The Tasmanian Theatre Company brings controversial prisoner Sue Neill-Fraser’s story to the stage with An Inconvenient Woman, opening 24 October.
The production is deliberately provocative however, it is not Neill-Fraser’s guilt or innocence that is the source of scandal, nor the focus of the play. This is a story that turns the spotlight, often uncomfortably, on Tasmania’s flawed justice system.
Widely seen by legal experts in Tasmania and around Australia as a miscarriage of justice, Susan Neill-Fraser’s case is arguably Tasmania’s most famous legal story. When asked why the Tasmanian Theatre Company had chosen to take on such a divisive and highly political topic as this for their final work of the season, Artistic Director Charles Parkinson said:
“One of the roles of theatre is to hold a mirror up to the society in which it operates and Brian Peddie’s new play An Inconvenient Woman does just that. Susan Neill-Fraser is arguably Tasmania’s most controversial prisoner and her conviction for the murder of Bob Chappell has been the subject of a great deal of speculation from the public, the media and the legal profession. So, while the Tasmanian Theatre Company makes no comment on the guilt or otherwise of Ms Neill-Fraser, it does recognise that it is a truly unusual case. It is also controversial and controversy makes for good theatre.
The play was commissioned by Executive Producer, and ACT lawyer, Mark Blumer as a vehicle to speak directly to Tasmanian audiences about the case. An Inconvenient Woman is directed by award-winning writer, director and dramaturg Aidan Fennessy, who says:
“This story is ongoing and this story is real. In the post truth world of ‘fake news’ and ‘alternate facts’ it’s a story about a gross miscarriage of justice that jailed a Hobart woman, Susan Neill-Fraser, for 23 years of her life.”
It has been said that the Susan Neill-Fraser case puts the Tasmanian criminal justice system itself on trial. An Inconvenient Woman traces the story of one woman and her journey from the night her partner suddenly went missing to her being put in jail for more than twenty years for murder – and how anyone of us could be caught up in the same system at any time.
“A fascinating story, told with great direction and design, with a first-class cast. This will be a piece of theatre the likes of which we rarely see in Tasmania. Don’t miss it!.” Charles Parkinson, Artistic Director
An Inconvenient Woman, written by Brian Peddie, runs 24 October to 4 November at TTC Pop-Up Theatre No. 9. Directed by Aidan Fennessy and performed by Joe Clements, Anne Cordiner, Colin Dean, Craig Irons and Jeff Michel. Tickets $49-$25.
More information tastheatre.com
Clare Power, Charles Parkinson
