Proof

**BY DAVID AUBURN**
Directed by Caitlin Hill
15th June - 8th July, 2023

Director’s Notes

“I didn’t show this to anyone else. I could have. I wanted you to be the first to see it.”

After a long time away from Queensland stages, it is interesting that David Auburn’s Tony and Pulitzer award-winning play Proof is scheduled to be performed at least three times across the independent theatre community this year. When I read this play for the first time early last year, time paused, the pages flew by, and I felt filled with electric excitement: This needs to be seen again. Has anyone done it recently...? No…? Really? Let’s bring it back now!

Why has this text lit so many creatives up recently?

Could it be because we understand the experiences of living with mental health issues better than we did in 2000? Perhaps we know better that living with a mental illness does not mean one is not deserving of love? Is it because we have seen feminist historians rewrite history over the years with the women pioneers in science, such as Katherine Johnson’s calculations that helped take us to the Moon; or Chien-Shiung Wu’s experiments that contributed to us better understanding the beginnings of the universe, and Rosalind Franklin’s discovery of molecular structures that helped us better understand ourselves? Now add the issue of Believing Women in general in this Me-Too era. What it means to take someone’s word, to not require the dehumanizing experience (I speak only of sexual misconduct matters) of evidence; to trust each other with the most personal of experiences.

You may find me reaching here, but after all we have learned over the last few years, I would like you take a moment to think about where Auburn places the disbelief in a woman’s word: after an intimate experience something precious is found by a key, given to the finder by a woman. I have tried to highlight these moments within this text for a 2023 audience to reflect on.

Finally, the ongoing issue of gender inequality in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematic fields and the further issues of opportunities for women of colour in STEM. Women made up less than a quarter of students studying STEM in 2019 and in 2022 Forbes magazine reported that women’s scholarships and awards in these fields were being eliminated to be fair to men.

Instead of despairing though about the current state of these ongoing issues I would like this play to be offered as way humans can redeem themselves. We do not give up. We take responsibility for our actions. We learn to do better.

I hope you enjoy where we have played with the perception of reality through our lighting design by the multi-talented Justin Harrison and music composed by the also multi-talented Tony Brumpton. We have aimed to put as much Math into the work as possible through utilizing patterns in the music and lighting effects. Alas, that is putting it rather simply... they are casual geniuses after all.

I am so eternally grateful to the beautiful wizard, Justin, who not only took on the lighting design but also helped rig the venue, set the grass, and build and decorate the set. Love you. I adore the intricacy of Tony Brumpton’s composed music (and all sound design) and will always adore Tony for his production guidance for this first-time director. I have learned so much from you and every production would be lucky to have you both for your dramaturgical and theatrical knowledge of what makes a show sing.

To Sam Hocking and Liam Gilliland, I will always appreciate your early enthusiasm for this production, and Sam, all the work you have done behind-the-scenes has been so helpful. Petria Leong, our Stage Manager, thank you for your work and insight and making every production we’ve worked together on at Ad Astra super sweet. Thank you to Bill Haycock for signing off on my idea for the set design and your wise adjustments; to Deidre Grace and PIP Theatre for your generosity in giving me The Boys grass for our Chicago backyard; to Ian Johnson for loading and unloading said grass (very heavy!); for Alyson Joyce and her House of Vincent and Kate Lund and her mad skills for our beautiful promotion photography; Hannah Ariotti and Sandra Harman for the backyard set; B’Elanna Hill for tech advice; and Dead Puppet Society for pretty tech things. Thank you to Marcus Oborn for the safe sound practices you provided us with and Jacqui Somerville for the safe spaces you created for us. Gregory Wilken, your patience with me forgetting everything and helping market this production: wow. Many, many thank yous! And dear Dan and Fiona Kennedy, thank you for giving me this opportunity, I hope you are proud of the work we have made, and Dan, thank you once again for helping build a beautiful world within our sweet little Ad Astra theatre.

Finally, to my beautiful cast. I wanted the best actors who made me feel calm, and no other combination out of all the beautiful auditionees but you five did that for me. I cannot list all the reasons why I love you but here are some:

Janaki Gerard: for always being joyous, digging deep, and working with me to pitch the absolute puzzle that is Catherine.

Malika Savory: for your consideration and dedication to the art of ensemble and for helping me see out of the box.

Doll Hunt: please never leave the theatre scene again. You are a true artist and I am so lucky you agreed to work with me.

