Ryan and Rhada may seem worlds away as they engage in banter at bus stop in the middle of the night, but the characters are part of a play conceptualised in Lithgow.
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Long time local and playwright Nick Parsons has returned from a successful run of the play 'Straight White Male' at La Mama in Melbourne.
According to Mr Parsons, Straight White Male was well received by critics.
"We've had good reviews. Two rave reviews and one that was kind of positive, but not wild," Mr Parsons said.
"It seems to have really it a nerve though. It's been great."
The play featured Mr Parsons segment known as 'Ryan and Rhada' that followed on from the play that inspired him- 'Norm and Ahmed' by Alex Buzo.
"One of my favourite plays was Norm and Ahmed. It was basically a late night encounter at a bus stop between a kind of 50-year-old white anglo and a male pakistani student who is just heading home," Mr Parsons said.
"The white guy stops and starts having a conversation and we have no idea why he wants to talk to this bloke on lonely street in the middle of the night, where it's going."
According to Mr Parsons, he used the basis of Norm and Ahmed and modernised it to shine the light on issues including domestic violence, sexual assault and mental health issues.
"I realised if all I could do was change the sex of the Pakistani student and make it a young woman being approached by an older male approached for a conversation," Mr Parsons said.
"They could be talking about pretty much anything and you'll be wondering where this is going on?
"It seemed like the perfect vehicle to explore those issues."
Mr Parsons said that living in Lithgow doesn't limit possibilities for creatives to make their mark.
"My advice would be you have to just do it. You can't wait around for somebody to recognise your talent," Mr Parsons said.
"If you want to get stuff done then find a community of people who are also interested in the same area and start working with them and doing things."
According to Mr Parsons, now the show has wrapped up his sense of accomplishment has been accompanied by calmness.
"I feel satisfied. I think most artists have it as well, I've got this overwhelming feeling of relief," Mr Parsons said.
"It feels like I got away with it, like nobody has noticed that I don't know what i'm doing.
"When you've written a show as well as directing it, you've got an enormous responsibility towards the cast, the backstage manager and lighting team because you want the show to go well."
Reidun Berntsen
Reidun is a Journalist and writer who lives in a country town 3 hours from Sydney, Australia. From a young age, Reidun has been in love with words and the infinite possibilities they bring. Stories, features and poems have been a major part of her writing career.
Reidun is a Journalist and writer who lives in a country town 3 hours from Sydney, Australia. From a young age, Reidun has been in love with words and the infinite possibilities they bring. Stories, features and poems have been a major part of her writing career.
