Underbelly Star for Ruben Guthrie in Brisbane

Underbelly’s Gyton Grantley headlines the cast in the Queensland premiere of Brendan Cowell’s award-winning Ruben Guthrie, playing at La Boite’s Roundhouse Theatre for a strictly limited season from 8 October.

Ruben Guthrie tells the story of an ad agency creative director who breaks his arm jumping off a hotel roof after an industry awards night, prompting his mum to cart him off to Alcoholics Anonymous. It premiered at Belvoir’s Downstairs Theatre in 2008, sold-out before opening, and was revived for the main stage in 2009 for another sell-out season.

It’s written by Brendan Cowell, best known as an actor, with starring roles on TV (Tom in Love My Way), film (Noise, for which he won a Film Critics Circle Award), and on stage (as Hamlet in Bell Shakespeare’s 2009 production and in Philip Seymour Hoffman’s 2010 production of True West for Sydney Theatre Company).

Cowell has written over 10 plays, winning the Patrick White Playwrights’ Award, the Philip Parsons Award and the Griffin Award. Ruben Guthrie is his most recent play, written during a year of sobriety.

“It’s no secret I wrote this play after a year of not drinking,” Cowell said. “The decision to stop came after a pretty rough bender on the sauce where I behaved in a manner that my Grandmother would not be proud of.

“The 12 months off grog were not easy. The initial difficulty was NOT DRINKING. After a hard day’s work there is nothing sweeter than a cleansing ale... I realised very quickly that my life was based around alcohol. Especially in my industry of choice. We meet for drinks to discuss potential projects, we meet for drinks to celebrate the project, we meet for drinks to debrief the project, and we meet for drinks because we met on the project. We meet for drinks.”

This Queensland premiere production is directed by Artistic Director David Berthold; his fourth production for La Boite, following Hamlet (2010 Matilda Award Winner: Best Mainstage Production), I Love You, Bro and Julius Caesar.

“I worked on Brendan’s first play, Men, and have seen all of his plays since. I think Ruben Guthrie is his best - great storytelling, great dialogue, lively characters, always intelligent and always charming.”

Berthold describes the title role as “an acting part to die for”, reflecting on the unanticipated casting of Grantley in the production.

“I saw Gyton give a speech in our theatre last year when he was part of a QUT Artists in Residence Program. I had just decided to program Ruben Guthrie,” Berthold said. “Gyton stood on our stage and charmed everyone over his 20 minute speech, and I thought ‘he could play this part’. I offered him the role next day. Little did he know that this speech was his audition!”

Brisbane-born Grantley is best known for his portrayal of Carl Williams in the Underbelly series, winning both an AFI Award for Best Lead Actor in a Television Series and a Silver Logie for Most Outstanding Actor.

“Gyton has a terrific natural energy, charm to spare, and just the right kind of zing for this role,” Berthold said. “I only discovered recently that his father and brother are both high flyers in the advertising industry. So the role is in his blood.”

Joining Grantley is a cast of top Queensland actors, including Caroline Kennison, Kathryn Marquet, Lauren Orrell, John McNeill, Darren Sabadina and Hayden Spencer.

“I think we’ve been blessed with a wonderful cast for this,” Berthold said. “There are seven actors all up, and six of them play characters in various relationships with Ruben - fiancé, new girlfriend, boss, father, mother, best mate.

“Hayden Spencer as Ruben’s advertising boss will eat up the role, and Caroline Kennison as Ruben’s mum will be a cracker. Kathryn Marquet is the new hippy girlfriend - very funny,” he said.

Cast and Creatives

Director: David Berthold. Designer: Renée Mulder. Lighting Designer: Jason Glenwright. Sound Designer: Guy Webster

Cast: Gyton Grantley, Caroline Kennison, Kathryn Marquet, Lauren Orrell, John McnNeill, Darren Sabadina and Hayden Spencer.

Ruben Guthrie plays at La Boite’s Roundhouse Theatre - 8 October - 12 November, 2011.

Bookings: 07 3007 8600 or LABOiTE.COM.AU

Photographers - top two images Al Caeiro, lower Justine Walpole.

To keep up with the latest news and reviews at Stage Whispers, click here to like us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.

Win Tickets

Competition closed. We have our winners.

Win two tickets to the performance of Ruben Guthrie on Saturday October 8 at 7.30. (2 double passes available).

The Challenge: Tell us in 10 words or less why you would like to see Reuben Guthrie at La Boite

To enter, visit our contact form http://www.stagewhispers.com.au/contact and type Ruben Guthrie in the subject field.