CONTEMPORARY INDIGENOUS PLAYS

by Vivienne Cleven et al

Five plays from around the country which illustrate that the rich tradition of indigenous storytelling is flourishing in contemporary Australian theatre.

Adapted from her award-winning novel, Vivienne Cleven’s Bitin’ Back is a ‘zany and uproarious black farce’ ( National Indigenous Times);

Black Medea, Wesley Enoch’s richly poetic adaptation of Euripides Medea, blends the cultures of Ancient Greek and indigenous storytelling to weave a bold and breathtaking commentary on contemporary experience;

The acclaimed King Hit, by David Milroy and Geoffrey Narkle, strikes at the very heart of the Stolen Generations, exploring the impact on an individual and a culture when relationships are brutally broken;

Set in the 1950s on the fringe of a country town, Rainbow’s End by Jane Harrison creates a ‘thought-provoking and emotionally powerful’ ( Age) snapshot of a Koori family to dramatise the struggle for decent housing, meaningful education, jobs and community acceptance;

And David Milroy’s Windmill Baby, set on an abandoned cattle station in the Kimberley landscape, combines the poetry of a campfire story with the comedy of a great yarn.

‘Each play is a durable, resilient stone that both builds upon Indigenous traditions but also lays the foundation for the generations that will follow.’ Professor Larissa Behrendt, from her Introduction.

ISBN9780868197951
Lengthfull length
Audience ageadult
PublisherCurrency Press