Cirrus@Austlit

'The Fallen Tree is a non-naturalistic contemporary tragedy. The drama revolves around three characters: a motherless girl, Hannah, her stepfather, John and a female neighbour, Claire. It is set in a bushfire ravaged rural community where the residents suffer from post-traumatic stress syndrome.

'For Claire the desire to place blame or find a reason for the fires is still palpable as she struggles in her marriage to a much older man. Claire was a friend of Hannah’s mother (deceased) and now feels responsible for her friend’s teenage daughters, who have been left with the property to manage and no one to take care of them. The older girl, Hannah, is an isolated and independent free spirit, who is trying to move on, however her guilt is holding her back ––as a child she witnessed the ongoing sexual abuse of her younger sister, Lily, by their stepfather but remained silent. Hannah now lives with Lily, who has developed anorexia and requires constant care and supervision.

'Through a series of flashbacks we see Hannah and Claire being manipulated by the charismatic stepfather, who eventually undoes himself. The penultimate scene of the play reveals an act of violence, which although brutal and criminal is suggestive of hope, regeneration and solidarity in the face of abuse.' (Source: australianplays.org)