Coup d'Etat & Other Plays

About the Book

COUP d’ETAT…..what the critics said: "A fascinating piece of theatre from a prolific and prize-winning playwright, Justin Fleming, in which all of our assumptions are smashed to pieces." Phil Kafcaloudes, ABC Radio. "An engaging night in the theatre which revolves around a fascinating concept – constitutional crisis in Malaysia involving the king, politics and the law." Graham Pearce, Sunday Herald Sun. "Fleming Coup. Like Michael Frayn’s play, Copenhagen, Coup d’Etat is an engrossing night in the theatre. Justin Fleming achieves every bit as much as his British counterpart. Coup d’Etat is scintillating, bursting with rhetoric and poetry, with history and philosophy. It captivates us like an outstanding Geoffrey Robertson hypothetical. Exceptional and excellent performances. Sofiah emerges as Fleming’s perfect metaphor. This is good, strong and thoughtful theatre." Chris Boyd, Herald Sun. "Coup d’Etat is a considered examination of moral and emotional dilemmas, accompanied by music that provides a connecting thread and an important aesthetic dimension. The play’s theatricality develops drama’s central preoccupation with conflict with an admirable passion and moral seriousness. This Islamic world also manages to be both funny and thought-provoking. A range of Asian instruments provides a welcome variety of atmospheric accompaniments. Excellent, truly outstanding performances." Helen Thomson, The Age. "This is a play that seethes with passion. Coup d’Etat resonates in today’s political climate. It could not premiere at a more opportune moment. Fleming’s wide-ranging scattergun approach not only pits Christianity against Islam, but also examines feminism in a hijab-wearing world to subvert the stereotypical idea of the demure, oppressed Muslim female. Coup d’Etat succeeds in exposing the hypocrisy of the West, its audacity in deriding the policies and beliefs of smaller countries when its own dearly loved concepts of freedom are debatable. Nobody wins in this blame game – which alone makes Coup d’Etat worth seeing." Thuy On, The Australian. "I enjoyed Coup d’Etat immensely. I came away feeling I’d seen something on a level with the Greek classics, with serious themes and an extremely thoughtful elucidation of those themes." Jan Aldrich, Email. "Justin Fleming has confronted an enormously complex set of issues in Coup d’Etat. His field of vision takes in nothing less than a comparison of the ethical systems of East and West. A timely addition to the debate about cultural difference and the rapidly polarising positions of East and West, Christianity, Judaism and Islam. An array of instruments provide an effective background." Bill Perret, The Age on Sunday. "A timely drama that examines the collision of religion and politics and the role of Islam in a modern democracy. Recommended viewing." The Australian Financial Review. "A timely and engrossing play by award-winning Justin Fleming.." UniNews. "A gripping tale of East versus West." What’s On In Melbourne. "A fascinating political thriller, superbly realised. Exceptional performances. Four Stars ****" Stage Scene. "Written by Justin Fleming, a Caucasian writer, but who has really managed to step into the shoes of Asian characters and write them from the inside. And it’s very rare in a mainstream theatre company for three Asian actors to take lead roles like this….The show has received nothing but great reports." Bert Newton’s Good Morning Australia. "A play of defiance and belief in the power of justice over oppression, underscored beautifully throughout by music." Michael Magnusson, MCV Theatre. "Best piece of Arts in town. Part thriller, part courtroom drama." Inpress. "Coup blimey. It’s not your typical fodder for a play. Justin knows what he’s writing about. Coup d’Etat’s opening night party had many mulling over what they’d seen – a play that is strong, political,

About the Author

JUSTIN FLEMING (b. 1953) has been a Vice-President of The Australian Writers' Guild and a board member of The Australian National Playwrights' Centre. Justin's plays include Hammer, Indian Summer, The Nonsense Boy, The Awful Manners of James Hopper, The Cobra, Harold In Italy, Burnt Piano and Child of the Dark Sun. Burnt Piano has been translated into German and French for European productions, and won the New York New Dramatists’ Exchange Award in 2000. As lyricist to British composer, Stephen Edwards, Justin wrote Accidental Miracles, The Ninth Wonder, the English Tour and London season of Crystal Balls (Compact Opera/Sadler's Wells) and TESS of the D'Urbervilles, which toured Britain before its run at The Savoy Theatre in London's West End. Justin is also lyricist on Babel, with Martin Charnin and Thos Hodgson, Satango with Stewart D'Arrietta and the musical, J.C. Williamson, with Gale Edwards, John Senczuk and Mike Harvey. With productions in Australia, Canada and Hong Kong, Coup D’Etat earned Justin the Banff PlayRites Residency, Canada 2002, and made the final short-list for the Patrick White Award 2003. Screenplays include The Shedding, Movie Dreams, Christmas, Lord Devil, The Tree House and Cold Call. Justin has degrees in Law from Sydney and Dublin, and a Master of Laws from University College London. Written for television, his history of the common law, Barbarism to Verdict, was published internationally by HarperCollins, with a foreword by John Mortimer Q.C.. For ABC Television, Justin wrote Part One of the history of cinema, The Celluloid Heroes. He has twice been awarded the Nancy Keesing Writer's Studio Fellowship at the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris and his Paris journal is published by Halstead Press in Paris Studio.