Little Theatre reads Williamson play

Woy Woy Little Theatre will hold a play reading of David Williamson's 41st play "At Any Cost" on Monday, March 25, from 7:30pm at the Peninsula Theatre.

At Any Cost was written by Williamson in collaboration with a doctor, and staged at Sydney's Ensemble Theatre two years ago.

"The play opens as Sharif addresses the audience as though speaking to a lecture theatre of fidgety med students," said Little Theatre marketing manager Mr David Wicks.

"Is it right, he asks, that 75 per cent of the public health budget in First World countries such as Australia is spent on patients in the final six months of their lives?

"Or that 40 per cent should be devoted to those in their final four weeks?

"With the very high per-night cost of ICU beds, is this the optimal way to distribute funds from a shrinking tax base?

"Cut to exemplary scene.

Eighty-year-old Des hovers outside the ward in which his wife, incapacitated by a stroke, lies.

"Des insists everything be done to prolong her life.

"It's what she wants.

"Sharif explains this will involve a great deal of pain.

"She's simply too frail to anaesthetise.

"The family gather around Des and the dynamic is classic Williamson; elder sister Katie is the snooty wife of a banker, middle sibling Megan is a heart-on-sleeve lawyer specialising in Aboriginal land rights.

"The only thing on which they do agree on is the fecklessness of little brother Max, a composer of challenging, as in unlistenable, contemporary music," said Mr Wicks.

The play features six characters, ranging from late 30s to early 80s.

April's reading will be the Neil Simon classic, The Odd Couple.

Media Release, 11 Mar 2013

David Wicks, Woy Woy Little Theatre