It’s a well-loved story created by one of Australia’s most successful novelists, bought to the big screen by Mel Gibson in the ‘70s. Now, a stage production of ‘TIM’ is on its way to Riverside Theatres in Parramatta.
Adapted by acclaimed playwright Tim McGarry, ‘TIM’ focuses on a 25-year-old labourer with a mild intellectual disability called, you guessed it, Tim.
Often the brunt of ridicule by those around him, Tim forms a growing friendship with Mary, a successful mid-50s business executive, when hired as her gardener. What soon develops is a life changing relationship for both characters and a story filled with notions of love, loss and acceptance.
Originally a novel written by one of Australia’s highest selling authors Colleen McCullough in 1974, ‘TIM’ has since been updated for the stage.
Ben Goss, who plays the titular role of Tim, said viewers can expect a more modern take on characters, as well as how disabilities are represented on stage.
“Even though we’re staying loyal to the book, the whole story has shifted into that contemporary space,” Goss said.
“Tim’s love interest, Mary, in the original was a secretary to a CEO, now she is the CEO. There’s been a lot of updates just in terms of the politics of disabilities.”
Although Tim’s disability is never labelled in the play, it is a constant, underlying theme throughout the story, as the characters explore the importance of embracing differences, opening oneself to the opportunities it has to offer.
Living with mild cerebral palsy himself, 26-year-old Goss was excited to take on the role of a lifetime and bring some disabled representation to the stage.
He’s now hoping that production’s like ‘TIM’ will open the doors for more roles to be given to people living with a disability.
“I think it’s slowly happening, disabilities are becoming a bit more mainstream in terms of theatre and film,” Goss said.
“I’m really hopeful that workplaces will become more accessible and the industry will open up in a new way because I think diversity in that sense, in terms of disability, really makes our art richer and better and stronger.
“So, I’m really hopeful that that movement will keep building and fabulous, disabled creative people will keep getting employed and pushed onto our stages and screens to share their wonderful perspectives.”
‘TIM’ will be on at Riverside Theatre in Parramatta from August 31 to September 2. Tickets for non-members start at $40. For more information or to book, visit http://www.riversideparramatta.com.au/whats-on/tim.
Ellie Busby is a news reporter for Western Sydney Publishing Group. A graduate of the University of Hertfordshire and Western Sydney University, she is a journalism Major. Ellie has worked with Universal Media, The Cova Project and for a range of other organisations. In 2024, Ellie was named Young Writer of the Year at the Mumbrella Publish Awards.