Location notes:
John's final palliative care takes place at the Fairfield hospital. In keeping with the theatrical use of puppets throughout the play, in his final moments the actor playing John removes himself from the scene and is replaced by a puppet symbolising John.
The Fairfield Hospital- also know as the Fairfield Infectious Diseases Hospital - operated from 1904-1996. In its final years of operation, hospital services were largely focused on providing care to HIV/AIDS patients. The Thomas Embling Hospital is now located on the site of the former Fairfield Hospital.
Quotes
TIM: No, I'm not ready for you to go.
JOHN: Cough said our coughbyes, haven't we?
Silence. TIM nods. The actor playing JOHN climbs out of bed and walks over to another present. He unwraps it. It contains a puppet of JOHN. He walks it to the bed. This puppet will take JOHN's place for the remainder of the play.
TIM: You can't go without me by your side.
(p. 157)
Temporal setting: November 1991
Location notes:
Tim and John take a weekend holiday at a luxury Circular Quay hotel, while trying to decide how to approach John's treatment.
The Hotel Ramada Renaissance became the Sydney Harbour Marriot Hotel in 2003.
Quotes
Maids prepare the bed with hotel linen and drag on TIM and JOHN's luggage- complete with hotel tags. TIM and JOHN are in their Sunday best.
JOHN: Check out the bed. 'Sticky long goes for the mark!'
JOHN dives onto the bed. He is slow and stiff.
Ow.
TIM: You right?
(p. 136)
Temporal setting: Circa 1980
Location notes:
Tim meets Phillip, an older gay man, at Inflation Nightclub. Later, Tim and John go together to Wednesday Gay Night at Inflation, just after they've broken up.
Quotes
Inflation Nightclub.
Depeche Mode's 'Just Can't Get Enough' is playing. JOHN takes TIM's hand, dragging him onto the dance floor.
TIM: It's like we're on our first date.
JOHN: Pardon?
TIM: Nothing.
JOHN: Hey?
TIM: I want to kiss you and tell you I love you...
JOHN: I can't hear.
TIM:...because I do but saying it would make things harder for you.
JOHN: I can't hear you, Tim.
TIM: I know. Doesn't matter. I do love you, John Caleo.
(p. 114)
Location notes:
John and Tim have one of their first dates in King's Domain, Melbourne.
King's Domain is an area of parklands, established in 1854, in the city of Melbourne.
Quotes
JOHN catches TIM daydreaming.
JOHN: What?
TIM: [to JOHN] I can't believe this.
JOHN: What?
TIM: This. I've liked you for ages and here I am sitting in King's Domain with you, holding hands. I would have never thought it could happen.
(p. 84)
Temporal setting: 1978
Location notes:
Tim studies Science at Monash university during the late 70's, and becomes involved with campus politics and Gaysoc, the campus gay society.
Temporal setting: Circa 1980's
Location notes:
Tim is accepted into NIDA, and he studies there during the early 1980's. Tim's years at NIDA are presented in Holding the Man as one flowing movement piece, with three years taking place during the span of one short scene.
NIDA (The National Institute of Dramatic Art) is a highly competitive and prestigious performing arts school, which has been operating in Sydney since 1958.
Quotes
Actors are in black lycra, warming up on stage for a movement piece.
TEACHER: Now on the count of three, form a new friendship. One. Two. Three. Now separate. Form a new friendship. And separate. Form a new one. Good. Keep that repeating, okay, for three years.
AN ACTOR: Rolling.
AN ACTOR: Undressing.
AN ACTOR: Talking.
AN ACTOR: Feeling.
AN ACTOR: Mingling.
AN ACTOR: Sweating.
AN ACTOR: Farting.
TIM: Nothing left to hide.
(p. 115)
Temporal setting: 1991
Location notes:
John is treated for his cancer at Sacred Heart in late 1991.
Temporal setting: 1985
Location notes:
After graduating NIDA, Tim becomes a member of the Griffin Theatre Company, which operates out the historic Stables Theatre in Darlinghurst. Tim create Soft Targets, a play dealing with the HIV/AIDS crisis, with the Griffin Theatre Company.
Since it's establishment in 1979, Griffin Theatre Company has focused on the creation of new Australian Theatre. Tim Conigrave, the author of the memoir Holding the Man, was a member of the Griffin Theatre Company, and in 2006 the stage adaptation of his memoir (adapted by Tom Murphy) was given it's first production at the Griffin Theatre.
Quotes
TIM addresses Member's Night.
TIM: My name's Tim. Tim Conagrave and, um, I'm a new member here at Griffin, the Griffin Theatre... Company, and I think it's really good that someone like me can just get up and say my idea at Members' Night... tonight.
(p. 118)
Temporal setting: 1985
Location notes:
Tim and John get tested for HIV/AIDS at the Albion Street Clinic in 1985.
The Albion Street Clinic, now known as the Albion Centre, is a medical centre in Sydney with a focus on HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention.
Quotes
Albion Street Clinic waiting room.
Enter two doctors.
DOCTOR 1: John 2118.
DOCTOR 2: Tim 2117.
TIM and JOHN go to separate consulting rooms. Their DOCTORS speak in unison. TIM and JOHN respond simultaneously.
DOCTORS 1 and 2: How do you define your sexuality: homosexual, bisexual, transsexual?
JOHN: Homosexual. TIM: Homo.
(p. 119)
Temporal setting: Circa 1990s
Location notes:
Tim and John's apartment is in Rose Bay, Sydney. Coordinates given are approximate.
Quotes
JOHN: We have to get our cricket whites! The other team will be here in a minute.
TIM: John, what are you talking about?
JOHN: The Australian cricket team. They're coming on the supply ship.
TIM: Where are we?
JOHN: Christmas Island.
TIM: Oh okay. But John, we're in Rose Bay in Sydney. At our apartment.
(p. 155)
Location notes:
Tim and John meet and begin their relationship whilst classmates at Xavier College in Melbourne.
Xavier College is an all boys Roman Catholic School, founded in 1872. It is part of the International network of Jesuit schools.
Quotes
TIM: Sorry. There's also this guy, John. I don't talk to John. I never have. I noticed John on my first day at Xavier. Maybe it's because I'm at an all-boys school.
(p. 71)