The critically acclaimed play Heaven by Irish playwright Eugene O'Brien makes its Australian premiere at Qtopia Sydney's Loading Dock Theatre next month, following sell-out seasons across Europe and New York.
Running from May 14-31, this 2023 Scotsman Fringe First Award winner and Irish Times Best New Play recipient arrives with powerful credentials and under the direction of respected Australian theatre director Kate Gaul.
Set against the backdrop of a rural Irish wedding weekend, Heaven delves into the unraveling 20-year marriage of Mal and Mairead. The narrative unfolds through alternating monologues that reveal their hidden desires and regrets.
For Mal, the weekend triggers long-repressed queer desires when he encounters a young man who reawakens forbidden fantasies. Meanwhile, Mairead, who once married Mal to escape her own turbulent romantic past, confronts unresolved feelings when she unexpectedly reunites with a former flame.
Director Kate Gaul, known for her work on CAMP and Opera Australia's The Magic Flute, was drawn to the play's compassionate portrayal of middle-aged desire and identity.
"When I first encountered this play, I was struck not only by its compassion and laugh-out-loud humour but the dignity with which it presents the lives of people over a certain age," Gaul explains. "O'Brien acknowledges desire, failure, sexuality, hope in all of us."
Gaul adds that the production explores the profound disconnection that can exist even in long-term relationships: "As an older couple, Mairead and Mal are great friends, they talk a lot, and they're warm to each other, but they each have a huge part of themselves that they haven't revealed to one another."
The Australian production features accomplished performers Lucy Miller (The Female of the Species at The Old Fitz) and Noel Hodda (Seymour Centre's Seventeen) in the leading roles.
Heaven has garnered exceptional reviews during its international run, with The Scotsman awarding it five stars and describing it as "beautiful, eloquent, and deeply satisfying theatre, full of humanity and truth."
The production marks an exciting addition to the program at Qtopia Sydney, which opened in 2024 as the world's largest museum and cultural centre dedicated to queer history and culture. Located in the heritage-listed former Darlinghurst Police Station, the venue hosts three performance spaces alongside 18 exhibitions.
Heaven runs for around 90 minutes, with previews on May 14-15 and regular showings continuing until May 31. Tickets range from $30 for previews to $45 for general admission, with concession rates available at $35.
For those who have ever questioned their life choices or yearned for a different path, this witty and poignant exploration of marriage, identity, and liberation promises to be one of the theatrical highlights of Sydney's autumn season.
TICKETS and MORE INFO: https://events.humanitix.com/heaven-at-the-loading-dock
(Main Image: Sebastian Grenenger)
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