DIRECTOR Brad Buckingham had always held a yearning to direct The Long Road by Shelagh Stephenson ever since he was involved in a production of the play in Melbourne with Eltham Little Theatre Company, before he and wife Kathy relocated to Beechworth several years ago.

Then he was stage manager but as the play unfolded and was finally performed Brad's desire to direct it himself one day only grew.

When he responded to a callout from Wangaratta Players for directors last year he was quick to apply and was overjoyed when he was given the go ahead to direct this production.

"I love this play," he said.

"I love its sparseness.

"As you will see, the set is minimal, with the lighting, sound and costume designs also simple.

"I also love how in this play, a play of loss and grief, we hear not just from the grieving family as they cope with the sudden murder of a child and brother, but also the girl who commits the murder.

"We rarely hear the voice of the criminal."

The story follows the aftermath of the death of 18-year-old Danny who is fatally stabbed in a random attack and how his family struggles to find meaning and forgiveness.

His mother Mary's determination to understand the atrocity brings her face to face with his killer and forces the family to confront the bitter senselessness of their loss.

Stephenson was commissioned to write The Long Road in England by the Synergy Theatre Project and, in collaboration with The Forgiveness Project, started to work on a play about forgiveness and restorative justice.

Her research took her to prisons to meet prisoners and then the victims of the prisoners’ crimes.

Brad said he also delighted in the removal, at times, of that invisible fourth wall which separates the audience from the onstage action and direct contact with the characters.

"The play speaks to you, the audience. Literally," he said.

"There are multiple scenes where the characters are talking with you.

"You’re not there listening in to a private musing (think of Shakespeare’s “To be or not to be”).

"Instead, you are the friend, the confidant or the support group members the characters are talking to.

"Mix this in with some traditional fourth wall scenes and it’s a lovely mix for the audience of observer and listener.

"The Stage Door is such a beautifully intimate theatre for such a play.

"I’m hoping that, in a sense, you can’t ‘hide’ in the audience and just be the passive theatregoer.

"You’re in the middle of this."

The Long Road features Colette Quin as Mary, Jack Johnston as Joe (Danny's brother), Shane Douthie as John, Mary's husband, Makenzie Clark as Emma, the teenage homeless girl, and Miranda Schroeder as Elizabeth the social worker.

Despite the play's heavy drama, Brad said there was some light as well.

"There is clearly a lot of pain experienced by characters in this play," he said.

"Ultimately, though, we end on a note of care and compassion.

"And hope."

The play is recommended for mature audiences and contains adult themes, coarse language, and violence, and will be performed at The Stage Door Studio 4D Evans Street Wangaratta at 7.30pm on Friday, June 14 and 21, Saturday, June 15 and 22, and at 2pm Sunday, June 16 and 23.

Tickets are $30pp available now at https://www.trybooking.com/CRRUA.

For more information checkout the Wangaratta Players Facebook page.