First Production

Beached was first produced by Melbourne Theatre Company at Southbank Theatre, Lawler Studio, Melbourne, on 23 April 2013 with the following cast:

Director, Petra Kalive

Set Designer, Andrew Bailey

Costume Designer, Kat Chan

Lighting Designer, Lisa Mibus

Sound Designer, Robert Jordan

Beached then went on to be produced by Griffin Theatre Company at the SBW Stables Theatre, Sydney, opening on 19 July 2013 with the following cast:

Director, Shannon Murphy

Set Designer, James Browne

Lighting and AV Designer, Verity Hampson

Composer and AV Designer, Steve Toulmin

Dramaturg, Kit Brookman

Assistant Director, Liz Arday

Stage Manager, Benjamin Brockman

CHARACTERS

ARTY, 18 years old, and 400 kilograms

JOJO, mid 40s, his mother

LOUISE, 39, his Pathways to work officer

PRODUCER, any age or gender

DOCUMENTARY VOICE-OVER, a disembodied voice

AMY SCHLUSSER, author and commentator

FOOD INDUSTRY EXECUTIVE

KENNETH JONES, super morbidly obese person

DR FINKELSTEIN, leading gastroenterologist

LORRAINE, gastric bypass case study

STEPHANIE, gastric bypass case study

DAN RYDER, gastric bypass case study

NOTES

This play is to be performed by four actors.

The four lead characters of Arty, JoJo, Louise and Producer, are to be performed by four actors respectively. All other characters are to be divided among the ensemble.

The number of days before Arty’s surgery date, indicated in the text, should be made visible at all times; an ever-present countdown to the big day.

A line with no full stop at the end of a speech indicates that the next speech follows on immediately.

259 DAYS BEFORE SURGERY

PRODUCER: To camera

JOJO: And so when I’m looking at him, right, I still see him as my baby. I know he’s a big boy now and I’m careful not to look at his pee-pee when I lift his belly apron ’cause he needs his dignity, but I make sure it’s clean all the same. I looked after him when he was no bigger than a squirming watermelon and he could be as big as the sky and I’d still look after him—no different. It’s the same in the animal kingdom, you understand. You don’t see a mum tossing her baby aside just ’cause he’s a beluga whale and weighs a ton, do ya? Your baby’s your baby no matter how big they are. And Arty’d be my boy even if he was a beluga whale.

Beat.

Not that he is but y’know, ’cause of the size.

She looks down at her outfit.

These clothes make me look like I’m drinking Jim Beam out the front of the pokies. How’s it ‘ruin the illusion’ if I wear my pearls again?

PRODUCER: Cue theme music

‘Shocking Fat Stories’ theme music plays.

DOCUMENTARY VOICE-OVER: This is the home of Arthur Arthur.

PRODUCER: Cut to