Q: What do you get when you cross the Aberfan disaster, St Jude’s Players, and Olivia Jane Parker?
A: The Revlon Girl by Neil Anthony Docking—and a stellar double cast.
On Friday, 21
October 1966, one of modern Britain’s most horrifying tragedies unfolded. As
lessons began at Pantglas Junior School, more than 140,000 cubic metres of
liquefied mine waste from Tip #7, owned by the National Coal Board, rushed down
the hillside into the Welsh village of Aberfan. Within seconds, the slurry
engulfed homes, classrooms, and streets.
A total of 144
lives were lost, including 116 children buried beneath a wall of black sludge.
The school, situated directly below the tip, was destroyed almost instantly.
Rescue efforts were swift but fraught, with thousands of volunteers and miners
battling unstable ground and relentless rain. Survivors recalled a deafening
roar followed by total darkness as their world disappeared beneath the slurry.
The Aberfan
disaster reshaped industrial safety laws and scarred an entire nation—its
memory still reverberating nearly sixty years later. Beginning Tuesday’s
rehearsal, the Sassy Mauve cast paused for a minute’s silence
to acknowledge the anniversary of the disaster and to honour the victims of Aberfan.
The Revlon Girl
Written by
Welsh playwright Neil Anthony Docking, The Revlon Girl is set
eight months after the disaster. Four bereaved mothers gather in a function
room above a Welsh pub, hosting a Revlon cosmetics representative in a
desperate search for normalcy. The play balances heartbreak with humour,
weaving resilience, compassion, and unexpected friendship into a story that is
both intimate and universal.
The South
Australian premiere comes to St Jude’s Players from 5–15 November, directed by
Olivia Jane Parker. The production features two alternating casts—Sassy
Mauve and Stormy Rose—doubling opportunities for Adelaide
audiences to experience this remarkable work.
Bringing The
Revlon Girl to St Jude’s Players is Director Olivia Jane Parker, supported
by a dynamic double cast. Founded in 1949, St Jude’s Players has built a
reputation for award-winning local productions, community spirit, and
consistent artistic excellence. Director Olivia Jane Parker, whose career spans
both the UK and Australia, brings her hallmark sensitivity and creative insight
to the project. A former enthusiast and employee of the Royal Shakespeare Company, Parker is
renowned for exploring emotionally charged, female-led stories. Her vision
finds the perfect outlet in Docking’s haunting yet hopeful play.
Music in Aberfan
While The
Revlon Girl centres on four women who lost their children in the disaster,
the men of Aberfan were also deeply affected. In 1968, they formed the Ynysowen
Male Voice Choir, quickly becoming a source of unity, hope and healing for Aberfan
and it’s neighbours. Initially founded in 1968 with around a dozen members, the
choir grew to over 70 choristers at its peak in the 1970s, and although numbers
have fluctuated, the choir remains strong.
Under the
direction of Jennifer Jones MBE, who has led the choir for more than three
decades, it remains a symbol of perseverance and communal care. The choir and
its music are a living memorial to Aberfan, embodying the long process of
communal recovery.
Its songs are featured in commemorative events and, more importantly, in The Revlon Girl, where their recordings help bring the real voices and spirit of Aberfan to wider audiences. The Ynysowen Male Voice Choir have been gracious enough to provide 2 CDs of their work for exclusive use within St. Jude’s’ production of The Revlon Girl.
In addition to this, there is a nod to Tom Jones in this production, with the hit Green
Green Grass of Home as the final song the audience will hear. After
the tragic events of Aberfan, Tom Jones performed a benefit concert for the
victims, singing I Won’t Crumble With You If You Fall. This song, which
you’ll hear as we transition into Act Two, holds the weight of the community’s
grief and hope, marking a poignant moment in the play.
Stage Managing Double Casts
The Revlon Girl
marks a first for St Jude’s Players and Stage Manager Andrew Broadbent,
introducing a double cast production to the company’s stage. Throughout
rehearsals and into performance, there is focus on preserving the individuality
of each performer and ensemble. With ten artists exploring the world of
Aberfan, each brings a unique perspective on how the tragedy shapes their
character and the bonds between the women at the heart of the story.
Working with two casts means double the blocking and twice the director’s notes. Fortunately, technical elements such as sound, lighting, and production cues remain consistent. In a nod to modern efficiency, Andrew has traded the traditional pencil and eraser for erasable pens, streamlining the stage management process. His colour-coded system uses red ink for the Sassy Mauve cast, blue for the Stormy Rose cast, and black for lighting, sound, and general production notes. The right-hand side of the script features Sassy Mauve blocking, the left side notes Stormy Rose, and technical cues occupy their own columns on the opposite page of the prompt book.
Along with the colour-coded system, Parker has provided a thorough Director's Brief, ensuring everything that is needed to be known is clearly laid out for reference, not only for the Stage Manager, but the entire creative team. There is also an open communication line between the Stage Manager, Director, and Assistant Director Sophie Waller, outside of rehearsals, as well as dedicated time before and after each rehearsal
Establishing these clear systems before the rehearsal period commences has ensured smooth coordination and consistency across both casts, allowing each to shine in their own distinct way. Having a double cast production gives audiences a reason to return a second time!
Performance Details
The Stormy
Rose Cast:
Featuring Brooke Dubois, Lucy Grace, Heather Crawford, Megan Harris & Olivia Bigham
- 6 Nov @ 7:30pm – Opening Night
- 8 Nov @ 2:00pm – Saturday Matinee
- 13 Nov @ 7:30pm – starring Sassy Mauve’s
Olivia Richardson as Rona
- 14 Nov @ 7:30pm
- 15 Nov @ 7:30pm Final Performance
The Sassy
Mauve Cast:
Featuring Jade Cooper, Olivia Richardson, Carmine Clarke, Georjette Mercer & Ruby
Patrich
- 5 Nov – Preview Night
- 7 Nov @ 7:30pm
- 8 Nov @ 7:30pm – Saturday Night
- 15 Nov @ 2:00pm – Matinee
Venue:
St Jude’s Hall, 444 Brighton Road, Brighton, South Australia
Bookings: bookings@stjudesplayers.asn.au |
0436 262 628
- Andrew Broadbent
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