JB Theatre Co presents THE MAN written by James Graham
THE MAN
Tax makes Ben anxious. As a sole-trader he’s been hoarding receipts all year. Now he has to go through them all–and the audience is going to help.
“This is my first tax return. Thank you…erm for offering to… for helping. I realise it’s a bit weird. It’s just. This is…it’s the only way I can think to make it better. The only way I can think to do it. With other people. Like this.”
THE MAN
By James Graham
Director/Producer Jo Bradley
Performer (“Ben”) Mike Howlett
Voice Performer (“Lisa”) Claudia Leon
Voice Performer (“Inland Revenue”) Liminka Pather
Stage Manager Pearl Junor
Assistant Producer Emily Smith
Assistant Producer Liminka Pather
Assistant Director / Understudy Joseph Tanti
Dialect Coach Linda Nicholls-Gidley
Sound Designer Otto Zagala
Lighting Designer Julian Dunne
Production Designer Bella Wellstead
Producing Company: JB Theatre Co
Poster Photography Campbell Parsons
Lane Cove Production Photography Emily Smith
Old Fitz Production Photography Philip Erbacher
Director’s Notes Jo Bradley
Although it seems simple, this play is one of the hardest shows I’ve ever had to wrap my brain around. It’s been a real puzzle, but like any good puzzle, it is so, so satisfying to solve.
In the audience tonight are 24 totally unique receipts, which correspond to 24 monologues. The brilliant Mike Howlett has memorised these and is prepared to do them in any order. As a dramaturgy nerd, this was a really fun show to rehearse, as we all tried to work out “Well if the audience doesn’t yet know X about Ben, how will they react when they find out Y?”
We’ve had many debates in the rehearsal room about certain plot-points, and whether we should try to inorganically ‘summon’ key expositional receipts, or if there is excitement in the suspense. The beauty of this piece (and something I’m very proud of) is we have performed this exactly the way James Graham intended: with 24 receipts all called upon, and performed randomly. We haven’t ‘cheated’. Mike doesn’t know where the secret ‘big’ scene is, there’s no ‘easy’ ones to get started: He’s responding and adapting in realtime, everytime.
James Graham takes the audience across a spectrum of emotions in this story, and I have no control over when you will get some of our more light-hearted receipts, and when you might be hit with some big emotional moments. I can’t emphasise enough the mental dexterity this script requires from the performer. He gets a split second to read and recognise a receipt, and then has to seamlessly move into the appropriate emotional territory and begin the right monologue (and in some places, cue the right sounds). What Mike (and, if you’re reading this on October 1st, understudy Joseph Tanti) have pulled off is so, so impressive.
I must also shoutout the entire creative and technical team: this was a crazy show to rehearse and tech because there is no ‘set’ script order. I am so grateful to Pearl Junor, Otto Zagala and Julian Dunne and how the were able to work around these very specific, tricky technical limitations and do such wonderful, logical work. I also want to point out that every receipt that you’re holding was custom made and designed by the meticulous Bella Welstead.
Thank you to the rest of the team: Claudia Leon, Liminka Pather, Emily Smith for your hard work and dedication. Thank you to Lane Cove Council (and particularly Colin Ho) for supporting this work in its first iteration. Thank you so much for Sydney Fringe (particularly Kate, Harry and Rowan) for advocating for this show, and thank you to Emma and Lucy from the Fitz for believing in it.
It’s been pretty crazy to rehearse a play that is literally different every single night, but my whole team of performers, designers, technicians and producers have moved mountains to make it happen. We hope you enjoy!
Jo Bradley she/her | DIRECTOR, PRODUCER | @jolucyb
Jo Bradley is a director, producer and dramaturg who specialises in new and contemporary playwriting.
She launched her own theatre company, JB Theatre Co (@JBTheatreCo ), in 2024 with the Sydney Theatre Award-winning production of Mike Bartlett’s SNOWFLAKE at the Old Fitz. In 2026, SNOWFLAKE will transfer to Ensemble Theatre, and Jo will make her professional directing debut.
In 2025, JB Theatre Co produced the world premiere of GIA OPHELIA by Grace Wilson for Sydney Fringe Festival. At the Fringe Awards, the show was a finalist for “Best in Theatre”, and Jo won the prize of “Best Emerging Artist” for her work as director, producer and dramaturg. In 2026, GIA OPHELIA then transferred to KXT on Broadway, Canberra Theatre Centre (produced in association with Canberra Youth Theatre), and will return to Sydney Fringe as part of “Best of the Fest” season at Lane Cove on 25th & 27th September.
Jo is the current Artistic Director and Producer of the Martin-Lysicrates playwriting prize. She is also a freelance theatre critic for Limelight Arts, and a script reader for playwriting awards at several companies including STC and Canberra Youth Theatre. She is also a disability support worker and teaching artist. Jo is a graduate of UNSW (BA Hons in Theatre) and NIDA (MFA Directing).
