Cirrus@Austlit

' It should be a simple task – help Sharkey move his beehives up the coast road. Travelling St Mary’s Pass with Sharkey is treacherous in more ways than one – but as Nathan soon finds, nature has its ways of extracting justice.'  (Introduction)

`Gimme an axe.'

'The woman blurted this order across the formica counter. When the shopkeeper turned and saw her brimming eyes he took a hasty step backwards. His rancid half-smile, insincere to begin with, vanished into the gloomy corners of the store. It was still very early. Outside, tucked beneath a ragged hibiscus bush, a hen cawed a single, doubtful note. Inside was nothing but this black girl and her highly irregular demand.' (Introduction)

'Maggie is a pregnant building-owner tree-changer, overwhelmed with decisions about tiles and taps — until tragedy strikes. Her small, private grief sits alongside the sudden, very public death of the ‘People’s Princess.’ Eventually, the flowers wilt and the condolence cards stop, and the tribute songs don’t play on the radio, but Maggie can’t stop wondering — how do you keep a small memory alive?'

Source: National Playwrighting Festival program.