I had the joy of a lovely chat with the fabulous Lucy Miller, whose theatre company name alone, had already won me over. But the delight only deepened from there. Not only is Lucy sharp, insightful, and wildly passionate about the arts, we discovered to our utter delight we are both feline devotees. That kind of shared softness makes perfect sense when you hear Lucy speak about Eugene O’Brien’s Heaven, a play brimming with heartbreak, hilarity, and human truth.

Lucy reflects on the origins of her company’s name, the power of staging Heaven at Qtopia, and the emotional depths of her character, Mairead. She dives into shadow selves, soulful rehearsals, and the beautiful, messy, glorious business of being human—and making theatre about it.

So, without further ado, here’s Faith’s Top 5 with Lucy Miller. Let’s get howling! 

1. I just LOVE the name of your company “Bitchen Wolf.” How did it come about ?

I finished writing a play with a colleague of mine, and one of the characters in the play has a podcast. She’s outrageous, upfront, and a provocateur about politics, social media, and the zeitgeist. Her podcast is called “Bitchen Wolf.” 

My husband has an affinity for wolves. I remember him telling me stories about his youth—when he was living in the Middle East, there were wolves that used to howl and wander around his workplace at night. The howling of the wolf to the moon is such an iconic image. There’s the collectiveness of the pack of wolves being bold and feisty. It’s a community, but also fiercely independent.

It also ties in with Women Who Run with the Wolves – that great novel we all read when we were younger. So it folded into three areas of my life. The spiritual side of a wolf, this fantastic character with a wacky podcast, and the literal image of wolves howling at the moon. There’s so much mythology around that. 

2. How did you become involved with Heaven, and what led to its Sydney premiere at Qtopia?

Kate Gaul, the director, had seen Heaven at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2023 and absolutely fell in love with it. I think she had it in her back pocket, wondering what to do with it. Then she emailed me and said, “This is perfect for you.” I read it and fell in love with it straight away as well. I loved the intensity of the story, the writing, and the two characters Mairead and Mal. She already had Noel Hodda in mind to play Mal.

It’s a new piece of writing, written in 2022. It was a hit in Dublin, New York, and Edinburgh, and won the Irish Times Best Award for Best New Play. It also won the Scotsman Fringe First Award at the festival, which is the major prize. It just finished a run in London a couple of months ago. It was a no-brainer to bring it to Sydney for its premiere.

Qtopia is a new space; they had their launch season about a year and a half ago. The character of Mal in the play has repressed queer desires that he’s kept shut down through his life in order to maintain a conventional marriage with Mairead. It’s not all that Mal is, but it’s a part of him.

Qtopia is a firmly supportive LGBTQI theatre space. It’s right at Taylor Square, opposite the courthouse, in the beautiful old police station building from the 1920s.  At the back is this absolutely beautiful little theatre called the Loading Dock Theatre.We thought it would find a wider audience there, but also a unique audience in the LGBTQI community.

3. How did you approach the character of Mairead and what was the rehearsal process like? 

We were lucky to have our dialect coach, to help us with the accent. We needed to get it into our bones and mouths early on to find the rhythm. Eugene O’Brien’s writing is beautifully lyrical with the highs and lows of Irish life. It’s two characters weaving around each other at a wild wedding in Mairead’s hometown, where she meets her past love after 30 years. Meanwhile, Mal faces a Christ-like young man who awakens repressed desires. 

It’s about humanity—the art of diving deep into what drives us, our desires, and what moves us. We’ve had lots of philosophical conversations about how society shapes us, the choices we make, and what propels us forward. Mairead is courageous, having fought through a dysfunctional background, while Mal has been more timid, taking the safe road. They’re opposites who’ve found each other, embodying parts of themselves they haven’t fully discovered. It’s that classic dynamic where we tend to navigate toward people who reflect the parts of ourselves we haven’t leaned into yet.

We’ve also explored the concept of shadow selves—parts of ourselves we avoid because they’re too confronting. Great art and writing help us explore that. Heaven captures these deep human truths, showing how people relate to one another.

We’ve worked on inhabiting the world authentically, finding the rhythm of the piece, and distinguishing between moments that need clarity and those that can flow with energy. As actors and directors, we’re figuring out where to slow down for depth and where to snap through with verve. But our audiences are smart and can engage with the story on their own terms. 

We’ve had lots of laughs and stories to bring the setting of Heaven to life, as it’s something everyone can relate to—outrageous nights out, wild thoughts, one-liners, and drunken antics.

4. The title “Heaven” seems ironic. How does Mairead’s journey relate to this title, in your view?

Mairead’s central question is, “What is this all leading to?” At midlife, after all she’s been through, she wonders, “Who am I?” She believes everything should be leading to something significant—a culmination of all the challenges, energy, and love invested over the years. If life is merely about going through the motions, that thought is too dark to confront. She’s searching for answers, seeking meaning in a world that often feels disconnected.

This quest ties into the Catholic notion of heaven—a utopia with perfect relationships and experiences. However, Mairead’s earthly experience is far from that ideal. Instead of searching for fulfillment in past loves or external expectations, she realizes that heaven isn’t a distant place. It’s right in front of her, within herself. Her journey is about recognizing that the answers she’s seeking are already present in her life and being.

5. Beyond the specific character of Mairead, did any of the broader themes explored in ‘Heaven’ resonate with you on a personal level?”

At a certain age, it’s inevitable to pause and reflect on where you’ve been and where you’re headed. Midlife often prompts this introspection—halfway through life, if you’re fortunate. You begin to question: “What’s all this leading to? Is this the path I envisioned?” The decisions made thus far—have they been authentic? In youth, there’s a tendency to please others, to follow expectations, to seek approval. But with age comes the realisation that life is precious, and time is limited. Authenticity becomes paramount. It’s about being true to oneself and cherishing moments with those who matter.

There’s also a constant search for something more—what’s next? But often, happiness isn’t found in future pursuits but in the present, in the relationships and experiences already before us. Even with this understanding, life remains unpredictable. Just when you think you’ve found clarity, circumstances change, and new challenges arise. But perhaps that’s the essence of living authentically—embracing change, seeking truth, and finding meaning in the journey.

Bonus Question :What’s the one question you were hoping I’d ask and what’s your answer ?

 Why theatre? Why now ? 

In a world that’s consumed with TikTok, phones, instant gratification and short attention spans, I think it’s important that we have a shared experience in a room with other people. To sit and watch a play together. Successful and surprising plays always happen when they tap into the zeitgeist. It’s an ephemeral experience.   

Heaven is about two people asking and exploring age-old questions about who we are and what we’re doing. And what does it all mean? Most of us, especially if we’re even remotely interested in the arts or theatre, are story seekers. We’re curious about that. So I think anybody who’s going to come and see Heaven will find so much in it. It’s hilarious and heartbreaking.

Catch Heaven at Qtopia’s Loading Dock Theatre from 14–31 May. For tickets and more information, visit: https://events.humanitix.com/heaven-at-the-loading-dock/tickets

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