When actor George Shevtsov first read Tim Winton's novel The Shepherd's Hut after being asked to participate in its adaptation from page to stage, his initial thought was: "Wow, this is Tim Winton gone really dark." His second thought was: "This would make an amazing film — but how would you ever stage it?"
Figuring that out is exactly what Shevtsov is working on when he takes a break from rehearsals to discuss his role as disgraced priest Fintan MacGillis in the Black Swan Theatre Company play. Like all of Winton's books, The Shepherd's Hut paints an incredibly evocative picture of the landscape — which is not always easy to transfer to the stage.
"We're doing a lot of experimenting, a lot of playing, a lot of exploration, and I think we're getting there," Shevtsov says. "It's a challenge because we're doing it without props too. We're looking at the psychological space. That's the beauty of theatre — theatre can explore those areas."
The Story of The Shepherd's Hut
The Shepherd's Hut follows the story of teenager Jaxie Clackton, who runs away to Western Australia's Saltlands — the area around the Wheatbelt and Goldfields — following the death of his father. There, Clackton meets Irish disgraced former priest MacGillis, who has been living in isolation in this harsh landscape for eight years. The play is being adapted for the stage by playwright Tim McGarry (Boy Swallows Universe) and director Matt Edgerton.
Exploring Dark Themes
With big themes of isolation, redemption, masculinity, loneliness, and companionship, there are some juicy issues to tackle. "I can't think of another of his novels which is so disturbing," Shevtsov says. "It's beautiful, beautiful writing, and that whole thing of people in landscapes and relationships, it's all there, but the content was dark and really disturbing for me, but it's very rich in its examination of two people's lives."
MacGillis is a fascinating character. A defrocked priest, he lives in a shepherd's hut in almost total isolation but becomes something of a mentor to the teenage runaway. "He is extreme in the sense that he has been isolated for eight years, and he has done some terrible things, some horrendous things, and he is very ashamed of it," Shevtsov says. "He has been through, I guess hell, and I wouldn't like to go through the hell he's been through. But I think I understand him. I think I know where he is coming from."
Shevtsov's Career and Connection to Winton's Work
It is meaty stuff for an actor like Shevtsov, who has spent nearly 40 years in Australian film and stage. He has been a familiar face since his breakout roles in iconic films like Dead Calm and Love Serenade. More recently, international audiences saw him in a scene-stealing turn as History Man in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.
But when he is not working as an actor, Shevtsov is likely to be exploring remote parts of his home state of Western Australia. He is a committed conservationist and has spent years living in some of the most remote parts of the state — experiences that make the work of Winton resonate even more deeply for him.
"All the country that Tim Winton writes about I have spent a lot of time in, so for me it's like coming home," he says. "Tim Winton's writing just resonates with me. It just hits the right nerve in my body. People should come and see the play because it's based on work by the greatest writer in Western Australia. It just fills you up."
The Shepherd's Hut is on at the Heath Ledger Theatre from May 9 to 31.
