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Production still for "Journal of the Plague Year". L-R: Ross Williams, Julie Forsyth, Robert Menzies, Lucy Taylor, Marta Dusseldorp. Photographer: Lisa Tomasetti

Journal of the Plague Year

By Tom Wright

11 April 2005 – 08 May 2005 Merlyn Theatre

After the story of the same name by Daniel Defoe

Malthouse Theatre,

New Adaptation Theatre

A great city, struck down by the plague. Men, women and children drop like flies while the King and Queen flee and hide in the countryside. Is this just a passing horror? Or has history come to an end? Based on the work of Daniel Defoe.

The play is structured as a series of tableaux covering 12 months in the plague-infested London of 1665, and features Robert Menzies as Defoe, guiding us through a society whose external sickness is mirrored by an internal decay. The rest of the ensemble take on multiple roles as denizens of this Dante-esque world.

Journal of the Plague Year inaugurated Malthouse Theatre’s first season since its transformation from Playbox.

Production still for "Journal of the Plague Year". L-R: Marta Dusseldorp (standing), Julie Forsyth, Matthew Whittet, Lucy Taylor, Ross Williams. Photographer: Lisa Tomasetti

Publicity still from "Journal of the Plague Year". Matthew Whittet. Photographer: Lisa Tomasetti

Production still for "Journal of the Plague Year". Photographer: Lisa Tomasetti

Production still for "Journal of the Plague Year". Rear L-R: Robert Menzies, Dan Spielman. Front L-R: Lucy Taylor, Matthew Whittet, Marta Dusseldorp, Ross Williams. Photographer: Lisa Tomasetti

Production still for "Journal of the Plague Year". L-R: Julie Forsyth, Matthew Whittet, Marta Dusseldorp, Lucy Taylor. Photographer:Lisa Tomasetti

Production still for "Journal of the Plague Year". L-R: Marta Dusseldorp (standing), Julie Forsyth, Matthew Whittet, Lucy Taylor, Ross Williams. Photographer: Lisa Tomasetti

Publicity still from "Journal of the Plague Year". Matthew Whittet. Photographer: Lisa Tomasetti

Production still for "Journal of the Plague Year". Photographer: Lisa Tomasetti

Production still for "Journal of the Plague Year". Rear L-R: Robert Menzies, Dan Spielman. Front L-R: Lucy Taylor, Matthew Whittet, Marta Dusseldorp, Ross Williams. Photographer: Lisa Tomasetti

Production still for "Journal of the Plague Year". L-R: Julie Forsyth, Matthew Whittet, Marta Dusseldorp, Lucy Taylor. Photographer:Lisa Tomasetti