HANGMEN Will Make its Australian Premiere at the New Theatre

Hangmen by Martin McDonagh will make its Australian Premiere next month.

It’s 1965, and capital punishment has just been abolished in the UK.

In a dingy pub in the north of England, the landlord, Harry, who until recently was known as ‘the second-best hangman in Britain’, holds court.

Surrounded by a motley crew of sycophants and hangers-on, he relishes the celebrity his profession has brought him.

His wife works behind the bar; neither seems to notice that their anxious, awkward teenage daughter is ripe for exploitation.

The arrival of a mysterious stranger from London creates an atmosphere toxic with suspicion, and when Harry’s arch-rival turns up, the clash of egos is both brutal and desperately sad.

This brilliant, funny and wildly off-beat play ((from the acclaimed writer of In Bruges, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, The Lieutenant of Inishmore and The Lonesome West) is a stinging condemnation of state-sanctioned murder delivered with furious, macabre humour. 

New Theatre is delighted to welcome back director Deborah Mulhall to take charge of this production. Deborah has an affinity with McDonagh's writing, having previously directed our sell-out season of The Lieutenant of Inishmore in 2017. Designer par excellence Tom Bannerman is in charge of set, joined by Tim Carter (lighting), Helen Kohlhagen (costumes) and Mehran Mortezaei (sound).

The cast comprises returning actors Sonya Kerr (Homos, or Everyone in America, August: Osage County, The Angry Brigade), James McCrudden, Jack Elliot Mitchell (The Spook, Ink), Gerry Mullaly (Banging Denmark, The Front Page, Ink), Georgia Nicolas (The Front Page) and Reuben Solomon (Homos, or Everyone in America, The Front Page), and making their New Theatre debuts, Alastair Brown, Kim Clifton, Nathan Farrow, Owen Hirschfeld, Tom Masseyand Robert Snars.

Says Deborah: "The charm of Martin McDonagh’s work lies in his mastery of black comedy - an oeuvre which blends comedy and tragedy with lots of dark, dark humour. There are twists and turns that you don’t see coming and lots of subtle observations on relationships and life. McDonagh’s thread is always that of human despair and how the reaction to despair drives an individual to certain actions. If we are honest with ourselves (and this is where our uncomfortable laughter comes from) we recognise how much what we do in life is driven by despair. And hope.

"For me, this is the appeal of his work. That recognition of a universal human condition which plays out through his craft with brilliantly drawn characters that audiences really care about. Even if - or perhaps because - at times, they say things which we might secretly think but we would never dare say. It is a joy to work with McDonagh’s language, as it is both rhythmic and beautiful which helps to bring an audience into the landscape of the play. Once in that world, you are a willing hostage until the end.

"Why would I not want to be part of the genius of his work?

"Mind you, it is demanding to direct any of McDonagh’s work. Outside of the usual directorial demands, McDonagh’s plays always have a level of violence which is challenging to stage. This violence is both emotional and physical, so there is always the practical of WHS in staging one of his plays as well as care for the actors wellbeing.

"What Martin McDonagh gives his audience is a chance to vicariously act out our inner demons. There is a relief in knowing that someone out there publicly acknowledges the gremlins inside us all, and lets them out to play for us.

"We shouldn’t laugh. But it is hard not to."
 

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