'Mabuiag Island: a remote speck in the sparkling blue of the Torres Strait. Thousands of years of rich history and culture, with just a few hundred people keeping its flame. Now its favourite son is joking in three languages with his grandmother and torturing his son with spontaneous public break-dancing. Charismatic actor Jimi Bani (Mabo, The Straits, Redfern Now) whisks you away to his island for an eveing of music, dance, stand-up and storytelling.
'Four generations of one family take the stage, as Jimi's grandmother, mother, son and brothers help him spin yarns of totems, traditions and childhood memories. The islanders have lived through dark times and light, and this intimate show examines the challenges and tragedies they have faced with hope, honesty and humour, looking towards a bright tomorrow.
'My Name is Jimi is the story of a small community of people clinging tightly to each other, and fighting to protect what really matters, in whirling chaos of a rapidly changing world.' (Production summary)
Presented by Queensland Theatre, the Centre of Contemporary Arts and the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair. World Premiere Cairns : Centre of Contemporary Arts 12-15 July : Brisbane, Bille Brown Studio, Queensland Theatre 22 July-13 August 2017.
Director: Jason Klarwein.
Designers: Simona Cosentini and Simone Tesorieri.
Lighting Designer: Daniel Anderson.
Sound and Projection Designer: Justin Harrison.
Cast: Dmitri Ahwang-Bani, Agnes Bani, Conwell Bani, Jimi Bani, Petharie Bani and Richard Bani.
A Queensland Theatre production co-presented with Sydney Festival. Indigenous theatre at Belvoir supported by The Balnaves Foundation : Performed at the Belvoir Upstairs Theatre, Surry Hills, New South Wales : 5-21 January 2018.
Cast and crew as above.
'A joyous celebration of community; a warmhearted and generous theatrical production; a clarion call about the necessity of maintaining culture.'
'Soon to be ninth chief of his Torres Strait islander tribe, Bani brings his family on stage to keep his culture – and our laughs – alive.'
'The people and stories of the Torres Strait rarely appear on Sydney’s stages. When they do, it is often under the label of “Indigenous” — a term that conflates very different cultures and histories and erases the specificity of these islands as well as the diversity within them. There are, for a start, 15 inhabited islands that fall into five groups; residents speak two languages and several dialects; and there’s a large diaspora on the mainland.' (Introduction)
'The people and stories of the Torres Strait rarely appear on Sydney’s stages. When they do, it is often under the label of “Indigenous” — a term that conflates very different cultures and histories and erases the specificity of these islands as well as the diversity within them. There are, for a start, 15 inhabited islands that fall into five groups; residents speak two languages and several dialects; and there’s a large diaspora on the mainland.' (Introduction)
'A joyous celebration of community; a warmhearted and generous theatrical production; a clarion call about the necessity of maintaining culture.'
'Sydney Festival director Wesley Enoch has announced a strong Indigenous program for next year.'
'Soon to be ninth chief of his Torres Strait islander tribe, Bani brings his family on stage to keep his culture – and our laughs – alive.'
For Torres Strait Islander actor/writer Jimi Bani, performing his new theatre show at the Gab Titui Cultural Centre on Thursday Island was like coming full circle.'
