HAD WE BUT WORLD ENOUGH

It’s the Wednesday before Easter, and the stage is set for what will surely be the most discussed Easter Nativity play in the history of Seaton, a rural town in New South Wales that is perched on the edge of colonial civilisation and the unending outback. Nancy Thomas, a local teacher, has finished casting her show and is excited to announce that this year the part of Mary will be played by Lily Walker, a young Aboriginal girl. It’s the most progressive casting the conservative town of Seaton has ever seen and news is spreading like wildfire.

Had We But World Enough is an epic addition to Australia’s theatrical history from one of its most important and fearless playwrights. Masterfully taking on explosive themes in a story that still maintains its relevance today, Oriel Gray’s nuanced and powerful tragedy is an exploration of love, racial injustice and the social-political climate of rural Australia.

APT