A NOTE FROM THE DIRECTOR
“I started this play with the image of a man 'fixing' a boy by fiddling about with wires in the back of his head. That image led me to explore how people are put together. What if putting together a person was as simple as putting together a bookcase?” - Thomas Eccleshare, Playwright. (The Standard)
What should parents do if their children are not what they hoped for? Would you try to turn back the clock? Make it better. Kiss it better. Do it properly this time. This is a play that opens up like a flatpack, questioning how we assemble our family. Parents strive to create successful children with the nuts and bolts of education and opportunity. But when failure looms - and love cannot clumsily glue together what is broken - what then?
Children are unpredictable. When they are new in the world our expectations are grandiose, and competitive parenting is a self satisfying reflection of what we, as parents, have achieved.
When children get older and our influence wanes, our hopes shift and the bar is lowered. And lowered. And then, in the quiet of a perfect home that always reflects our success, we discover the parenting DIY instructions are a language we cannot understand.
The Pinocchio-esque reality of parenting blind can completely derail a family. Is it possible to fix grief? To remove memory, to blunt pain, to erase regrets. We can attempt to improve, erect, paint over, play pretend - to augment the human condition and control relationships remotely. Perhaps, we can fix ourselves by removing what is human.
- Mike Brooke
CAST
Jackson has loved the arts since he was little and started doing plays with LYTE (Launceston Youth Theatre Ensemble) when he was in grade 3. Now that Jackson has graduated, he is excited to work with other theatre companies and hopes to work with most of them in Launceston before he leaves for the mainland. Shortly after graduating, he was in a production of PUFFS (Puffs or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic) and was nominated by the theatre council for a youth achievement award. This is Jackson's first time acting with IO Performance, and he hopes to be a part of IO again in the future.
JACKSON KELDER
Jade has amassed over 20 years of professional singing and performs across the state regularly. She graduated university in 2005 with a Bachelor of Contemporary Arts (Theatre) and a Master of Teaching. Jade has worked with numerous companies including SPC both onstage and as Vocal Director, The Launceston Players, Launceston Musical Society, Encore Theatre Company and Mudlark Theatre Company. Jade has previously worked with IO in Blank (Best supporting Actress Nominee), The Dark Room, Press Play to Start, (which was especially exciting as she was able to share the performance space with her children) The Effect ( winner of best supporting actress) and most recently in Hole. She is eternally grateful to her family, especially her husband and 3 children for being her everything, always.
JADE HOWARD
LIZ PENFOLD
With an MFA (Theatre) and BCA (Hons), Leigh has been acting and directing for the past 20+ years. A two-time winner of Best Direction at the Tasmanian Theatre Awards (Things I Know to be True, Our Town both with Three River Theatre) Leigh’s acting credits with IO include: The Effect, The Dark Room, Red, Let the Right One In, Become the One (nominated Outstanding Lead Male) and Anatomy of a Suicide. Later this year he is directing Anthem for the Launceston Players and will also appear in Rising Water with Three River Theatre.
LEIGH OSWIN
Tash first appeared onstage as a three- year-old ballet dancing cat. Her subsequent performances have been spent attempting to match this career highlight. She has worked in the performing arts for many years, onstage and behind the scenes. She graduated from UTAS theatre studies in 2009, received the Country Club Tasmania Theatrical Development Award in 2010 and a Tasmanian Theatre Award nomination in 2022. Tash has recently appeared in Hole, The Daphne Massacre, and Blank (IO Performance); Bums on Seats and The Bridesmaid Must Die! (Launceston Players). Much love to Jules and Alfie.
TASH MCCULOCH
After the whirlwind that was 'Pity', Charlotte is thrilled to be making her second IO appearance in this dark-comedy thriller, a genre she adores. Currently working towards a career on screen, Charlotte was lucky enough to score a small role in the second season of ABC's 'Bay of Fires' - which will hopefully be airing later this year. Theatre is a little more new to Charlotte, and she wants to translate her passion for film through stagec raft, provoking audiences with the same feelings. "That feeling you get when you walk out of the cinema, exhilarated and immersed in a world so different to the one you knew before the movie.." Charlotte is confident that is how you'll feel after this powerful show. She wishes all audience members an unforgettable transcendence.
CHARLOTTE BROOKE
Antony Butchart is very happy to be back acting after having a year off. His last show was IO's The Dark Room and he is thrilled to be working with the IO team once again. Antony has thoroughly enjoyed working with the cast and crew of Instructions For Correct Assembly.
ANTONY BUTCHART
HOVER FOR WARNINGS:
​
Adult Themes
Sexual References
Coarse Language
Drug Use/ Abuse
​
​
CREATIVES:
SET DESIGN: CHRIS JACKSON & MIKE BROOKE
LIGHTING DESIGN: CHRIS JACKSON
SOUND DESIGN: MIKE BROOKE
COSTUME DESIGN: GRACE ROBERTS & MIKE BROOKE
PROSTHETICS: SAM BROOKE
​
STAGE MANAGER: FINN WILLMOTT
​
MECHS: GRACE ROBERTS & MITCH BASDEN
SPECIAL THANK YOU TO
MIKE AND DEB ROBERTS
MANDY AND GERALD JACKSON​
TANIA AND ANDREW MATTHEWS
BUTTONS BREWING
UP NEXT
​
