A role for the homeless

“I split up with me missus and I didn’t really have anywhere to go… cos all my family’s in Melbourne. I had a few mates that live around and they said ‘come and stay with us’, and I… I don’t want to stay on the couch… I just didn’t want to do that. So I ended up on the streets for a while and ended up staying at the Matthew Talbot (homeless hostel) of all places… whooow!

“It’s a good place if you use it for what it’s for: it’s a launch pad.”

Rob Weston, a 41-year old recovering alcoholic, was shown a flyer asking for participants in a Milk Crate Theatre project. He went on to act a lead role in a short play, shown immediately before one of the company’s full-length features.

“I was fuckin’ shitting myself before that – I was really nervous. But, cos you’ve got the lights and all that and you can’t see all the people – I just automatically zoned out.

“Mate, that was my first ever bit of acting and bang! all of a sudden it was over and I was like: ‘oh, wow!’ – I’ve never felt anything like it: I felt this amazing feeling after, it was like… almost euphoric, you know. I felt… I felt amazing,” he said, beaming.

Rob is now rehearsing for Intersection, described as a one-and-a-half hour collision of Greek tragedy, interactive dialogue and a literal city tour of homeless hotspots.

The play starts inside Edward Eagar Lodge, a crisis centre on Bourke Street, Surry Hills, where characters James and Sally cross paths and get to know each other over the course of one night.

A cast of etherial ‘figures’ represent states of mind, such as Doubt, Undermine, Letting go, and Success. Other ‘shadow’ personas help reenact the main characters’ memories.

All of these supporting roles are played by people who have experienced homelessness or severe disadvantage.

Milk Crate Theatre’s Joker MC, Maurie Barlin, who helped found the theatre 11 years ago, says many of these ‘client’ actors went through an arduous six-week rehearsal process.

“Some of them have been involved in Milk Crate over the years, and have come to the shows, have acted in our workshops and have acted in small performances that are on before the forum shows,” he said.

“Some of them have jobs and work and homes now, and they keep in the community and they keep coming back to work in Milk Crate, and so they become part of the team and for this project they’re a core part of the team.”

More than 30 participants are involved, with the Sydney Street Choir as chorus.

Rob plays the part of Romance.

“I got a little bit of anxiety around remembering my lines. My memory’s terrible, hey. I’ve stuffed my memory up – plus I have ADHD, so my focus, concentration levels are just… I have to work very hard,” he said.

“I’m at my own intersection. I’ve got a lot of stuff going on outside of that, so… Like today I was pretty flat. I’m not travelling well at the moment, but I lob up to this thing cos it’s a positive thing and I put that aside for the day – It takes the focus off myself,” he said.

Maurie says the toughest part of homelessness can be loneliness and loss – both themes of the play.

“The biggest challenge for all of us is going to be when it ends because you make a bit of theatre – it’s like a little baby, and then it grows up and it’s a teenager, which is the show, and then it moves out and it leaves and you’re at home without any kids,” he said.

“We’ve spent a long journey: six to eight weeks, for us actors.”

By Lawrence Bull