Belfast-Geelong collaboration brings love story to stage

A new cross-cultural theatre work will premiere next month after years of collaboration between creatives in Belfast and Geelong.

Never Always Ever Was blends theatre and live music to tell the love story of Danny and Julia while exploring themes of climate change, migration and belonging.

Written by Melbourne playwright Fleur Murphy and directed by Belfast-based Stephen Kelly, the production stars Geelong performer Amanda LaBonté alongside Northern Ireland actor Richard Clements.

It will debut at the National Celtic Folk Festival in Portarlington on 6 June before touring to Port Fairy on 9 June and Anglesea on 10 June.

Although rehearsals only began in Geelong this week, the cast and creative team have already spent significant time developing the work together in Belfast earlier this year.

LaBonté, who plays Port Fairy-born protagonist Julia, said opportunities to work on professional theatre productions in Geelong were rare.

After crossing paths with Murphy at last year’s festival, joining the project was an easy decision.

“I love Fleur’s writing,” LaBonté said. “It’s poetical; it’s lyrical. It also feels very accessible, like all of a sudden she’s talking to you directly and I think that’s really rare.

“I’m a sucker for a love story. I also love how it comments on climate and how Fleur does that in a manner that carries hope.

“There’s a humanity to the way she talks about the climate and an acceptance rather than a complete despair.”

Battling jetlag during rehearsals this week, Clements said one of the most rewarding aspects of the project had been exploring the cultural differences and nuances between Ireland and Australia.

“There’s a lot of challenges in the performance,” he said. “We jump across a massive time period, playing multiple characters doing each other’s accents. It’s just terrific.”

Never Always Ever Was is presented by the National Celtic Folk Festival and C21 Theatre Company in partnership with the City of Greater Geelong, Geelong Arts Centre, Regional Arts Victoria and Culture Ireland.