News Release:
Leading playwright to open Hildegard
| Date 20/2/04 No 034/04 The actor Leo McKern inspired Brisbane playwright John Gunn to write his latest play, Hildegard, to be performed in Armidale next month. Sponsored in kind by the University of New England, the play tells the story of a feisty German nun who lived between 1098 and 1179 and set up her own convents. Mr Gunn, who will be flying to Armidale for the opening performance of Hildegard, decided to write his one-hour play after watching McKern in the play Boswell for the Defence. "I remember my wife Barbara saying to me: 'Why don't you do a single-hander for a woman?'" he said. "When I asked what specifically she had in mind, Barbara mentioned Hildegard. We'd read quite a bit about her in the media at the time. "It rang a bell with me. The thought of tackling a play about a saint was irresistible; they were usually such tough characters. So we began a joint research period when Hildegard took over my psyche for a while." Barbara Albury will direct the Armidale production of Hildegard, to be performed in the Ursuline Chapel over a three-week season from March 5. The play has already drawn large audiences when performed in Sydney and Brisbane.
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Ms Albury said Hildegard von Bingen was an extraordinary woman and the first in many fields. "Hildegard was dedicated at birth to the church and convent-educated by Benedictine nuns from the age of seven," she said. "She single-handedly challenged the power of the State and the dominance of Rome. Hildegard may be better known for her spiritual music and medicines, and has become an inspiration to many people in the world during such troubled times." Ms Albury will play the part of Hildegard, and the performances will also feature the Spectrum Musicae Choir. Season: March 5-21 (10 performances) |
