By Adam Fawcett
BECOME THE ONE
Heart wrenching, raw and categorically brave. We need more of this on our stages. – Theatre People
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Noah, a young queer man, captures the attention of Tom, a closeted high-profile AFL player nearing the end of his career. Delving into the hyper-masculinity of sport, BECOME THE ONE asks what happens to such clandestine relationships when good intentions and patience aren’t enough anymore.
A mainstage love story featuring vibrant queer characters at its heart, it is less interested in exploring why an AFL footballer is yet to come out, and more concerned with why same-sex partners of AFL players (who statistically have to exist) continue to accept it.
What if the partner, not the athlete, became the driving force behind dismantling the last bastion of heteronormative masculinity in Australian sport? What might they – and that journey – look like?
This is a celebration of difference, a call to bravery, and an examination of what it takes to do the right thing – as a lover, as a high profile sport star, as a human being – to BECOME THE ONE.
This work was selected as the winner of the 2018 Playtime Award for New Queer Writing as part of the 2018 Midsumma Festival and was presented by Gasworks Arts Park and Lab Kelpie at the 2019 Midsumma Festival.
This project’s development and premiere season was supported by Creative Victoria, a Jacky Winter Gardens Residency and the Victorian Government through the Pride Events and Festivals Fund.
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“Heart wrenching, raw and categorically brave. Become The One doesn’t let you off the hook. We need more of this on our stages.” –
“Excellent. Definitely worth seeing.” –
“Become The One presents many layers… the production is meticulously curated.” –
“Fawcett’s exquisite writing is undoubtedly the highlight of this production. His clever combination of romance, comedy and drama has given director Lyall Brooks and actors Chris Asimos and Henry Strand the room to explore and create a piece of theatre that is exceedingly important for audiences to witness. Asimos is charismatic and brooding as Tom, the perfect counterweight to Strand’s precocious, yet sweetly gentle Noah. The two bounce off each other beautifully and present a dynamic and chemistry that surpass the stereotypes their respective characters could have easily risked slipping into.” – Theatre Press
“Fawcett’s text is spikey and smart …sensitivity and intelligence are woven all through it. Fawcett does this by his choice of characters – and then these very fine actors bring them to life under Lyall Brooks’ well-paced, edgy direction.” – Stage Whispers
“Asimos and Strand both have strong stage presence and share incredible on-stage chemistry, which makes for a compelling portrayal of this well-scripted love story. It is a well-crafted work, solidly written and beautifully performed, which will resonate with footy fans and non-footy fans alike.” – Weekend Notes
Winner: 2018 Midsumma Queer Playwriting Award
Date: 17 Jan 2018
Event: Playtime Staged Readings – 2018 Midsumma Festival
Venue: Gasworks Arts Park – Albert Park VIC
Performances: 1 (15 min excerpt)
Date: 31 Jan – 9 Feb 2019
Event: 2019 Midsumma Festival
Venue: Gasworks Arts Park – Albert Park VIC
Performances: 9
Date: 15 Feb 2019
Venue: The Bowery Theatre – St Albans VIC
Performances: 1
Date: 9 Mar 2019
Event: 2019 Chillout Festival
Venue: The World Famous Beagle Tent – Daylesford VIC
Performances: 1
Date: 14-17 July 2021
Venue: IO Performance – Launceston TAS
Performances: 5
Date: 22-25 July 2021
Venue: Salamanca Arts Centre – Hobart TAS
Performances: 5