House of Sticks by Peggy Frew

JUDGES' COMMENTS

Bonnie and Pete are in their thirties. They live in Melbourne with their three young children.  Bonnie is a musician who has put her career on hold to raise the children while Pete is a cabinet-maker who works from home. Money is tight, sleepless nights are the norm and chaos reigns within the household. Tension mounts between the couple with the arrival of Pete’s mate Doug, who steps in to help Pete in his business and, to the annoyance of Bonnie, quickly becomes a fixture in the household.

House of Sticks is a domestic drama notable for its strong dialogue and clear description of domestic life. Peggy Frew, a musician herself, has an ear for authentic speech which makes her characters both believable and immediately recognisable. Through effective use of internal thought, Frew successfully explores Bonnie’s growing resentment of Doug and her frustration at being unable to give voice to it.  House of Sticks is a crisply written work and Frew is to be congratulated for her clever and insightful depiction of the realities of family life.