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'A dark, funny and intimate solo work by dancer, choreographer and proud Wiradjuri man Joel Bray, performed for an up-close, bathrobe-clad audience in a hotel room.
'Inspired by a period of upheaval in his life, and loosely based on the Dreamtime story of the Biladurang – the platypus – the winner of Best Performance at the 2017 Melbourne Fringe is a sexy, tender and affectingly autobiographical piece of dance-theatre about heritage, identity and yearning for home.
'As a gay man meeting middle-age, a dancer toiling at the peak of his powers and a Wiradjuri man with ties to Israel and country Australia, Bray took a long look at his life and wondered, “Who am I?” In Biladurang, he chases his demons and goes soul-searching in the neutral space of the hotel room, inspiring audience members to chat, drink and dance together as he weaves his story across every part of the room.' (Production summary)
Production Details
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Performed at the 2017 Melbourne Fringe Festival.
Performed at Sydfest : 11-20 January 2019.
Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of
Works about this Work
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Melbourne Fringe Presents Award-winning Confessional Solo - Online for One Night Only
2020
single work
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— Appears in: Koori Mail , 29 July no. 731 2020; (p. 7) 'WIRADJURI performance artist and dancer Joel Bray is one of the nation's finest contemporary performers and choreographers. He has performed all over the world, including in Sydney. Perth, Germany and Israel'
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Wiradjuri Dancer Joel Bray’s Platypus Identity
2019
single work
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— Appears in: The Saturday Paper , 26 January - 1 February 2019;'As a gay Aboriginal Australian who grew up in a largely white world, Joel Bray found purpose and identity through dance. His latest work – the intimate solo performance Biladurang – blends choreography and theatre in a raw exploration of his own very personal journey. “I’ve had people hug me, I’ve had people crying, I’ve had people share their stories of discovering their Aboriginality late in life.” ' (Introduction)
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Wiradjuri Dancer Joel Bray’s Platypus Identity
2019
single work
column
— Appears in: The Saturday Paper , 26 January - 1 February 2019;'As a gay Aboriginal Australian who grew up in a largely white world, Joel Bray found purpose and identity through dance. His latest work – the intimate solo performance Biladurang – blends choreography and theatre in a raw exploration of his own very personal journey. “I’ve had people hug me, I’ve had people crying, I’ve had people share their stories of discovering their Aboriginality late in life.” ' (Introduction)
-
Melbourne Fringe Presents Award-winning Confessional Solo - Online for One Night Only
2020
single work
column
— Appears in: Koori Mail , 29 July no. 731 2020; (p. 7) 'WIRADJURI performance artist and dancer Joel Bray is one of the nation's finest contemporary performers and choreographers. He has performed all over the world, including in Sydney. Perth, Germany and Israel'
