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Sometime last year, I had a phone call from a gentleman who asked me to write about his daughter’s play, which would be performed in Shepp the next week.
Unfortunately, he called on a Friday evening when my copy for the next week had long gone to the office.
He called me again, just recently, very excited about his daughter’s success, and I contacted her.
Bill Murphy had every reason to be excited about Fleur’s progress.
Her first play Shadows of Angels investigates the lives of female criminals, and has been performed at the Adelaide Fringe Festival, followed by an immersive season at the City Watch House – a part of the Old Melbourne Jail.
Later, Anglesea Performing Arts took it to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, after a local season.
About Fleur
I had spent just a few minutes talking with playwright Fleur Murphy, when I felt I had known her forever; she is one of those rare, open-hearted, totally authentic people, who laughs easily and frequently.
And later in our discussion, we found the local connections which very often emerge in our community.
Fleur was born and educated, to secondary level, in Mooroopna.
For a couple of years, in her teens, she was involved in various local productions (STAG and SKIT – Shepp Kids in Theatre) and these experiences appear to have aroused an interest in theatre.
She did her Bachelor of Arts, in all aspects of theatre, and followed that with some small acting jobs in Melbourne.
She also holds a Masters in Writing Performance from the Victorian College of the Arts (2019).
Our home-grown playwright married Chris Saxton, from a well-known local family, in 2010 – and they have a nine-year-old daughter, Grace.
You might remember that Tom Saxton (Chris’ brother) stood for council recently and, though still very young, came extremely close to becoming a councillor.
Nick Saxton (another brother), was a close friend of our eldest grandson, and I remember driving him to their home, frequently.
What the critics say
The New Adelaide Theatre Guide reported that Shadows of Angels is “faultless.”
Theatre people said “Murphy’s work crackles with dark wit and beauty.”
Theatre First said “The writing is poetic, comedic and full of gorgeous and troubling detail.”
The Fence was short-listed for the Rodney Seaborn Playwrights Award.
Fleur is currently working with director/producer Tom Royce-Hampton of Brickwood Films, on the film adaptation of The Fence which will star Louisa Mignone.
Rain for Morgan – a short film shot in Yabba North, was winner of Best Narrative Short – Festivus Film Festival; winner of Best International Short Film – Ireland International Film Festival and it was nominated for Best International Youth Film Festival of Wales.
Hearth wrote “Murphy has crafted an intriguing story. These characters feel authentic; it’s effortless for the audience to become invested in their lives.”
“A brilliant, thought-provoking production,” My Melbourne Arts said.
“Fleur writes with acuity and a keen awareness of our shared cultural flashpoints. More than that, there is real heart and a searching honesty in her work,” Chris Mead said.
Once again, her work was short-listed for the Rodney Seaborn Playwrights Award.
Hearth was selected for the 2022 VCAA Playlist: Theatre Studies.
And was nominated for the 2020 Theatre 503 Award in London.
“Murphy has masterfully adapted Janne Teller’s award-winning novel – keeping the dialogue sharp and the mood light, until bringing down the hammer to shatter the wholesome world on stage,” Australian Arts Review said.
Fleur is currently developing a play with a company in Belfast.
This is entitled Never Always Ever Was, which is intriguing, to say the least.
There are two actors involved — one from Australia and one from Northern Ireland.
She will fly to Belfast in the new year.
Three of Fleur’s plays have toured and been performed here, and regretfully, I haven’t seen any.
However, with my husband appearing to have made a true recovery (have you ever used a keyboard with your fingers crossed?), nothing will keep me from taking the next opportunity.
Take care and may it be easy, my friends
Marnie
Email: towntalk@sheppnews.com.au
Phone: Text or call 0409 317187