Outback Theatre for Young People to premiere Beneath an Oxbow Lake at Griffith Regional Theatre

Outback Theatre for Young People will open their production of Beneath an Oxbow Lake, written by Julian Larnach (Griffin Award nominee, Current Writer in Residence at Australian Theatre for Young People) and directed by Paige Rattray (Current Richard Wherrett Directorial Fellow at Sydney Theatre Company) in Griffith on Wednesday 24th June. 

The play has been developed through a comprehensive mentoring process with writer Julian Larnach (Winner of the OTYP EMERGE: Riverina Playwright Commission) and mentor Jessica Bellamy (has worked with ATYP, Tamarama Rock Surfers, Griffin Theatre, among others).

Beneath an Oxbow Lake is a multi-generational coming of age tale about two young men. Faced with some big decisions as their schooling comes to end, the boys explore what staying in a small town means to their futures, and if leaving as soon as they can really is the best step. The story revolves around two local families, and investigates what impact our parent’s decisions have on us, and what impact our decisions have on our futures. It is a play that shares an authentic regional voice and resonates with our communities in South West NSW.

Julian says ‘I hope that through the combination of my own personal experiences of rural New South Wales, my extensive research on the area, and my consultation with young people, I am able to tell a story that resonates with the people who live here.’

‘My mum and her family grew up in the area so it’s always been in my periphery vision and central to my understanding of the world. Growing up in a cattle farm in regional New South Wales, my experience of theatre was limited to Shakespeare and bi-yearly school musicals. Outback Theatre for Young People is a great company as it realises that theatre has the capacity to shine a light on the manifold experience of regional Australia in an honest and imaginative way.’

Outback Theatre for Young People’s Creative Producer Sarah Parsons says ‘We are thrilled to be sharing this story from Griffith with the wider communities of NSW. OTYP has cast the production with young people from the Riverina, as we want to make sure local people have ownership over Julian’s story, as it is their story too.’

Sarah also mentions ‘OTYP is so excited to share this story with audiences in our region, and all the way to Sydney. A regional playwright sharing a regional story, told by young regional actors, it’s not every day you get a chance to see that, so it is definitely something to be celebrated.’

Tickets for all performances are on sale now. Contact the Griffith Regional Theatre, The Deniliquin Newsagent or Australian Theatre for Young People to purchase tickets.