Kamarra Bell-Wykes Kamarra Bell-Wykes i(A121683 works by) (a.k.a. Kymarra Bell-Wykes)
Gender: Female
Heritage: Aboriginal ; Aboriginal Jagara / Yuggera ; Aboriginal Butchulla/Batjala/Badtjala
The material on this page is available to AustLit subscribers. If you are a subscriber or are from a subscribing organisation, please log in to gain full access. To explore options for subscribing to this unique teaching, research, and publishing resource for Australian culture and storytelling, please contact us or find out more.

Works By

Preview all
1 A Nightime Travesty Kamarra Bell-Wykes , Chase , 2025 single work drama

'Join the acclaimed motley crew A DAYLIGHT CONNECTION on the last plane hurtling out of Earth.

'Who will survive this wild ride (and its unruly passengers)? Can flight attendant Angel defeat God’s Greatest Gift in a battle for the ultimate prize?

'Find out in... A NIGHTIME TRAVESTY… an epic First Nations vaudevillian musical nightmare that is equal parts sardonic, cheeky and heartbreaking. It’s a non-stop riot of music, parody and political punch – a fever dream that feels like Babes in the Wood on acid.

'With explosions, zany costumes, gruesome decapitations, existential horror, Blak humour, romance, genocide and a live band, there’s something for everyone at this perpetual party floating in our neglected psyches!

'Leading independent artists Kamarra Bell-Wykes and Carly Sheppard (CHASE) bring to Malthouse a revamped version of the smash-hit production that brought audiences to their feet at every one of its sold-out performances at YIRRAMBOI Festival, now directed by Stephen Nicolazzo (Loaded).

'Strap in for a ferocious adventure that pushes form, genre and the realms of reality with a renowned crew hell-bent on reimagining what First Nations performance can be.'

Source: Malthouse Theatre.
1 Stigma-Free Spaces for Healing, Empowerment, and Self-Determination Sarah Woodland , Kamarra Bell-Wykes , 2024 single work criticism
— Appears in: First Nations Australian Theatre for Health Equity 2024; (p. 109-133)
1 Culturally Led, Culturally Safe Performance Making Sarah Woodland , Kamarra Bell-Wykes , 2024 single work criticism
— Appears in: First Nations Australian Theatre for Health Equity 2024; (p. 61-83)

'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)
1 Theatre in Health and Wellbeing : A First Nations Australian Approach Kamarra Bell-Wykes , Sarah Woodland , 2024 single work criticism
— Appears in: First Nations Australian Theatre for Health Equity 2024; (p. 41-60)

'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)
1 Ilbjierri Theatre Company : Health Education Works (2006–2019) Sarah Woodland , Kamarra Bell-Wykes , 2024 single work criticism
— Appears in: First Nations Australian Theatre for Health Equity 2024; (p. 15–40)

'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)
1 Introduction Kamarra Bell-Wykes , Sarah Woodland , 2024 single work criticism
— Appears in: First Nations Australian Theatre for Health Equity 2024; (p. 1-13)
1 y separately published work icon First Nations Australian Theatre for Health Equity Sarah Woodland (editor), Kamarra Bell-Wykes (editor), Cham : Palgrave Macmillan , 2024 28850630 2024 multi chapter work criticism

'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)
1 1 Whose Gonna Love 'Em? I Am That I Am Kamarra Bell-Wykes , 2023 single work drama

'Written and directed by Kamarra Bell-Wykes, Whose Gonna Love 'Em? I am that i AM is a post-traumatic performance thesis, winning the 2021 Patrick White Playwriting Award.

'Starring Maggie Church-Kopp, Corey Saylor-Brunskill, and Maurial Spearim, accompanied by a live improvisational score by smallsound, Whose Gonna Love 'Em? I am that i AM is an absurd group therapy session held somewhere in the deepest cells of the collective mind and the colonised heart.'

Source: Matlhouse Theatre.
1 5 Because the Night Kamarra Bell-Wykes , Ra Chapman , Matthew Lutton , 2021 single work drama

'Something is unfolding here in Elsinore. For weeks the strikes have been intensifying—but there’s a new mood tonight as Carnival approaches. There’s a vivid sense of an era ending—a new age opening up. The timber workers feel it… and the royals too. Inside the palace there are whispers… the King’s death, the grinning Queen, the agitated Prince… And the ancient forest is wild again, groaning—restless... It seems to me that everything is part of a broader picture—that no matter where you look, it will tell the whole wicked story.

'In a landmark production of unmissable storytelling, Malthouse Theatre launches an immersive theatre work on a scale never seen before in Australia. An entire world has been constructed for you to explore: follow the royals through the palace, roam the length of a town on the cusp of the digital age, or sift through the drawers of a single desk. Whatever you choose, a story will play out around you of a regime on the edge of collapse. You are a silent witness in the halls of power on a pivotal night in history. Move, venture deeper, listen closely, because the night will soon be lost—and all its secrets with it.

'Because The Night is an immersive theatre show. The show is experienced by moving through the world of Elsinore as the story plays out around you.

'The actors cannot 'see' you, and will never touch or talk to you. You are a silent witness to the story.

'Enter the sprawling world of Elsinore from one of three entrance rooms: the Bedroom, the Gymnasium, or the Royal Office. The story commences with different characters' perspectives before you are invited to explore the expanse that awaits you.

