A terrified 12-year-old boy finds himself separated from his family in the unfamiliar streets of a war-torn city. He takes refuge in a bombed-out house and in the total blackness his bravado crumbles into tears.
Into his life steps Anna—older, street smart and scornful of his crying. As a way of shutting the boy up, she starts to tell him a story that she vaguely remembers from her own childhood. And so begins a journey into the shifting, shimmering world of ogres, princes, singing bones, foolish lads and wolf-mothers.
Stories in the Dark explores the power of storytelling, mingling the magic and earthy wisdom of folk tales with the hard-edged story of violence, conflict and the struggle to survive.
DEBRA OSWALD is a playwright, novelist and screenwriter, and a two-time winner of the NSW Premier’s Literary Award. Her stage plays have been performed around the world, including Gary’s House, Sweet Road, Mr Bailey’s Minder and The Peach Season. Debra has also written four plays for young audiences – Dags, Skate, Stories in the Dark and House on Fire. Debra was the creator and head writer on the successful TV series Offspring. Her other television credits include episodes of Police Rescue, Sweet and Sour and Bananas in Pyjamas. Debra has published nine children’s books and four adult novels, including The Family Doctor and One Hundred Years of Betty. She performed her one-woman show Is There Something Wrong With That Lady? at Griffin Theatre in 2021 and the Ensemble in 2023.
Photo Credit: Alex Vaughan
| Cast Info | 23F, 32M, (doubling available) |
| Genres | Drama, Mystery, Surreal/magic realism |
| Themes | Large Cast |
| Audiences | Young Adult |
| Extent | 80 |
| Edition | Standard |
| Size | 210 x 137 |
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