Cirrus@Austlit

Play with music

Set initially in Greece and then Australia (the family shop and home), Greek dialogue is used throughout the play. The production calls for an on-stage musician to provide both a live soundtrack to various parts of the production and to support the singing and dancing. Much of the music is Greek in origin, and includes a Byzantine Hymn. The script further suggests, if possible, the inclusion of a bouzouki musician.

'Roland Henning has writer's block. When he tries to explain the situation to a therapist, his story begins to tumble back and forth between his childhood in The Shire and his work as a playwright. At the root of it all is that extraordinary day in primary school which shattered his boyhood and plunged him headlong into the dizzy circus of life and art.'

Source: Belvoir Street website, http://www.belvoir.com.au
Sighted: 05/11/2007

'This is a proud milestone in Australian theatre history; a contemporary Indigenous performance text from the highly acclaimed Kooemba Jdarra. Appropriating western forms whilst using traditional storytelling, it gives emotional insight into Murri life. This one-woman show follows the journey of an Aboriginal ‘Everywoman’ as she tells poignant and humorous stories of grief and reconciliation. A powerful, demanding and culturally profound text, The 7 Stages of Grieving is a celebration of Indigenous survival, an invitation to grieve publicly, a time to exorcize pain. It has a universal theme told through the personal experiences of one incredible character.'

Source: Publisher's blurb (Playlab).

'Mongrels addresses the difficulties and complexities faced by the creative artist in life and art.'

Source : publisher's blurb

'Jack, a young, ambitious Koorie is juggling the contradictions of working in both black and white worlds. How does he stay true to his cultural responsibilities whilst the justice system he works for fails to understand the pain and rage of his people?

'Conversations with the Dead is Richard Frankland’s response to being an investigator during the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody (1987-1991).'

Source: Arts Centre Melbourne (2019 production).

'An adaptation of a physical theatre show that tells the story of performer/writer Anna Yen's grandmother, mother and herself. Blending storytelling, performance, archival footage, and poetic cinematography, Chinese Take Away reveals the story of three generations. The stories are anchored by Anna's desire to understand her mother's life and death.' 

Source: Documentary Australia Foundation.