Announcing "GOUGH"

Theatrical Reckoning with Australia’s Constitutional Crisis

New work GOUGH coming to Melbourne Fringe © Presidential Productions

MELBOURNE — Presidential Productions and writer-director James Cunningham are preparing to turn back the clock on one of Australia's most dramatic political moments — the dismissal of Australian Prime Minister Gough Whitlam — with a bold new theatrical work set to premiere at this year’s Melbourne Fringe Festival.

Simply titled GOUGH, the one-man play invites audiences into the inner sanctum of the Prime Minister’s office on 11 November 1975, the day Whitlam was famously removed from office by Governor-General Sir John Kerr. It’s a moment burned into the national consciousness, and now, nearly 40 years later, Cunningham is using theatre to examine not only what happened — but what it meant.

“It’s our country’s only constitutional crisis,” Cunningham says. “The brings together my interests in politics and Australian political history, and also my want to do a biopic of a real life-figure.”

Warwick Merry to take on the titular role of Gough Whitlam © Warwick Merry

At the heart of the production is Warwick Merry, a Melbourne-based professional speaker, presenter and event host, cast in the towering role of Gough Whitlam. Known for his commanding voice and mastery of delivery, Merry brings a rare combination of theatrical intuition and rhetorical prowess to the performance.

“Warwick knows how to hold an audience,” says Cunningham. “He’s not just performing. He’s delivering a message. That’s crucial when you’re portraying a figure like Whitlam.”

To prepare, Merry immersed himself in archival footage, interviews and historic recordings — working closely with Cunningham to strike the right balance between imitation and interpretation. The result, Cunningham notes, is “a careful synthesis — he’s not mimicking Gough, but he’s channeling him.”

Set model design concept for GOUGH © Presidential Productions

The production, while intimate in scale, will spare no detail in terms of historical authenticity. Set entirely in the Prime Minister’s office, the black box space is transformed into Whitlam’s old Canberra stronghold using meticulously chosen props and set pieces sourced from vintage stores and private collections across Melbourne.

Including document folders embossed with the Australian Coat of Arms, most strikingly — a framed portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, suspended from the ceiling to simulate the office wall, but the crown jewel of the production design is a fully-functional 1970s television, restored by Cunningham using rewired 1990s tech and loaded with a DVD burnt copy of the original “It’s Time” Whitlam campaign ad.

“That old TV was a fun challenge to get working,” Cunningham laughs. “But it mattered. Seeing that ad play, on that old screen, during the show — it’s electric.”

GOUGH promises to be both an intimate character study and a theatrical political thriller — staged with minimalism, but delivered with rhetorical and historical weight. Tickets are on sale now for its Melbourne Fringe premiere.

🎟️ To book, visit melbournefringe.com.au or follow updates at presproductionsco.com/gough.