spotlight australia production sponsor
Mar 29 - May 7, 2017
Berkeley Street Theatre + B lu ma Appe l Th e atr e
spotlight australia schedule
jack charles v the crown berkeley street theatre - downstairs
blood links berkeley street theatre - upstairs
Apr 19 8 PM
Mar 29 8 PM
Apr 20 8 PM
Mar 30 1 PM
Apr 21 7 PM
Spotlight Forum: Talkback with Uncle Jack Charles. Post-show screening of Bastardy, the Jack Charles documentary. 2:30 pm
Mar 31 7 PM Apr 01 8 PM Apr 02 1 PM Apr 04 8 PM Apr 05 8 PM Spotlight Forum: Talkback with Uncle Jack Charles
Apr 06 8 PM Apr 07 7 PM Apr 08 8 PM
Apr 22 8 PM Apr 23 1 PM Spotlight Forum: Talkback with William Yang
meeting berkeley street theatre - upstairs
Apr 26 7 PM Apr 27 7 PM Spotlight Forum: Masterclass with Antony Hamilton & Alisdair Macindoe 2 pm Talkback with the creators of Meeting
Apr 28 7 PM
endings berkeley street theatre - downstairs
Apr 26 8:15 PM Apr 27 1 PM
8:15 PM
Apr 28 8:15 PM Spotlight Forum: Talkback with Tamara Saulwick
April 29 8:15 PM SPOTLIGHT FORUM: The Dramaturgy of Sound in Live Performance 1 pm
Apr 30 2:15 PM 2
Apr 29 1 PM
7 PM
Apr 30 1 PM
the return bluma appel theatre
May 03 8:00 PM May 04 8:00 PM May 05 7:00 PM May 06 8:00 PM May 07 1:00 PM Spotlight Forum: Talkback with the Circa ensemble & Yaron Lifschitz
Welcome It might feel as though there’s an ironic twist in including Spotlight Australia as part of Canadian Stage’s celebration of our country’s sesquicentennial this year. But no irony is intended. Australia’s pre- and post-colonial histories so curiously mirror our own, both before and after the status of nationhood was finally conferred upon us by “mother nation” Britain - for Canada in 1867, for Australia in 1901 as successive waves of immigrants established themselves on territories long inhabited by Indigenous populations, and created an identity based on a “new world” philosophy of enterprise and ownership. It felt as though we might have something to learn from the artists of this sister nation from the opposite side of the globe: how do they reflect their own speckled history, their present-day identity? What are the prides and shames, the successes and failures, the wounds that need healing or require deeper scrutiny? What makes them laugh, and weep and ponder? It is with deep pride and anticipated excitement for the upcoming discovery and dialogue that we welcome elder Jack Charles and his uncompromisingly honest, autobiographical plight V the Crown; William Yang’s equally candid self-portraiture as a child of immigrant parents, Blood Links; Tamara Saulwick’s startlingly sensitive conversation with the departed, Endings; the hypnotic Meeting between choreographer Antony Hamilton and musician/instrument-maker par excellence, Alisdair Macindoe; and Yaron Lifschitz and Circa’s long-awaited return visit to Toronto with their epic tale of the homeward journey, The Return. Jack Charles is beginning his trip to Canada with a visit to the Beaver Creek Correctional Facility in Gravenhurst, meeting with local elders and with the indigenous population of this medium security federal prison. This is the beginning of a six-week series of community engagement and creative learning initiatives which Spotlight Australia has inspired, a wonderful way to celebrate 150 years of the curiosity, creativity, and world awareness which characterize our nation. Matthew Jocelyn, Artistic and General Director
Spotlight Australia presents a significant opportunity to increase the profile of Australian performing arts in Canada and to explore the complex range of Australia and Canada’s shared heritage, culture, and vision. Australia and Canada are diverse communities, shaped by vibrant indigenous populations, a heritage of British colonialism, and large immigrant Diasporas. Today, our longstanding relationship continues to flourish on the strength of our common respect for democracy and rule of law, a shared commitment to diversity and tolerance, and a focus on building welcoming and inclusive societies. It is significant that Canadian Stage has chosen to mark the 150th anniversary of the Confederation of Canada with a series devoted to Australia. It speaks to a significant bond that, in marking such a major point of national celebration and reflection, Canadians are interested in experiencing Australian performing arts while commemorating and contemplating their historical journey. Through Spotlight Australia, we can reinforce the sophisticated range and scope of connection between our countries and can raise the profile of Australian performing arts with Canadian audiences. Sincerely, Tony Negus Australian High Commissioner to Canada 3
jack charles v the crown ILBIJERRI THEATRE COMPANY
March 29 – April 8 75 minutes - no intermission
Co -write r & pe r fo r m e r
Jack Charles Co -write r & dr amatu rg e
John Romeril Dir ec to r
Rachael Maza Se t & Costu m e De sig n
Emily Barrie Lig hting De sig n
Danny Pettingill Au dio Visual De sig n
Peter Worland Stag e Manag e r
Jessica Keepence M usical Dir ec tio n
Nigel Maclean Pe rcussio n
Toured by Performing Lines with the support of the Australian Government, through the Australia Council for the Arts and the Catalyst Australian Arts & Culture Fund; the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria; and the City of Melbourne. Bastardy footage courtesy of Film Camp, Amiel Courtin-Wilson, Ghost, Film Victoria and Filmfest Ltd.
