Sarah Brill
Sarah Brill grew up in Perth and began writing at the age of 15. She initially focused on playwrighting but also wrote for film and radio. She attended four National Young Playwrights Workshops before graduating to the National Playwrights Conference in 1994 with her play Who the Fuck is Erica Price.
Who the Fuck is Erica Price was first performed in 1996, produced for Artrage, the Perth Fringe Festival. In 1998, Sarah worked as a writer in residence with Salamanca Theatre Company in the production of Reality Check and in 2000 wrote a commissioned play for them entitled Super Serious. She has had two radio plays produced by the ABC, BORED in 1997 and See in 2001. In 1999, she was awarded a two-year mentorship through Playworks.
Her first novel Glory which dealt with anorexia was published by Spinifex Press in 2002. After the birth of her children Sarah became interested in sustainability and permaculture. In 2017 Sarah completed a Masters of Sustainable Built Environment and currently works in organics diversion. Sarah lives in Sydney with her partner and three sons. Symphony for the Man is her second novel.
Sarah Brill
1999. Winter. Bondi. Harry’s been on the streets so long he could easily forget what time is. So Harry keeps an eye on it. Every morning. Then he heads to the beach to chat with the gulls. Or he wanders through the streets in search of food, clothes, Jules. When the girl on the bus sees him, lonely and cold in the bus shelter that he calls home, she thinks about how she can help. She decides to write a symphony for him.
So begins a poignant and gritty tale of homelessness and shelter, of the realities of loneliness and hunger, and of the hopes and dreams of those who often go unnoticed on our streets. This is the story of two outcasts – one a young woman struggling to find her place in an alien world, one an older man seeking refuge and solace from a life in tatters. It is also about the transformative power of care and friendship, and the promise of escape that music holds.
An uplifting and heartbreaking story that demands empathy. Amid the struggles to belong and fit in, we are reminded that small acts of kindness matter. And big dreams are possible.
MARCH 2020 | ISBN 9781925950069 | Paperback | 225 pages | 234 x 153 mm