"I didn't sit down and consciously set out to write female characters the likes of which we may not normally see on stage, but I am naturally drawn to female protagonists because there's space for them and it means there are lots to write about."
Now her 2013 urban mystery, Girl In Tan Boots, has attracted the attention of one of New Zealand's most successful female television directors, Janice Finn, who's bringing it to Auckland. It will be the first time one of Corin's plays has been performed in Auckland and she says it's a privilege to see one's work find new audiences.
Finn, currently appearing in TV comedy Agent Anna, last directed a play in Auckland in 2009 for Auckland Theatre Company on Roger Hall's Four Flat Whites In Italy. She heard about Girl In Tan Boots from friend Linden Wilkinson, who appeared in its Sydney season, and asked to read it. At the time, Agent Anna's second season hadn't been confirmed so Finn booked Basement Theatre and found a stellar cast: Catherine Wilkin, JJ Fong, Toni Potter, Jodie Hillock, Anoushka Klaus and Cathie Downes.
"And then things got very busy and scheduling it all in became a bit of a challenge," laughs Finn, "but when is there ever a good time?"
Girl In Tan Boots starts when Hannah Louise Day goes missing after responding to a personal column ad. Described as shy, overweight and lacking self-confidence, Hannah is 32, lives alone and was looking for love when she was last seen at a railway station. Spurred on by workmates (Hillock and Fong), Hannah has been reading the personals in a freebie daily handed out at the railway station and may - or may not - have met someone through these. Now Detective Carapetis (Wilkin) must solve the mystery of Hannah's disappearance and bring some closure to her mother (Downes).
As Carapetis becomes more involved in the case, her own love-life - or lack of - is exposed.
Finn agrees with Corin's assertion that Girl In Tan Boots is about urban loneliness and the ways in which we define ourselves.
"No matter what women achieve, I think there's still a preoccupation with the idea of hooking up and finding a partner; that your sense of self worth comes from being in a relationship," says Corin. "It's a preoccupation which can, for some, quickly become nearly obsessive and I think that's quite dangerous. If you rely on someone else to provide your identity; if you're seeking approval and validation through a relationship, then I think you're missing in some respects."
But Corin admits to wondering if she was writing from a position of possible privilege; she's been with her husband since high school.
"I've never had to do the dating thing but I still think it's an interesting topic and a huge area for all of us. It asks questions about friendship and companionship; about being lonely while seeming to be surrounded by people; how much our lives might fall out of balance when we make finding a partner the main focus of our lives."
She says having characters with a range of ages allowed her to explore women's changing expectations and views of themselves, their roles and the relationships they want. But Corin says the characters and the story didn't start out as deliberately as it sounds. Looking at how we find love was the starting point; the interest in personal columns and online dating sites came later. Girl In Tan Boots started through Sydney Theatre Company's Rough Draft scheme, with actors improvising scenes.
"Writing my plays is my attempt to understand the world and I guess I learn about what each play is about as I'm writing; I don't come to them with big ideas or themes in mind but there was plenty to be pulled apart in the scenario of looking for love."
Performance
What: Girl In Tan Boots
Where & when: The Basement Theatre, March 11-22
