'ILBIJERRI Theatre Company is Australia's longest established First Nations theatre company, producing powerful works for over 30 years. This open access book documents and critically reflects on their Social Impact stream of performances, aimed at health promotion and education around issues that disproportionately affect First Nations communities in Australia. Over the past 16 years, these works have reached over 25,000 audience members across the country. Productions include 'Chopped Liver' (2006-2009), 'Body Armour' (2011-2013) and 'Viral' (2018-2019)―all dealing with Hepatitis C; 'North West of Nowhere' (2014-2016), which deals with sexual health and healthy relationships; and 'Scar Trees' (2019), which addresses family violence. A new work, ‘Aunty Flo’ (2022) addresses menopause for First Nations women; and a pilot project addressing sexual health for First Nations young people―The Score (2022)―represents a new participatory approach to the Social Impact works, which places community members at the centre of the storytelling process. This book documents this important body of work for the first time, examining the impact on audiences and the cultural, aesthetic, and educational implications of a unique form of theatre for health education and promotion.' (Publication summary)
'This chapter describes Ilbijerri Theatre Company’s health education theatre productions from 2006 to 2019, led by Kamarra Bell-Wykes (co-author) in her role first as writer and later dramaturg, facilitator, and director. These works sat under Ilbijerri’s Social Impact stream as separate from their mainstage productions and were funded by various state and philanthropic bodies to deliver health education and promotion around specific issues affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities: Chopped Liver (2006–2009; 2017), Body Armour (2010–2013) and Viral – Are You the Cure? (2018/2019)—also known as the Hepatitis C Trilogy—all deal with hepatitis C transmission, management, and treatment; North West of Nowhere (2014–2016) addresses sexual health and healthy relationships; and Scar Trees (2019) addresses family violence. The chapter offers an overview of the health and funding contexts in which they were created, as well as a brief snapshot of the reach and impact of each performance. We also provide a detailed synopsis of each play that includes specific approaches to writing, performance, production, and touring, before moving onto a more in-depth contextual discussion around First Nations Australian approaches to theatre in health education in Chap. 3.' (Publication abstract)
'The health education theatre works produced by Ilbijerri Theatre Company since 2006 represent a contemporary continuation of cultural storytelling, performance, education, and healing ceremonies that have been practised by Australian First Nations communities for millennia. While these works can be seen as standalone examples of First Nations theatre practice, they also intersect with theatre in education, theatre in health education, and theatre for development—collectively situated under the banner of ‘applied theatre’ in Western theatre studies. The integration of contemporary Australian First Nations performance practice with applied theatre is unique, making a study of these works significant for a global audience. This chapter provides a contextual review of contemporary First Nations dramaturgies in Australia and their relationship to community wellbeing, strength, and resistance. It is followed by a discussion of focused theatre for health education programs in First Nations and global majority contexts. By bringing together these strands, we aim to situate the health education works produced by Ilbijerri within a theoretical framework that extends beyond the notion of ‘social impact’ into a more holistic conception of wellbeing that offers a foundation for subsequent discussion in the book.' (Publication abstract)
'This chapter presents the first of the findings from our study into the five health education works led by Kamarra Bell-Wykes and produced by Ilbijerri Theatre Company from 2006 to 2019. These findings draw on interviews conducted with eight practitioners who were involved over the years as performers, production staff, and advisors, a research yarn conducted between co-authors Sarah and Kamarra, and Kamarra’s own critical reflections while putting together this volume. We also analysed documents and data from Ilbijerri’s corporate archive and published works such as those by Clare Keating (‘Chopped Liver’ Evaluation Report. Effective Change Pty Ltd. Melbourne: Ilbijerri Theatre Company. Supplied, 2009) and Blayne Welsh (The Hepatitis C Trilogy: A Case for Indigenous Theatre as a Contemporary Manifestation of Traditional Healing Business. Australasian Drama Studies 73: Here we discuss the first of four prominent themes within the data: the importance of culturally led, culturally safe approaches to making theatre in health education in the First Nations Australian context. This includes the importance of First Nations cultural leadership at every stage from conception through to production, performance, and touring; the need for meaningful community consultation and engagement; and the promotion of cultural safety through protocols and practices that honour the lived experience, cultural obligations, and ‘colonial load’ for creative teams. We argue that centring culture in these foundational ways is essential for the works to achieve their educational goals while also progressing the dramaturgies of wellbeing, strength, and resistance that characterise contemporary First Nations theatre in Australia.' (Publication abstract)
