Ruby Moon rises at Oberon High School

March 28, 2024

Ruby Moon. Photo supplied

On Wednesday, March 27, the Preliminary Drama Class at Oberon High School presented a condensed version of the play "Ruby Moon" by Matt Cameron. With four actors each playing multiple parts (complete with costume changes) and without the ability to tell the complete story, it put the "absurd" in "Absurdism" into high relief. As part of the absurdist movement was to create plays where the characters, audience and sometimes the cast had trouble knowing what was going on, it's a credit to these young performers that they were able to carry it off. Anyone can do a simple play but the best way to learn is to do something that's difficult and maybe challenging for the audience (and cast, too, of course).

Allison Bennett, Jake Henby, Samuel Lush and Brendan McGill - future stars.

Director Natasha Saboisky had this to say: "'Ruby Moon', by Matt Cameron, is a fractured fairytale that combines comedy and Absurdism. Absurdism is characterised by chaos, confusion, and hopelessness, as seen when our actors play multiple roles. The play is Australian and explores the effects of grief and loss after a child's abduction. It also confronts the audience with questions about truth and reality. Our Preliminary Drama class has been studying the play since the beginning of Term 4 2023."

Everyone associated with this production must be congratulated. Not only did each actor play several parts, but many of the characters were played by several actors, making it even more of an achievement. If these youngsters can be this good this young, the future of theatre in Australia is assured.

Cast:

• Jake Henby - Ray, Ruby, Veronica, Carl
• Brendon McGill - Sylvie, Ray, Dawn, Ruby
• Allison Bennett - Sylvie, Ray, Ruby, Sonny Jim
• Samuel Lush - Ray, Sylvie, Dulcie, Sid

A play isn't just the actors - there's the director and the lighting and sound people as well.

About the play:

In Flaming Tree Grove, life appears to be picture perfect. Security and privacy are coveted and seclusion is its own reward. Until the day when little Ruby sets off to visit her grandmother at the end of the cul-de-sac and is never seen again. The neighbourhood fractures into grief and suspicion in the search for answers to a terrible deprivation. Then a parcel arrives on her parents’ doorstep …

The play is written for one male and one female actor to play all of the roles. Ruby Moon was first produced by Playbox and Neonheart at the Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne, on 30 July 2003.

• Sylvie Moon - the mother
• Ray Moon - the father
• Dulcie Doily - the spinster
• Sid Craven - the clown
• Veronica Vale - the singer
• Sonny Jim - the soldier
• Dawn Berger - the babysitter
• Carl Ogle - the inventor

Source - Sydney Theatre Company

About the author:

Matt Cameron is an award-winning playwright and screenwriter, his plays include Tear from a Glass Eye, winner of Wal Cherry Play of the Year Award, Footprints on Water, winner of British Council International New Playwriting Award, Mr Melancholy, winner of ANPC/New Dramatists Award, Ruby Moon, nominated for Queensland Premier’s Literary Award, and The Eskimo Calling. For the Melbourne Theatre Company, Cameron wrote Poor Boy, featuring the songs of Tim Finn, nominated for Victorian Premier’s Literary Award and co-produced by Sydney Theatre Company, Hinterland, nominated for NSW Premier’s Literary Award, Man the Balloon, nominated for Victorian Premier’s Literary Award, and a short play Whispering Death. Cameron’s screen credits include Seachange, Crashburn, Newstopia script editor for Kath & Kim and co-creator/co-writer/director of AWGIE award-winning Introducing Gary Petty.

Source - Origin Theatrical

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