David Williamson Prize-winning play Horizon returns to the stage this month
18 July, 2024
The David Williamson Prize-winning play Horizon will return to the stage later this month at the Brisbane Powerhouse, running from July 31–August 10.Commissioned by Playlab Theatre and written by award-winning playwright Maxine Mellor, Horizon is an AWGIE award-winning script exploring the current political and social climate of Australia and where we are headed as a nation — who is driving and to where?
With the horizon ahead of them, Cole and Sky drive into the guts of the country in search of freedom. Cole’s dad is sick, Sky is bored of the corporate ladder, and so they’re excited to hit the road and leave their problems behind. Their newfound freedom is underscored by a long-forgotten mix tape buried deep in the glovebox, but out of the static emerges the past. When secrets start to leak from the car, dingoes begin to stalk them, and the bush seems more haunting than before. The road trip games aren’t fun anymore.
Playwright Maxine Mellor said: “It’s a rare treat for a playwright to get to see their work staged a second time around. Horizon was written on the cusp of Covid and in the middle of #metoo, so I’m particularly keen to see how much has changed (or not) since its debut."
"It was a career highlight to receive the AWGIE and David Williamson Prize for Horizon, especially since it is judged by peers I respect and admire. I love that the prize generates so much new work – it afforded me precious time to work on a fun new project (comedy!), and enabled Playlab to commission several other Queensland playwrights. Hopefully we’ll see these shows on our stages soon!"
Playlab Artistic Director and CEO Ian Lawson said: "We are so proud to be returning Maxine Mellor's Horizon to the stage. After being acknowledged by the Australian Writers’ Guild through an AWGIE award for Maxine, and the David Williamson Prize for both Playlab Theatre and Maxine, it felt right to bring back the work for a wider audience to witness the stunning writing, engage with the astounding design and be taken on a journey by the wonderful actors."
AWG Executive Director Claire Pullen said: "We're delighted to see Maxine's play Horizon return for another season after its initial award-winning run in Brisbane. The David Williamson Prize is all about supporting new and original Australian theatre, but it's just as important that Australian plays are remounted and return to the stage."
Horizon was recognised at the 2022 AWGIE Awards with Best Stage Play – Original and the David Williamson Prize for Excellence in Writing for Australian Theatre. Playlab Theatre received $80,000 for dramaturgical and development support to nurture a new Australian work for the stage (Big Yikes! by Madeleine Border, which premiered in early 2024), while Mellor received $20,000 in recognition of her outstanding contribution to Australian playwriting.
Horizon by Maxine Mellor is directed by Ian Lawson and stars new cast Ashlee Lollback and Julian Curtis. The season runs July 31 – August 10 2024 and tickets are available via playlabtheatre.com.au.
THE DAVID WILLIAMSON PRIZE
Presented since 2013, the David Williamson Prize is been made possible by the generous donation of David and Kristin Williamson and Shane and Cathryn Brennan. The prize is awarded by the Australian Writers’ Guild each year to the most outstanding script selected from the winners of each of the theatre categories at the AWGIE Awards. The express purpose of the fund is to encourage theatre companies to commission, develop and program a new Australian work.
Previous recipients of the prize include Alana Valentine for Grounded (2013), Andrew Bovell for The Secret River (2014), Finegan Kruckemeyer for The Boy at the Edge of Everything (2015), Angus Cerini for The Bleeding Tree (2016), Leah Purcell for The Drover’s Wife (2017), P.J. Hogan with Kate Miller-Heidke & Keir Nuttall for Muriel’s Wedding the Musical (2018), Kate Mulvany for The Harp in the South (2019), Suzie Miller for Prima Facie (2020), Ellen Graham and Jamie Hornsby for Claire Della and the Moon (2021), Maxine Mellor for Horizon (2022), and Dylan Van Den Berg for Whitefella Yella Tree (2023).
