"And I've still yet to figure out how to get eight beds on a smallish stage while leaving room for people to move around. I am also aware of the sensitive issues within this play and want to make sure we do them justice - after all, this is someone's story."

So Much To Tell You plays at 8pm, May 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16 and 17 with 2pm matinees May 4 and 11.

Tickets are $20, $17 concession, $15 children - book on 9378 1990 or bookings@garricktheatre.asn.au.

Garrick Theatre is at 16 Meadow Street, Guildford, opposite the Stirling Arms Hotel and Guildford Town Hall.

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