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[title]There are a few parliamentary speeches that live rent-free in our collective social consciousness. For many Australians, Julia Gillard’s Misogyny Speech was one such moment. Our nation’s first female prime minister’s perfect roast of Tony Abbott in 2012 was a ground-breaking piece of history. Even now, hearing Julia roar (with measure), “I will not be lectured on sexism and misogyny by that man, I will not. Not now, not ever,” is enough to give us goosebumps and/or make us storm the battlements of the patriarchy.
It was a speech that launched a thousand memes and feminist awakenings across the world, and now – a play. Enter: Julia. Written by celebrated Aussie playwright Joanna Murray-Smith, directed by acclaimed director Sarah Goodes, and starring national icon Justine Clark as Julia, herself, this reimagining of everything that led up to the 'speech' does promise a red bob – but isn't a literal re-telling of Julia Gillard's life and self. It's far spicier than that.
We sat down with director Sarah Goodes and assistant director Charley Sanders in the lead-up to opening night at the Sydney Opera House on March 30. They talked about their own experiences with Australian misogyny, challenges – and about whether Julia Gillard herself will rock up.
Julia is back, and by the sounds of it, she’s better than ever.
What was the sparky moment that made you both decide to commit to this project?
Sarah Goodes: When I read the line; “Men don’t like women talking about sexism – not because they are threatened by it, because they are bored by it,” it reminded me of the shadow boxing of navigating a male-dominated world growing up. That, of course, and the prospect of working with Joanna Murray-Smith again and Justine Clark for the first time – after years of asking!
Charley Sanders: I’m a very political person, I was raised in Canberra, I grew up there. Politics is in my blood a little bit. And so I was fascinated by the idea of doing a work about Julia Gillard. I’m a feminist, my values aligned broadly with hers – there were some things I disagreed with in her leadership. The thing that tugged on my heartstrings was on the first reading of the script. There's this moment, where you get to the day in 2012, with Julia Gillard standing on the floor, about to open her mouth to say the ‘Misogyny Speech’, and you've heard not only all of the pertinent political details of her time in office and in her life, but a whole range of personal resonances in relationships with family, and mentors and friends and ideas, that have fuelled her to be ready to take on this moment. [It was] seeing a picture of all the things that prepare one to take on the great moment of one's life, which you will never know is the great moment, until after the fact. It was just so beautifully rendered, and such a wonderful thing to look at.
On that – this play is about the ‘impetus’ for the speech, rather than the speech itself, and it explores what Australian society was like then. As Australian women, why do you think this production of Julia is important right now?
SG: I think there is an exciting moment of reflection of people wanting to atone for how we treated our first female prime minister and a wonderful cross-generational moment between women over Julia’s Speech. The handing of the baton from one generation to the next.
CS: It is exactly that. The play is both true, in that the biographical details and the ones in public knowledge are true, and the ones that are more private – some of them are true, others are more supposed. What it really is about is trying to figure out what kind of life would potentially lead someone to make this speech. And I think in society at the moment there are so many stands that we need to make. I think it was Joanna, who said early in the rehearsals:
It's for the mothers who’ll bring their daughters, or for the daughters who weren't alive or politically aware ten years ago and are receiving this information only secondhand, but for whom it's an incredibly important part of their culture
What is it about the Misogyny Speech that connected with you both on a personal level? How did you feel when you first heard it?
SG: I remember thinking it was incredible to hear her speak so directly and strongly – it was exciting and dangerous. I remember thinking in the years following that there was a tidal wave of rage on its way – and so there was!
As Australian women, we have likely all dealt with that distinctly Australian brand of misogyny. I'm sure you've had personal experiences come to mind during the creation of this show. Would you care to share what has come up for you?
SG: The main thing it brought up was the gender card that was referred to a lot during the period around 2010 – people were bringing in quota systems and talking about bringing more women into industries. I remember thinking, if you talk about it you are criticised and if you don’t you are letting people down – and yourself – it was very tricky to navigate.
CS: It's interesting. My experience was very different to most women, because for the first 30-odd years of my life, I was nominally ‘a member of the enemy’. And they're not the enemy either, but you know, a member of that sex.
But I experienced a kind of misogyny that men in general have towards gay men and that gay men have towards effeminate gay men, which is a kind of different thing
And it's only in the last three to five years since I've been living and presenting as a woman, that I've experienced the kind of misogyny that women experience, which is really different, and potentially more disturbing – and also banal. Julia says (the fictionalised imagining of Julia), “Sexism is boring to talk about.” Women generally hate talking about sexism. So why do we do it? Because why should men get to be fuckwits? We don't want to talk about it. You do it, so we have to react! It's just an ever present, unexamined thing.
What was it like watching Justine Clark embody the role? And how do you think she’ll do carrying such a weighty social legacy?
CS: Amazing. Justine is an absolute phenomenon. She's an actor’s actor, she’s so nuanced, and delicate and precise, and so caring with it. And I think she's felt the responsibility for playing such an epic figure, mythologising this great former prime minister. And because she's felt that responsibility, she will by nature do a wonderful job. She's so respectful of everything about her presentation of Julia. Also, we don't spend the whole play doing a Julia impersonation. You might hear her voice, you might see some of her typical outfits and red bob. But the play is not an impersonation play. It’s a tribute to her.
What have been the biggest challenges of telling this story?
CS: The challenges have been the little ongoing things of constantly checking in to make sure that we're being respectful. We never wanted to do what the press did at the time, unwittingly, and what people on the right have done since. We didn't want to make any ad hominem attacks or statements about her, or anyone else. We didn't want to make it all about the aesthetics. We didn't want to use broad strokes where nuance is required, or turn her into something that was perfect, when actually there are obviously challenges. It was all about working from respect, but also the imaginative life and world and what could be possible of Julia. And so I think it hasn't been big challenges, but little speed bumps all along the way of returning to respect as a guiding principle.
Was Julia Gillard involved at all during the play making process? Do you think she’ll come and see the show?
CS: Who knows? I think she's living in London, so, yes potentially, she could fly back. My understanding is that Joanna had two fairly substantial Zoom interviews with her. And at that point Julia sent Joanna on her way with her blessing to do what she would. But obviously, there's no official endorsement. It's not an endorsed biographical work. She’s definitely aware that it exists. And she’s given Joanna her blessing to write whatever Joanna felt was the right thing to write.
What are you most excited about for people to see?
CS: There's so many beautiful things in the show. I think the tender moments of Justine's performance, where we get an insight into one possibility about something pure at the very heart of a person, that possibly isn't, but could be one of the little sparks that lit Julia’s flame, and reminds us that we all have those little sparks that can light our flame too. I think that's gonna be really special to people.
Finally, Australia wasn’t ready for a female PM then. Do you think we are now?
SG: Yes, very much so – the more women under the roof of Parliament House will make the difference.