Australian playwright Gary Baxter has crafted his new play ‘Woman’ out of a dark time in a young woman’s life.

In the prime of her life, with everything to look forward to, married, and with a new baby daughter, Annie is devastated when her husband Johnny suddenly, and apparently without reason, walks out on her, leaving her stranded. Her difficult solo journey begins.

Fast forward some forty years later. Annie has wrestled with the agony of the abandonment her whole life. She is driven, whether consciously or unconsciously, the play never quite makes clear, to deal with it one more time. Now elderly, destitute, homeless, and terminally ill with cancer, Annie, along with her shopping trolley full of her life’s possessions, stands defiantly at the front gate of Johnny’s house, presses the intercom, and demands to see Johnny. She is told that he doesn’t live there any more, but Annie knows better…

This is theatre of depth that the playwright himself directs. Baxter tells Annie’s story on two levels; on one level, there is Annie’s struggle in going ‘through the ropes’ to see Johnny, and on the other level, we see flashbacks to significant scenes in her life, as the elderly Annie painfully watches on.

The cast show their gratitude to the writer for giving them substantial roles to play. Sharon Flanagan is outstanding in the meaty central role. Two young actors, Chris Leaney and Matilda Ridgway, show talent and flair playing the younger Annie and Johnny,and other quirky minor parts.

A First Stage Theatre Company and Victoria Wildie co-production, ‘Woman’ opened on Friday 19th November and plays till Saturday 11th December, 2010 at the Sidetrack theatre, Addison Road Centre, 142 Addison Road, Marrickville.