About the Play:

Life After George is a full-length comedic drama by Hannie Rayson. Professor George is dead. His widow and two ex-wives gather for his funeral. As they reminisce about the man they loved, these women discover much about themselves and the lives they have lived both in and out of his shadow. Written with passion and dangerous wit, Life After George presents a captivating view of life and the consequences each person's actions have on events.

Life After George is the story of three women, three marriages, and one husband. When charismatic university professor Peter George (George to his intimates) is killed with a mystery woman in a light-plane crash, his wife, two ex-wives, and daughter from his first marriage get together to plan the funeral. His best friend tries to keep the peace between the women. So begins a fascinating retrospective on George's life and explores what impact the loss has on the women he left behind. The women are united in their mourning of an exceptionally idealistic although cruel man, but divided by their generational differences. As the true nature of the man and his tempestuous life unfolds, these women, each representing an era, discover much more than they bargained for about themselves and the lives they have lived both within and outside his shadow. Life After George offers a moving and perceptive insight into social change across three decades masterfully combining rich, controversial characters with social and political issues. And it is on this stage that the politically uncompromising George played out his brilliant, tempestuous career.

Life After George premiered in 2000 at Fairfax Studio by Melbourne Theatre Company achieving critical acclaim and commercial success. A tour followed the Melbourne season, breaking all box office records in Australia for a locally written work. Since then there have been many productions around the world including the UK premiere in 2002 at the Duchess Theatre in the West End of London, and the Canadian premiere in 2003 at the venerable Centaur Theatre, the oldest English-language theatre in Montréal.

Cast: 4 female, 2 male

What people say:

"…a comic drama guaranteed to restore your belief in the power of theatre." — Melbourne Age

"…thinking theatre-goers of the world, storm this breach in the barricades – book your tickets today; you have nothing to lose but your chance to see more Andrew Lloyd Webber. The play is also a great vehicle for actors, with meaty roles for three women and a charismatic man." — The Independent

About the Playwright:

Hannie Rayson is an Australian playwright, screenwriter and newspaper columnist. She is the author of sixteen plays that been performed throughout Australia at all the major theatre companies. Internationally her plays have been staged in London's West End, The New National Theatre of Tokyo, The New Kobe Oriental Hall, Japan, Helsinki City Theatre, The Centaur in Montreal, The National Theatre of Slovenia and many theatres in the UK, Europe and New Zealand.