The Removalists

While reading this play it was screaming at me “PLEASE PERFORM ME AT STABLES THEATRE!” And quite frankly, I agree with it.  This play is a classic Australian stage classic. 

The play follows two police officers: Ross a fresh out of training cop working his first beat and Simmonds an old timer with his own attitude to the law.  On Ross’ first shirt two sisters come in claiming that one of their husbands is abusive.  They enlist the help of the officers to move Fiona’s furniture out of the house she shares with her husband.  The husband Kenny is meant to be out of the house during the move however upon his unexpected arrival trouble ensues. 

The main themes the play addresses are violence- more specifically domestic violence (Kenny on Fiona), and the abuse of power and authority- not only by the police but husbands over wives, and in some respects women’s sexual authority.

The play is meant to represent a microcosm of 1970’s Australian society. 

David Williamson explored the above-mentioned themes through his characters.  The character Simmonds represents the police abuse of power, and how victims and witnesses are powerless against it.  He is also chauvinistic and in some respects a sexual predator.  Kate is the feminine mirror of Simmonds.  Ross is represented as a very nervous and shy young man, this however masked a darker part of his character.  Fiona is the passive housewife that fits into the stereotypical gender roles of Australia in the 1970’s.  Kenny is represented as hot headed, egotistical, and violent.  Most remarkable is the Removalist- he (from what I have read of the play) represents the typical “sitting on the fence” attitude of Australians.  More than that, he is representative of a plain old Joe, working hard for his money (and at times looking for chances to slack off). 

There is an option for an interval, which I think I’ll take in order to change the set.  I don’t think there is too much I could do to change this play, because it revolves around domestic violence and societies attitude towards it.  These days domestic violence is a horrible assault, but back then there wasn’t much a wife could do but file a report.  But maybe I could use that in comparison to now some how, I’ll get back to you on that.

Overall I thought it was a fresh and confronting play, and I’m really looking forward to working with it.

Australian film trailer:

These photos are from a 2009 Sydney Theatre Co production of The Removalists.


Alice x.