In Conversation with Howard & Adam – China For The June Wedding
In this edition of In Conversation, we shine a light on China For The June Wedding—a new play by Howard McKenzie-Murray, premiering at The Blue Room Theatre from 29 April – 3 May. The show is about a Paris apartment where Christmas has come and gone, but the fireworks are just beginning. Three expat housemates—a rising tennis star, an unstable waitress living on fragile dreams, and the sympathetic undergrad caught between—find themselves back together. It’s a love triangle set against the backdrop of a Grand Slam and an open apartment window. We caught up with Howard & Adam, co-producers, to dive into the creative process behind the work and what audiences can expect from this thrilling new production.
What motivated you to apply to be part of The Blue Room Theatre’s 2025 season, and what drew you to this project?
Howard: Mostly I wanted to connect to an audience – possibly even to find out if there even was an audience for the kind of drama I wanted to make – and The Blue Room Theatre is a bit of a rare beast in W.A. with its program of independent artists and the freedom it gives the creatives to produce their own shows. So, co-producer, Adam Sollis, and I just went for it.
This is my debut full-length play and the first time wearing the Producer’s cap. And that is one pretty daunting prospect. So doing it with the support of The Blue Room Theatre helps mitigate the horror while you’re finding the ropes and developing experience.
But the real, real drive was to see a play I wrote up in lights on the billboard of a classic Perth institution.
How has the creative journey been so far—from concept development to rehearsals?
Adam: It’s been as expected – a bit of a rollercoaster ride! Neither Howard nor I have produced a theatre production before and I’ve never directed one, so, so much of this process has been new to us. It all started at a family birthday party mid last year – Howard had a play up his sleeve and I had plenty of experience as an actor, so we decided to team up and find a home for China. The Blue Room were kind enough to give two scruffy greenhorns a chance and the rest is history! I’ve certainly learnt a lot and its mostly been very enjoyable, but, for any aspiring theatre makers, my one tip is to get yourself a damn good producer so you can focus purely on the creative.
What has stood out to you during the rehearsal process—any unexpected discoveries or moments of growth?
Adam: Patience. Allowing the actors to uncover and discover in their own time. It’s still something I’m learning, but not to overload the actors with masses of notes and direction. What helped was drawing from some of the amazing and experienced directors I’ve worked with in the past. I had to kind of mould my process away from performance and into a more managerial (not totalitarian!) sounding board of sorts and learning to trust in the process as a whole.
How has the collaboration with your cast, crew, and creatives shaped the work and your vision for it?
Howard: When the director, Adam, and I began talking about the project we wanted to create a collaborative space where the cast and crew would feel free to participate fully in shaping the work. So, although we had a complete script, our vision was open-ended. Nothing set in concrete. And we moved closer by inches toward the final version of the show.
Working with a technical crew and director who are experienced in independent theatre, you learn where the limitations are. And that’s almost where the real production began for Adam and me. Moving from a raw vision of the work to a feasible action plan. We have a great team, and at key stages along the way, we discussed technical issues of staging, lighting, and sound to come up with creative solutions to obstacles.
What does having your show programmed in The Blue Room Season mean to you as a lead creative?
Adam: It means a lot. It means I get to flex some new muscles I didn’t know I had and a chance to grow as an artist and a person. It’s given me a new-found confidence in my creative abilities. It’s also given the team a chance to add to the arts tapestry in WA and the community as a whole. Finally, it’s an opportunity to showcase the essentially untapped creative resource that is the new playwriting talent, Howard Mckenzie-Murray! Big ups to the Blue Room team for giving us this opportunity
As you move closer to opening, what are you most excited—or even nervous—about sharing with audiences?
Howard: There’s no one thing I’m particularly excited to share. But China is everything we’re capable of. We didn’t hold back. We didn’t leave anything out. So, it’s a nerve-racking thing to tie that up in a little bow and give it to the world and see if they like it. It’s definitely a putting-yourself-out-on-a-limb exercise. But the good kind.
What is your show bringing to the Perth arts scene, and what do you think would help strengthen the local arts ecosystem?
Howard: I’m not sure what China will add to our arts scene, and I’m looking forward to hearing audiences’ reactions for that reason. I didn’t write the script as a response to anything I felt Perth art was lacking. I think we produce great artists, performers and poets. What I enjoyed about this work was creating a world of characters without judgment. I hope the world of the play gives the audience space to just breathe.
Maybe that’s it. It’s not a political work. The art scene here, and more generally, feels like it belongs in the political domain. The nature of politics seems to emphasise differences between us. And recognising differences is crucial, but I think – and I’m realising this only as I’m responding to the question – but I personally need art that puts us back together again, too, art that recognises some Buddhist truth that we are also one.
Image by Meredith McKenzie-Murray