BONDI DREAMING

What would you do if you were stuck in a Balinese prison, biding time until your death row sentence? For childhood mates Frankie, Charlie and Macca their coping mechanism is to channel one of the world’s most famous beaches, Bondi. Actor Sam Atwell (Home and Away, Headlands, All Saints) has written and directed a play that has been met with such critical acclaim it is now approaching its third season at the very appropriate venue, the Bondi Pavilion. Two years have passed since its final production and in the interim Atwell has been busy injecting the drama with new film footage (starring Ritchie, Annie Byron, Felix Dean, Lauren Clare) and conducting extensive research and interviews with people who have first-hand experience of the Bali Nine and imprisonment, including ABC journalist Peter Lloyd who spent time in Singapore for drug possession. Atwell and his cast Wayne Bradley (Underbelly), Greg Hatton (Packed to the Rafters) and Christian Willis (Checkpoint) have just returned from a week in Bali where not only did they rehearse and observe the culture but taught local drama students at Bali SoDA. “I am in strong opposition to the death penalty, and now with Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran seeking clemency, it is even more important to humanise their plight and do what we can to raise awareness in this country,” Atwell has said. “We seek to add our voices to the ever growing movement pleading for a change to their sentence.” This play aims to provoke debate and change opinion. Do reckless Australians on drug charges deserve their sentences? Should the death penalty be abolished? Where do you stand?

Nov 9-Dec 3, The Bondi Pavilion Theatre, Queen Elizabeth Drive, Bondi Beach, $21-33, 8019 0282, rocksurfers.org