This week, our first show for 2016 was featured in the Northside Chronicle.

 

HARVEY BRINGS UNSEEN CHAOS

LOVE and perception will be brought to a head in the form of an unseen rabbit in Growl Theatre’s new production Harvey.
The play focuses on Elwood P. Dowd, a wealthy drunk, who starts seeing and interacting with Harvey, a six foot white rabbit.

Dowd’s behaviour affects the people around him differently and chaos ensures as they choose how to deal with him and Harvey.

Co-director Simon Corvan, from Kedron, said the play was interesting because it dealt with how a family struggles with a loved one who says he sees a giant rabbit.

He said the Dowd family, especially sister Veta, faces major concerns over his behaviour and attempts to have him committed to an asylum.

“They are torn between love and grief of their family name being dragged down,” Corvan said. “In the process of getting something done about it, it’s Veta who gets committed to the local asylum because she’s so anxious.”

While the play dealt with mental health issues it had a good script with soul and comedy, he said.  “There is a lovely sense of accepting people as who they are and whether Harvey is real or not is left to the audience,” Corvan said.

He said the story, which is 68 years old, explored how possible mental illness was previously treated.  “Hopefully people have become a bit more accepting today” Corvan said.

Corvan said the script had been great to work with. “The best thing is it’s a really funny play.”