Description

A symphony of discord unfolds at Monique's annual family gathering, celebrating her three beloved sons' birthdays. While Monique's adoration for her boys knows no bounds, disdain for their wives is palpable.

Festivities crescendo and Monique takes the spotlight with a performance of a renowned opera aria, a poignant reminder of the dreams she sacrificed to raise her brood. In her mind, she was destined for the illustrious stages of La Scala, the Met and Covent Garden.

But beneath the facade of familial harmony, dissonance brews. Have the long-suffering wives reached their boiling point? David Williamson's ARIA is a darkly comedic exploration of the intricate dynamics and rivalry inherent within every family.

Copublished with Ensemble Theatre.

Biography

David Williamson

DAVID WILLIAMSON is Australia’s best known and most widely performed playwright. Some of his 55 produced plays over the last 50 years include The Coming of the Stork, The Removalists, Don’s Party, The Club, Travelling North, Emerald City, Money & Friends, Dead White Males, The Jack Manning Trilogy, Up for Grabs, Soulmates, Nothing Personal, When Dad Married Fury, Rupert, Cruise Control, Dream Home, Odd Man Out, Sorting Out Rachel, Nearer the Gods, The Big Time, Family Values, Crunch Time, The Great Divide, The Puzzle and Aria. His plays (also in translation) have been performed internationally, including in London, Los Angeles, New York and Washington. David has adapted many of his plays into feature films to great acclaim and his original feature screenplays include Gallipoli, Phar Lap, The Year of Living Dangerously, Balibo (as co-writer) and On the Beach (adapted for television). David’s many awards include 12 Australian Writers’ Guild Awards, 5 Australian Film Institute Awards for Best Screenplay and, in 1996, the United Nations Association of Australia Media Peace Award. David has received four honorary doctorates and been made an Officer of the Order of Australia, as well as having been named one of Australia’s Living National Treasures.