The emotional conclusion to an epic Australian classic.
 

It’s 1953 and once again Roo and Barney are making their annual layover pilgrimage from the cane fields to Melbourne. For the past 16 years it has been a time of romance and sexual exploration, but times are changing for our characters while others resist the inevitable march of aging.

Nancy has married and so Olive decides to introduce Barney to a new date, Pearl, who inadvertently brings his insecurities to the fore. Roo has had a bad season in the cane fields and is forced to take a job in a paint factory. Now 22-years-old, Olive and Nancy’s neighbour Bubba is a young woman herself; Olive isn’t ready to settle down; and Olive’s mum Emma holds the wisdom of seeing generations come of age.

A tension-filled summer is ripe for change. It’s a season for reflection, acceptance and letting go.

Summer of the 17th Doll is Ray Lawler’s masterpiece, a deeply compassionate work of theatrical realism. Its continued relevance is undeniable, owing to its ability to show a nation in flux at a pivotal time in its history; and the choices all people must eventually confront.

Purchase tickets to all three plays in the The Doll Trilogy as a package here.

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