Pierce Gordon: for keeping us all laughing and challenging me to get to the heart of the play always.

Aimee Duroux: for my favourite version of Claire and just being you. You have been a breeze to work with and I am so excited for folks to enjoy your work.

Thank you all so so so much for enjoying this process with me. For being so rigourous and detailed with your work (they do algebra before every performance, folks, it’s amazing!) for the long days and nights of a rather short rehearsal schedule, really. We did it. I would like to add an extra special thanks to Pierce Gordon again, for championing and inspiring me to direct my first play. Once he took on this role mid-flight to Adelaide he was on board 100% and beside me every step of the way, at every audition and call back. We’ve worked together now for a couple of years and I look forward to many more.

If you’ve got this far reading this, thank you, you’re cute and I hope you enjoy your night at the Valley’s Ad Astra.

I x2 – |x|y +y2 < 1 you.

Caitlin Hill.

Show Poster

About the Play

On the eve of her twenty-fifth birthday, Catherine, a troubled young woman, has spent years caring for her brilliant but unstable father, a famous mathematician. Now, following his death, she must deal with her own volatile emotions; the arrival of her estranged sister, Claire; and the attentions of Hal, a former student of her father’s who hopes to find valuable work in the 103 notebooks that her father left behind. Over the long weekend that follows, a burgeoning romance and the discovery of a mysterious notebook draw Catherine into the most difficult problem of all: How much of her father’s madness—or genius—will she inherit?

In a #MeToo era with the issue of Believing Women still a day-to-day battle, and with less than 30% of women making up Australia's STEM-qualified workforce, David Auburn's Pulitzer and Tony Award-winning play is perhaps more timely now than it was in 2001.

CAST

Catherine — Janaki Gerard

Catherine (Understudy) — Malika Savory

(The role of Catherine will performed by Janaki Gerard on June 15, 16, 17, 18, 22, 23, 29 & July 6, 7 & 8 and Malika Savory on June 24, 25 and July 2.)

Robert — Doll Hunt

Hal — Pierce Gordon

Claire — Aimee Duroux

CREATIVES

Director — Caitlin Hill

Production Assistant — Sam Hocking

Composer — Tony Brumpton

Vocal Coach — Marcus Oborn

Photography — Kate Lund

Stage Managers — Petria and Ebony Leong

Intimacy Co-ordinator - Jacqui Somerville

THANKS TO

Justin Harrison, Bill Haycock, Alyson Joyce and House of Vincent studio

Reviews

‘Proof’ is a perfect mix of intelligence and creative art. It goes beyond just the words on the page and has created a modern production extremely relevant for today’s society. Hill has touched on these issues beautifully through this multilayered, and intriguing production. The end result is a piece of theatre that transcends our world into the history books. This production will be a favourite around Southeast Queensland for audience members.

Jake Goodall - Theatre Haus | Read more

The team have created such a high energy, dynamic piece. The characters are all distinct and they intertwine and connect seamlessly.

Sarah McNally - Nothing Ever Happens in Brisbane | Read more

Caitlin Hill has pulled together an incredibly strong cast, each one of whom brought wonderful energy to this production. All of the cast worked well off each other; there was an ease and familiarity that allowed these characters to feel fleshed out and able to exist in the world of ‘Proof’ together.

Grace Swadling - Theatre Travels | Read more

First-time director Caitlin Hill gives David Auburn’s 20-year old award-winning play Proof a radiant remake with a cast sent from heaven.

Beth Keehn - Stage Whispers | Read more

Caitlin Hill’s directorial debut of “Proof” is one of obvious intelligence, but also a compassion that transcends the work’s complex plot to an emotional audience connection. She maintains the seeming simplicity of the well-written work through use of a single set, yet also leans into the craftedness of its exploration of the nature of genius (and its vicinity to madness), with touch on bigger issues such as male chauvinism and the continuing gender inequality and lack of opportunities for women of colour in STEM. The result is a multi-layered, fascinating and often quite beautiful piece of light and shade as its heavy topics around the effects of mental health struggles are tempered by moments of laughter, often from Hal’s awkwardness and between-sister banter. The resulting combination of on-point performances from a stellar cast and considered creative aspects makes for a dynamic, intelligent piece of theatre to both provoke and entertain Brisbane audiences who have not seen this work on stage in many years.

Meredith Walker - Blue Curtains | Read more