FREMANTLE PRISON EAST WORKSHOPS 18th to 21st September, 2025
Director’s Notes – Dead Man Walking
Just metres from where you are sitting tonight remain the gallows- built in 1888 it was the
place of execution for 43 men and 1 woman. The last hanging being that of Edgar Cooke in
1964.
Dead Man Walking is based on the non-fiction work of Sister Helen Prejean and set in the
“Death Belt” of the United States. Staging it within Fremantle Prison makes the story
inseparable from the history and gravity of this place. It’s difficult not to reflect on the
ongoing realities of incarceration — particularly the deaths in custody of First Nations
peoples. This production asks us to face that reality, witness the human cost, and consider
questions of justice, compassion, and accountability.
I would also like to reflect on how audacious it is for a small company like Freeze Frame to
even attempt a work that is so musically complex and logistically challenging. A Huge thanks
must go to the incredible team at Freeze Frame (Harriet and Adele), and to Tommaso Polio
for his extraordinary, painstaking arrangement of the score — the time and care he poured
into it are nothing short of inspiring.
I would also like to sincerely thank our many volunteers, and particularly the WAAPA
students, who have approached both the challenging score and the difficult subject matter
with dedication and sensitivity.
While institutions are intended to administer justice, too frequently they perpetuate harm.
This production encourages audiences to engage with the individuals within these systems
and to appreciate both the tragedy — and, we hope, the humanity — of their experiences.
We are grateful to have you join us this evening, and we thank you for approaching this
story with openness, reflection, and empathy. And really, isn’t that the kind of
understanding we could all use a bit more of?
a.
CAST: Lachlan Higgins, Harriet Marshall, Lisa Harper Brown, Sara Macliver, Prudence Sanders, Perry Joyce, Brigitte Heuser, Brett Peart, Robert Hofmann, Kohsei Gilkes, Tom Buckmaster, Caitlin Cassidy, Charis Postmus, Euan MacMillan, Ben del Borrello, Vin Trikeriotis, Kyle Garces, Sam Claxton
BAND: Tommaso Pollio, Cathie Travers, Sophie Curtis and Geoff Bourgault
CAST:
- DIRECTOR Adam Mitchell
- MUSICAL DIRECTOR Tommaso Pollio
- DESIGNER Rhiannon Walker
- LIGHTING DESIGN Jerry Reinhardt
- PRODUCTION MANAGER Stephen Carr
Progam
Reviews for Dead Man Walking
https://bachtrack.com/review-dead-man-walking-freeze-frame-opera-fremantle-prison-september-2025
Lachlan Higgins as Joseph de Rocher
