CIRCUMFERENCE OF A SQUIRREL
An inner-tube, a bagel, a donut, a lifesaver, a holiday wreath, a tire-swing, a cycle of abuse, a halo of hatred: circles, both real and figurative, whirl out of control in this darkly comic one-man show. And at the center of them all sits an enigmatic squirrel. Orbiting that squirrel is Chester, a self-described rodentophobe who spins the outlandish, funny, and bruising tale of growing up with a father who developed a rabid hatred for squirrels -- a hatred that eventually infected every aspect of his and his son's life. Pursued by memories of his intolerant father and the legacy of bigotry, Chester is pulled into the black hole at the center of his own life where he encounters the mistakes, the fears, the guilt, and the humanity that make him whole again.
Produced by Knock And Run Theatre in 2019, this was the Australian premier of John Walch’s one man play. It was directed by Allison Van Gaal and starred James Chapman as the central character, Chester. It ran at The Royal Exchange for one week to sold out audiences. This marked the second time Chapman and Van Gaal had teamed up to produce an animal themed piece of theatre (this along with Trevor and Year Of The Rooster retroactively being dubbed The Animal Cracker Trilogy)
K&R’s production of Circumference Of A Squirrel was met with critical acclaim and was nominated for two CONDA awards: Best Director (Drama) for Allison Van Gaal and Best Male Performance in a Lead Role (Drama) for James Chapman.