photo: Bindi Cole
Canadian Stage would like to acknowledge that we are situated on the traditional territories of the Anishinaabek Nation, Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nations, the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, Wendat, and Métis Nations. We recognize the enduring presence of Indigenous people on and of this land.
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Phil Collings Bass
Malcolm Beveridge Pro duc tio n manag e r
John “Scooter” Byrne au dio/av e ng in e e r
Gary Dryza
A Note on the Performance
Jack Charles
Shortly after the screening of a 56-minute version of my documentary, Bastardy, on the ABC, I started to receive, almost immediately, feedback from a number of sources... testament that my story had hit that ‘sweet spot’ in the minds and hearts of ordinary viewers, in Melbourne and nationwide. It had impressed so many people, from all walks of life, that many were urged to contact me by phone or postcard, others content to wait for a chance meet, face to face. On the streets, on a tram, bus, or train... each one practically falling arse over tit to engage, talk and thank me for the experience. I thoroughly enjoy the rapport and support offered by complete strangers, and understand and honour their reaching out to me. It came as no surprise when Rachael Maza Long, the Artistic Director for ILBIJERRI, rang to talk about taking my story to its rightful place – the stage, the theatre. The mob at ILBIJERRI were always aware of the rise in my profile and standing in the performing arts arena, so it wasn’t long before I got the call to arms from Rachael and ILBIJERRI – Bold Black ‘n’ Brilliant! Rachael had roped in my old friend from the Pram Factory days, John Romeril, to be my dramaturg. T’was easy to re-connect to the man who’d written the original play, Bastardy... This is one very important piece of theatre. I reckon that people from the arts and performing industries have come to the realisation that I share the writing with Romeril, writing a couple of the monologues myself, and performing clean, without any giggle-juice or drugs to enhance my presence on stage. Jack Charles V The Crown is the culmination of years of frustration and rejection from bureaucracy, both black and white.
BOON WURRUNG TRANSLATION
Aunty Fay Stewart-Muir
Uncle Jack Charles is a proud Boon Wurrung Man. His land consists of what is now known as South East Victoria, from the Werribee River to Wilson’s Promontory. The Boon Wurrung people make one of five Kulin Nations. Manamith koolin-l ganbu nuther mooyup One man shows his talent Djilak-djirri – dha Jack Jack an actor Yinga-dha koolin Jack Jack a singer Marnang-bul Jack Jack works with his hands – a potter Emaraleek djilak-djirri – dha Jack Jack a gifted performer Bullarto weekabul weelam – ut Many years homeless Toy-yon – it An addict Nyeelam-bul pinbullally – bul A thief Baambuth – al Did time Dullally koolin Proud Kulin man Bullarto weelam Victoria –ut Lived in the BIG house in Victoria Dhumba – dha ba yinga-dha weegan-dha Jack Jack sings and tells his life story 5
DIRECTOR’S NOTE
R achae l Ma z a
Having grown up in the theatre I have known Uncle Jack most of my life and long admired his work as one of Australia’s greatest actors. His is the generation that started Black Theatre in my country, paving the way for those of my generation to follow (Uncle Jack, along with my father Bob Maza, established Australia’s first Aboriginal Theatre Company, Nindethana, in Melbourne in 1972). It is through theatre that I have learnt the true history of Australia, a history that was never taught in the school books. It is this early theatre that inspired who I am today, inspiring in me the passion to continue to tell the stories that need to be told. One of my earliest memories in the theatre was at the Sydney Opera House: a scene in which two fully clad early 19th century soldiers entered, carrying between them a fully naked “Bennelong” (a young Jack Charles) to centre downstage, his feet dangling above the floor... Some decades later, I’m watching the phenomenal documentary Bastardy in which Uncle Jack again bares his all – though this time metaphorically. We talk not long after and it becomes very evident that he is ready to tell his story on stage. Jack’s story is not dissimilar to many other Aboriginal people who were victims of past government policies. He was stolen from his family at three months and placed in a boys’ home, where he would endure years of abuse. He then spent the majority of his adult years doing “burgs” and “doing time” to feed his addiction. There is no doubt in my mind that all of this got in the way of what would have been a truly brilliant career on stage and screen. Melbourne-born and bred, a true gentleman, generous in spirit, warm of heart, sharp of wit... Jack Charles is a true Elder! It is such a great honour and privilege to work so closely and intimately with one of Australia’s great living legends. Special thanks to Uncle Jack for his incredible generosity in sharing his story.
