MONOLOGUE: MY FATHER'S STORY
This is a story about an old man with no regrets. A dramatic monologue performed by Ian Rooney (Dr Blake Mysteries). A testament to the life of Neville, written and directed by his son, Ballarat-based playwright and poet Marty MonStar.
Designed as a public performance - strangers are invited to join in hearing all about this very personal and fascinating life. My Father’s Story is a funny, inspiring and emotional rollercoaster not to be missed. Performed by one of Australia’s most experienced actors, Ian Rooney, whose professional career has spanned over 40 years, with key credits on shows including Dr Blake Mysteries, as well as Neighbours, Fisk, Jack Irish, Chopper, The Club, Hawke, Cliffy, The Cup, Halifax F.P, plus a huge slate of theatre credits and so much more.
Join Ian for this intimate and unique stage event, as he shares stories of bank managers and bookies, a construction business, love, farm life, financial woes, snakes, a bottle of scotch, and the St Kilda football club.
“We always celebrate someone’s life after they die” says MonStar. “But I really wanted to create a celebration while he’s still here. We all weep at a wake and funeral, and reminisce about someone’s life long after they’re gone. But why wait?
Marty MonStar’s previous work has been supported by staged readings and performances with La Mama Theatre, Cracked Actors Theatre and Long Play, and nominated for awards, including Best Comedic Writing for The Hang Up during the 2020 Summer Reading Series with Cracked Actors. Marty also runs the monthly Ballarat Spoken Word and has two published books of poetry. His recent play The Reunion completed a successful premiere run at The MC Showroom with audiences calling it “Brilliant” and “Entertaining” and an early version of the script for his play The Wrong Horse was presented as part of La Mama’s Spring Series, with a Weekend Notes review stating: “MonStar’s style is Aussie colloquial, think Hopgood's Big Men Fly or Williamson’s Don’s Party. The Wrong Horse is engaging and relatable, witty and well-paced.”
Feedback/Comments
Very intimate venue making it up close & personal.
The performance was memorable for several reasons. Ian Rooney embodied Neville with much empathy and incredible skill. There were many nuances: the wisdon, humour and occasional pathos of an elderly man reviewing a long and rich
life. Ian handled minor technical glitches while in character and with wit- providing a seamless, mesmerising
monologue.
What made this performance particularly special was that Marty MonStar's parents, Dorothy and Neville were in the audience to evidence the tribute to Neville. In addition the audience was largely comproised of neville and dorothy's loving relatives and frines, so it felt to my husband and I as if we were part of a wonderful family reunion, which indeed it was.
Marty infused the monologue with tenderness and with his father's personality. It was lovely to see the warmth with
which Marty attended to all the small but important details to help support the performance he had two messages at the end of the monologue: the encouragement to capture the stories of our elderly loved ones while they are alive, for those stories will disappear once they die, if they have not been recorded and the humble example of paying tribute to our elders while they are alive, rather than in their absence once they are no longer here.
Congratulatipns all round!
The actor actually gave a stellar peformance despite claiming he was nervous about it, as the subjects of the play (the author's parents) were in the audience. We were invited into his lounge room for an intimate, tender, poignant and nostalgic trip down memory lane.