The Bully is a new and independent play by Australian writer and director of Omad Productions, Damian Overton.
The Bully dissects the devastating and very real effects of gay bullying by offering an insight into the lives of the Mitchell family, a family trying to cope with a very tragic set of individual circumstances.
“The play started from what I had observed in the world around me, the press and social media. I hope that The Bully can speak for those kids who can no longer speak for themselves. The spate of gay suicides in the States at the hands of bullying started this whole project for me. The further I researched the issue the further I was aware of the depth of the issue. I needed to have a stronger voice on an issue that is very important to me. Working on a full-length play gave me time to explore the complexity surrounding gay bullying” states Overton about this very raw topic.
Main character, Cohen Mitchell never made it back for his brother's funeral a year ago and since his return he must face the weight of his own decision while slowly uncovering pieces of a dysfunctional puzzle. A mother involved with an organisation that claims to cure homosexuality, a sister attempting to hold a family together and a "Dead Boy" who seems to be lingering everywhere, set the scene for a brash look at the ripple effect of gay bullying.
“I hope the audience can relate to the human aspect of the drama presented in The Bully. Although a drama, there's plenty of humour infused throughout as well. If they can relate or even if they don't, I hope it sparks a dialogue and discussion about the play and the themes presented. I hope that the audience feels challenged, entertained, moved, shocked and also surprised.” Overton hopes that The Bully can accomplish this by broaching a somewhat taboo topic in a non-preaching and obscure manner.
The process of making The Bully come alive, from a burning idea to a stage production has been a lengthy but rewarding journey for Overton. “It has been just over 2 years in total. I wrote the initial drafts of the script over a 12 month period. The cast have been attached to the project since February of this year.
As The Bully is a brand new piece we've spent a lot of time “workshopping” the script and the characters and have had a very lengthy rehearsal process. The script I first presented to the actors back in February looks completely different now. It's a testament to the hard work we've all put in. I'm so proud of the Omad Productions team and the exceptional cast we have manage to put together. The ten actors have created beautiful and challenging work for this play. I'm so proud to be working with them on this piece and it’s been so exciting to watch the play develop and take on a life of its own.”