EXPLORE MORE DOWN UNDER WITH A SPOTLIGHT PASSPORT Buy tickets to 2 or more Spotlight Australia shows and save big on regular ticket prices.* The more you buy the more you save!
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jack charles v the crown blood links meeting endings the return
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Jack Charles Co -Write r , Pe r fo r m e r Born in 1943, Jack was well and truly a child of the Stolen Generation. He spent many of his formative years in the boys’ homes of Melbourne, which he took on with his usual laconic outlook. “It was alright by me – I was happy to assimilate. The only trouble was I wasn’t ever going to fit in. I’m fucking brown mate.” In 1972 he founded the first Aboriginal theatre company Nindethana and has performed with the cream of Australia’s actors, directors and writers including Geoffrey Rush, Neil Armfield, John Romeril and Tracey Moffatt. His work has spanned feature films, TV series and hundreds of plays including The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith, Bedevil, Ben Hall and The Marriage of Figaro. Most recently, he was the subject of Amiel Courtin-Wilson’s award-winning documentary Bastardy, and was awarded the prestigious Tudawali Award at the Message Sticks Festival in 2009, honouring his lifetime contribution to Indigenous media. John Romeril Co -Write r , Dr amatu rg e During five decades as a dramatist, John has produced over 80 works for stage, film and television, including a production of his acclaimed work The Floating World at Canada’s National Arts Centre. His plays have also been translated and performed in Japan, Vietnam, and Italy. He was the recipient of the 2009 Patrick White Award and more recently received Lifetime Achievement awards, from the Melbourne Green Room Awards Association (2011) and the Sydney Theatre Awards (2014). He has written three times for (and sometimes with) Jack Charles: Bastardy, Jack Charles V The Crown, and Going Through. Rachael Maza Dir ec to r Rachael Maza is one of Australia’s most recognizable faces of the Australian film, television and theatre industry with performance credits including the Australian Film Institute (AFI) award-winning Radiance, Cosi and Lillian’s Story. A Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) graduate, Rachael’s outstanding performances have been acknowledged with a Green Room Award and a Sydney Theatre Critics Circle Award. Rachael has also worked as a presenter for ABC Message Stick and as Indigenous Liaison Advisor on films such as the multi-award-winning Rabbit Proof Fence. Rachael’s first taste of directing was Stolen (1992) for ILBIJERRI Theatre Company; however, it wasn’t until 2009 that she rejoined the company as Artistic Director. Since then she has directed Sisters of Gelam (2009), Jack Charles V The Crown (2010), Foley (2011) and Beautiful One Day (2012). About ILBIJERRI Theatre Company ILBIJERRI is a Woiwurrung word meaning ‘Coming Together for Ceremony’. ILBIJERRI exists to tell Indigenous stories with passion, integrity and humour. The company believes in Black voices telling Black stories – for all Australians – and it is this belief that has seen us become the oldest Indigenous theatre company in Australia. Exploring a range of complex and controversial issues from a uniquely Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspective, ILBIJERRI has sustained one simple ideal when creating new work: ‘Bold, Black and Brilliant’. Celebrating over 20 years and headed by the artistic direction of Rachael Maza, the company is stronger than ever bringing with it one of Australia’s most important stories to date – the story of Uncle Jack Charles. Its sellout premiere at the 2010 Melbourne International Arts Festival has been followed by a national Australian tour and seasons at London’s Barbican Theatre and the Dublin Theatre Festival. 7
Blakfulla Performing Artist Returns to Turtle Island Co le Alvis One of my last duties as the outgoing Executive Director of the Indigenous Performing Arts Alliance was to interview Jack Charles about his impending visit to Turtle Island. With my heritage of Metis-Irish/English from the Turtle Mountains in Manitobah, and after witnessing Jack Charles V the Crown at last year’s PUsh Festival in Vancouver, I was keen to speak with the artist who states, “Everyone likes to see an old coot like I am kicking addiction and treading the boards.” This self-effacing humour and embracement of identity is what defines Jack Charles, or Uncle Jack as he is called by Blakfullas (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders) in Australia. His message spurned a curiosity in me about his work, his deep relationship to the land and his unwavering reclamation of spirit.