Her full bio can be found at Jo-Bradley.com and her website JBTheatreCo.com
Mike Howlett He/Him | “BEN” | @mike__howlett
Mike is a graduate of Actors Centre Australia and the MA Acting program at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London. After graduating, Mike remained working in the UK and found professional work in London, and a touring production that took him across the UK. Since returning to Sydney, Mike has worked extensively on the MainStage with Bell Shakespeare, having appeared in; A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Hamlet, The Comedy of Errors and Twelfth Night. In between these contracts, Mike has worked in the independent sector at KXT and most recently on the Playwrought Projects production of The Taming of the Shrew at Wharf 2, Sydney Theatre Company. His film credits include the feature film Companion, directed by Raghuvir Joshi and produced by Dev Patel, and short films The Biden Effect and Slider.
Claudia Leon She/Her | “LISA” | @claudia_s_leon
Claudia Leon is a recent graduate of the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA). Her student credits include À la Carte (dir. Lucy Rossen), Checklist for an Armed Robber (dir. Tasnim Hossain), and Royal Experiment (dir. Lee Lewis). Since graduating, she has performed in NIDA’s Festival of Emerging Artists production of The Actor’s Nightmare, directed by Louise Birgan. Claudia is thrilled to be part of The Man, and can’t wait to share in the chaos, laughter and unexpected moments with audiences each night!
Liminka Pather She/Her | ASSISTANT PRODUCER, PERFORMER | @limiiinka
Liminka (She/Her) is a Sydney based actor and producer. Previous producing credits including Scene Dating (Old Fitz), The Coven (Waterloo Studios), Babyteeth (KXT) and The Beautiful Future is Coming (Old Fitz).
Emily Smith She/Her | ASSISTANT PRODUCER | @living_with_emily
Born and raised in rural NSW, Emily is a dynamic, multi-disciplinary creative professional with experience in both independent productions and arts education. While at Sydney Actors School (2019-21), she discovered a passion for the production side of filmmaking and theatre. Emily has since channeled that skillset into education, where she has successfully written, directed and produced multiple children’s performances. This is her debut producing for the Sydney fringe!
Joseph Tanti He/Him | ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, UNDERSTUDY | @tanti.jpg
Joseph is an actor, writer, and theatre director based in Sydney. He trained as an actor at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) as a part of the BA Acting class of 2020. Some of Joseph’s recent theatre credits include Sport for Jove’s critically acclaimed production of I Hate People: Or Timon of Athens, Three Sisters (Virginia Plain Theatre Co), Wit (Clock and Spiel Productions), Jellyfish (The New Theatre), Short Blanket (Slanted Theatre Co), as well as Poetry in Action’s Aus/NZ education tour.
Pearl Junor She/Her | STAGE MANAGER | @pearl.pty.ltd
Pearl Junor is a graduate of Charles Sturt University in Bathurst with a B. Comms (Theatre/Media). In 2020, “Pirates!”, her collaborative original major work, received the Blair Milan Touring Scholarship. Pearl has been involved in productions that centre on LGBTQIA+ and disabled voices and stories, including “Ground Zero” (Brand X), “Dean Don’t Dance” (QTopia), and, as Stage Manager/Associate Director, “Teenage Dick” (Flight Path Theatre). She has also spent much time on the road with CDP Theatre producers as an Assistant Stage Manager on “You and Me and the Land of Lost Things”, “Magic Beach”, and “Room on the Broom”.
Otto Zagala he/she/they | SOUND DESIGNER | @ottolastname
Otto Zagala is a composer, lyricist, and sound designer whose practice is deeply research-driven, drawing on experimental production, text, and performance pedagogy, and where they may overlap and coincide.
Otto’s recent collaborations include Assistant Director to Cameron Taylor on Kitty Litter by Hamish Johnston (2026) and Composer for Gia Ophelia by Grace Wilson (2025). In his second year of study, Cultural Binge described his work as “excellent design worthy of a much larger production”. Both works were critically acclaimed, extended due to demand, and are in development for return seasons.
He composed, designed video for, and co-wrote the new Australian musical, The Birds, presented at NIDA’s Festival of Emerging Artists and at Hayes’ Festival of New Work. He is currently sound designing ATYP’s upcoming production of Islander.
Julian Dunne He/Him | LIGHTING DESIGNER | @_j.m.d__
Julian is a Sydney-based lighting designer and stage manager. He is very excited to join The Man as its lighting designer
Bella Wellstead They/Them | PRODUCTION DESIGNER | @bellawellstead
Bella Wellstead is a designer working on Gadigal and Cammeraygal land. They have designed costumes and props on indie theatre productions including ‘Transparency’ by Suzie Miller at The Actors Pulse, dir: Georgie Eggleton and Nikki Eghlimi; ‘Various Characters’ by Šime Knežević at Flight Path Theatre, dir: Victor Kalka; and ‘Red’ by John Logan at Chippen St. Theatre, dir: Georgie Eggleton and Nikki Eghlimi. Bella has also worked extensively as an assistant stage manager at Ensemble Theatre, most recently on ‘The Dapto Chaser’ by Mary Rachel Brown, dir: Anna Houston and ‘84 Charing Cross Road’ by Helene Hanff, dir: Mark Kilmurry.
THE MAN’s first season was held at Pottery Lane Performance Space, Lane Cove and was supported by Lane Cove Council
