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'In an expanse of red dust, pounded by the hot Arnhem Land sun, a telegraph pole protrudes from the earth; a symbol of the scar that the modern world has left on an ancient community. This is Cherish's place. This is where she hides away from the real world, speaks to imagined friends and is visited by the ghosts of relatives long dead. On a day like any other the sound of a mobile phone singing out cuts through the thick dusty air, interrupting the young woman's solitude. As she calmly claws for the phone in the dirt, Cherish unearths the body of a dead boy.
Outsider Cherish will be our guide through a community torn in two, divided by moiety. At the centre of the story she will tell us is a young couple: two star-crossed lovers united in their devotion but separated by blood. Theirs is a tale of social dysfunction, black on black conflict and the difficulties of observing traditional lore in a community permeated by western culture.' (Sydney Theatre Company website)
Notes
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Performed in Yolgnu language and pidgin English.
Production Details
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First produced by the Sydney Theatre Company and Allens Arthur Robinson in association with Bangarra Dance Theatre at Wharf 1, Sydney, New South Wales, 7 October - 13 November, 2011. Directed by Stephen Page.
Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of
Works about this Work
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Making Theatre from Scratch : The Art of Animateuring
2012
single work
prose
— Appears in: RealTime , October-November no. 111 2012; (p. 4) 'For us animateurs, concepts of ceremony, tradition, initiation and clan systems are hard to uphold in an industry that is essentially market driven and predominately controlled by non-Aboriginal artistic directors and bureaucrats obsessed with bums on seats. Limited funding and therefore limited time often forces us to reduce our cultural ambitions. Going onto country to make work is a per diem minefield that needs to be battled. Waiting for country to speak to us doesn’t always fit neatly into a project budget.' -
Fairytale Escape From An All-Too-Raw Reality
2012
single work
column
— Appears in: The Australian , 15 May 2012; (p. 7) -
National Playwright Award Aims to Unearth New Indigenous Voices
2012
single work
column
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 4 April 2012; (p. 14) -
Hurdles of Past Haunt the Stage
2012
single work
review
— Appears in: The Courier-Mail , 16 March 2012; (p. 78)
— Review of Bloodland 2011 single work drama -
New Way of Telling Love Story
2012
single work
column
— Appears in: The Courier-Mail , 16 March 2012; (p. 3)
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Collaborative Work Allows Glimpse into Arnhem Land's Soul
2011
single work
review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 10 October 2011; (p. 11)
— Review of Bloodland 2011 single work drama -
Vivid Portrayal of Hybrid Culture
2011
single work
review
— Appears in: The Australian , 10 October 2011; (p. 16)
— Review of Bloodland 2011 single work drama -
Untitled
2011
single work
review
— Appears in: The Sun-Herald , 16 October 2011; (p. 13)
— Review of Bloodland 2011 single work drama -
The Ties Behind Bloodland
2011
single work
review
— Appears in: Tracker , November vol. 1 no. 8 2011; (p. 50)
— Review of Bloodland 2011 single work drama -
Hurdles of Past Haunt the Stage
2012
single work
review
— Appears in: The Courier-Mail , 16 March 2012; (p. 78)
— Review of Bloodland 2011 single work drama -
Trust, Tension and Tradition
2011
single work
column
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 1-2 October 2011; (p. 6-7) -
New Show for STC
2011
single work
column
— Appears in: Koori Mail , 5 October no. 511 2011; (p. 58) -
A Modern Romeo
2012
single work
column
— Appears in: The Courier-Mail , 6 March 2012; (p. 48) -
'Heavy Slog' a Vital Step as Writer-Actor Comes Home to a Big Year
2012
single work
column
— Appears in: The Courier-Mail , 9 March 2012; (p. 26) -
Team Player : Collaboration Creates a Winning Story for This Playwright
2012
single work
column
— Appears in: Brisbane News , 14 - 20 March no. 873 2012; (p. 29)