The Uplifting Book Tim by Colleen McCullough Brought to the Stage.

Colleen McCullough is a well known Australian Author. The first book she wrote, Tim, was published back in 1974. Her second book, The Thorn Birds, published in 1977 was turned into a popular 1983 television miniseries.

Tim was made into a movie in 1979 and starred a young Mel Gibson as Tim. Later in 1996 it was made into an American television movie called Tim and Mary.

Fast forward to the present day where Tim has been turned into a stage play that is currently touring NSW. 

Tim tells the story of an aussie mum and dad living with a daughter and disabled son Tim. Tim is 24 years old and happens to be disabled, even though the type of disability is not mentioned in the book or play. He works as a labourer and after doing some work for Mary Horton, in her mid-fifties, is hired as a gardener on an ongoing basis. 

Tim is all about relationships. It is about how Time and Mary develop their unorthodox relationship, resulting in their marriage. It is also about the husband and wife relationship of Tim's parents, the relationship of Tim with his sister Dee, and the relationship of next door neighbours.  

The play is about friendship, love, mistrust, loss and acceptance. It has its fun moments, but also its serious moments. Who should care for a disabled person? His aging parents, a care home, or a person of the opposite sex who is more than twice his age? As Colleen McCullough wrote. "Sometimes all the miles between us are as nothing, sometimes they are narrowed to the little silence between the beats of a heart."

Tim was adapted for the stage by Tim McGarry, who I had the pleasure of chatting with after the premiere performance in Sydney at the end of July.

The small cast of Tim is brilliant. 

A newcomer to the stage, Ben Goss, himself disabled, plays Tim. He exhibits all the emotions exhibited by the young Tim in moving ways. Ben will go a long way in the theatre world. 

The other actors bring their previous experiences of acting to the stage.

Jeanette Cronin played the difficult role of Mary Horton. She played her part well to show she was not a manipulator, but a person who happened to care affectionately for the much younger Tim.

Andrew McFarlane plays Tim's dad. He brings to this outstanding performance his many years of working in TV, movies, and on the stage. (You may remember him from his many TV shows such as Homicide, Matlock Police, The Flying Doctors, Rafferty's Rules, Home and Away, Neighbours or Playschool... the list goes on.)

Valerie Bader plays Tim's mum, Julia Robertson plays Tim's sister, and Akkshey Caplash plays her boyfriend. These actors all relate well to each other on stage and their sense of timing and movement are spot on.

The set for Tim is beautiful in its simplicity and complexity. It's revolving stage successfully moves the backdrop of one house to another. (I was waiting for it to stall, or spin twice as fast as it should, but it didn't.....) The excellent lighting and sound effects add to the drama of the performances of the actors. 

Even though Tim has finished at some venues, there is still time to book seats to see it in Wollongong,  Queanbeyan and Parramatta. 

• 
  Wollongong

Merrigong Theatre Company
August 16 - 19, 2023
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• Queanbeyan

The Q - Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre
August 25 & 26, 2023
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• Parramatta

Riverside Theatres
August 30 - September 2, 2023
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