Cirrus@Austlit

'January 1974 and South-East Queensland is flooding…

'As the Brisbane River breaks its banks, Daisy, a devout do-gooder sets out in a dinghy to find her mother Lily, who has disappeared from her nursing home. Jas, a defiant hippie, and Daisy’s daughter, insists on accompanying her much to Daisy’s chagrin.

'Far from lost, Lily has rediscovered her half sister Joy, who is desperate to uncover the resting place of their mother, Mary Wong. It is approaching Bi San, Ancestors’ Day, when Chinese traditionally worship the dead, but without knowing where her grave is, Joy is fearful that she will be cursed for shirking her duty. So, they begin their search by unpacking family lore and retracing historical steps.

'Spanning the reaches of the Brisbane River, White China is an epic adventure that follows three generations of woman as they rewrite their relationships in the wake of unacknowledged truths about their family history.'

Source: Production blurb.

'Binni's Backyard is a contemporary urban story that celebrates our changing connection to the land, the trees and the animals. The production uses a combination of music, acrobatics, clowning dance, design, puppetry and percussion's and draws on both Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australian traditions.' (Kooemba Jdarra website sighted 05/07/2003 )

The three texts collected in this volume are strong examples of this Indigenous theatre company's work with their exploration of self-determination, reconciliation, the land.

'Thomas Jenkis was born on the Island. In and out of jail for petty crime, he eventually finds himself on the streets of the mainland. Seven years later, he returns to the Island to celebrate his 21st birthday, reacquainting himself with the people from his past. Goin’ to the Island is a contemporary tale that mixes modern life with traditional stories, new songs and old.' (Source: Playlab website)