'Follow the characters as their stories intersect, or go off the beaten track to discover the secrets of the town. Every choice you make is the right choice, for whatever path you take will uncover the mysteries of Because The Night.

'If you are experiencing Because The Night as a group, it is recommended you start at different entrances. Whether you choose to explore together, or split up to discover the world alone, your journey is yours to take as you wish.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.
1 y separately published work icon The Time Before the Time to Come Kamarra Bell-Wykes , 2020 Australia : PlayWriting Australia , 2020 19666085 2020 single work drama
1 2 Black Ties Albert Belz , John Harvey , Kamarra Bell-Wykes , Tainui Tukiwaho , 2019 single work drama

'ILBIJERRI Theatre Company and Te Rēhia Theatre present a creative development showing of BLACK TIES.

'A groundbreaking collaboration and cultural exchange between two leading First Nations theatre companies, this is your opportunity for a first look at BLACK TIES before its world premiere in 2020. Emerging out of long-standing First Nations Exchange initiatives, the development of BLACK TIES began in Melbourne as part of AsiaTOPA Creative Labs in May 2018 and brings together creatives from First Nations theatre companies in Australia and New Zealand.

'When Māori corporate hotshot Hera and Aboriginal consultancy entrepreneur Bila locked eyes at a cultural awareness session, it was love at first sight. Ambitious, career focused, and driven by their need for control, Bila and Hera have their perfect future all mapped out. But there is one thing they can’t control – their families! Relatives are arriving from both sides of the ditch for the wedding, and reality is sinking in – and sinking fast. Will this international love story bring two strong cultures together? Or will it divide their families and countries, and blow Hera and Bila’s world apart?'

Source: Yirramboi Festival
1 Crying Shame = Warang Dungi-mi Kamarra Bell-Wykes , 2017 single work short story
— Appears in: Woman's Way : A Collection of Stories, Poems and Short Essays by First Nations' Women 2017;
1 1 North West of Nowhere Kamarra Bell-Wykes , 2016 single work drama

'Wyatt and Nella are 16 and from the middle of nowhere. Wyatt’s in love with a girl who doesn’t love him back and Nella just wants to escape from the small town gossip. Enter Cuz. He’s just got out of jail and knows a good time when he sees one. Desperate to fit in, Wyatt tags along with Nella and Cuz and together they pile into Cuz’s ute headed one way for Sydney. Nella’s got her heart set on the big smoke and a whole new life, Cuz has other ideas and Wyatt can’t help thinking they should all just turn back now.' (Source: Ilbijerri Threatre Company website)
1 The Arc, the Tension, the Payoff : Experiencing Dramaturgy Kamarra Bell-Wykes , 2012 single work prose
— Appears in: RealTime , October-November no. 111 2012; (p. 10) 'My most successful, enjoyable, educational, frustrating, painful, stick-a-fork-in-a-toaster dramaturgical relationship has been with John Romeril and not just because he is such a talented and experienced writer (though of course this helps), but because he recognised my internal creative source and helped me to find a way to tap it. He has helped me to harness my raw style and unpack the thoughts that well up from the ground, through my body and around my head and which I struggle to put on paper in a way that is interesting and watchable for the ever elusive "captive audience".'
1 2 Body Armour Kamarra Bell-Wykes , 2010 single work drama humour young adult 'Meet Dannii, Harley and Rose. Three teenagers. Three individuals. Three modern-day warriors on a quest for identity; fuelled with attitude and armed with ink and steel. When their paths cross unexpectedly, they realise that they might have found more than they were looking for. And that sometimes, the best way to look forward is by looking back ... Fresh, sassy and razor-sharp, Body Armour has been specifically designed for high school audiences, to raise awareness of hepatitis C in the Indigenous community and beyond. The story follows the journey of three teenagers as they experiment with at-risk activities such as piercing, tattooing and blood sharing. Timely comparisons to ancient body modification rituals gently remind us of the importance of history and culture in the search for identity and the need to belong. Vibrant, funny and non-judgemental, the show's power lies in its ability to open minds, discussions and possibilities.' (Ilbijerri Theatre Company website)
1 1 Mother's Tongue Kamarra Bell-Wykes , 2010 single work drama '"Mother's Tongue" is a contemporary Indigenous story about David and Ngala, a brother and sister trying to find their way in life after the death of their grandmother, the keeper of secrets and last custodian of the knowledge of a whole language group. After her death, David is the only person left alive that can speak his mother’s tongue. With Ngala wanting to learn the language, David wanting to move on with his life and a sexy new female arrival in town starting to stir things up, life for David and Ngala just got complicated. What follows is a tale of trust and betrayal, love and lust.' Source: www.yirrayaakin.com.au (Sighted 23/09/2010).
1 5 Chopped Liver Kamarra Bell-Wykes , 2006 single work drama 'The Blak comedy show you can't liver without! After huge success in 2006 & 2007, "Chopped Liver" is hitting the road again, launching a massive national tour with its first ever visit to regional NSW. Told through the stories of Lynne and Jim, the play uses comedy to humanise the experience of Hepatitis C and to break down social boundaries surrounding the virus, raising awareness and opening opportunities for discussion, prevention and support. It's about knowing that people with Hepatitis C are so much more than chopped liver. Source: http://www.regionalartsnsw.com.au/ebulletin/2008/july_e.html (Sighted 23/09/2010).
X