photos: Bindi Cole
Jack Charles is a household name in Australia. Having performed most of his life he is a well-known actor from Film and TV as well as founder of the first Blakfulla theatre company in Australia called Nindethana in 1971 with Bob Maza, father of Rachael Maza who now runs Ilbijerri Theatre and has directed the show you are about to see. As the title of the play Jack Charles V The Crown suggests, he has spent time in the court and penal system whilst also struggling with addiction. When asked about his impending tour, Jack was full of trepidation about crossing the border into New York. The recent election and triumph of the right in America has legitimized a discourse of racism and bigotry that sadly is all too familiar within Indigenous communities across the globe. Uncle Jack experiences it in everyday actions like hailing a cab; where drivers in both Australia and Canada take one look at him and require payment upfront or refuse service altogether. In addition to his indigeneity, you factor in his past, and one can very much realize the anxiety he must experience when travelling. However, with the ugliness of our white colonialist legacy aside, Uncle Jack is keen to explore the intricacies and breathe of our soil, in so much that he will be using fine Canadian clay for the props in his show. This provides a palpable opportunity for Jack to work with our land in a visceral way while sharing his story from the other side of the world, reflecting on the symbiosis of the effects of the aforementioned colonization. He often shares his words and his work with the clay to mentor other inmates within various different prison systems, including Beaver Creek Correctional Facility in Gravenhurst, ON. Jack states, “I am petitioning to have my record expunged so I can go into jails at will and be a role model.” In the show, as in his life, his goal is to create a dialogue that will lead to empathy. In a recently published book about Indigenous performance on Turtle Island called Medicine Shows by Yvette Nolan (Algonquin-Irish), there is a chapter about Survivance. Survivance is defined as, “a survivor’s narrative, told concisely, without pity, but with hope.” The Anishinaabe cultural theorist Gerald Vizenor first employed the term in the context of Native American Studies and it deftly describes ILBIJERRI Theatre’s production of Jack Charles V The Crown. Reflecting on receptions of the show, Uncle Jack muses, “People hadn’t seen the story of a stolen person who was a well-known busker/cat burglar.” Uncle Jack refers to himself as stolen, referencing the Stolen 8
Generation: children of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent that were removed from their families by the Australian Federal and State government agencies and church missions for over a hundred years well into the 1970’s (some would argue the practice continues under a different name). In Canada, we call this the legacy of the Residential School system, a colonial tool so effective it inspired the approaches used during the apartheid in South Africa. With the recent victory for the victims of The Sixties Scoop, and the ongoing Truth and Reconciliation work we are doing on this continent, we are constantly reminded of our capacity for endurance. Uncle Jack, like so many of his Indigenous brothers and sisters across the globe, is the embodiment of Survivance. In our quest for resolution and peace it is vital that we recognize the diversity between Indigenous communities in Canada as well as Blakfulla communities in Australia. Further to that, we must acknowledge the complexities and disparities that exist between each Nation, as there are often distinct languages, worldviews and governance structures. In reclaiming my Métis heritage and traditions as a queer-identified person I have been speaking with language keepers to find the word for 2 Spirit in Michif, the Métis language. I asked Uncle Jack if he knew the word for 2 Spirit in DjaDjaWurrung or BoonWurrung and he has not yet come across it. I have heard pre-contact stories where 2 Spirit people were revered for the unique ways in which they contributed to their community. When I asked Uncle Jack about the challenges of being a 2 Spirit person he stated that he“found it worse as a young kid growing up in the boy’s home.” In Canada, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission demonstrates that the intergenerational effects of the Residential Schools system continue to reverberate. Harlan Pruden is a Cree academic, Managing Editor of the TwoSpiritJournal.com and a Ph.D. candidate at the University of British Columbia. He encourages 2 Spirit people to seek the word used to describe this role in their community from their traditional language. How many of these words would we have if it were not for colonial projects that enforce the male/female gender binary in Canada and Australia today? How would our reconciliation process shift and how can we use these words as a source of celebration and not a further source of alienation? These questions surrounding buried words and forced assimilation of social roles in community are some of the ongoing effects of colonization. As you watch this performance, I invite you to consider your own relationship to otherness, and the ways in which you have reclaimed spirit in the face of adversity. Uncle Jack attests that, “our job as artists is to tickle the consciousness of the people.” which he and I both hope leads to a deepening of empathy and a strengthening of community. I invite you to continue to seek performances that represent our Indigenous legacy and to celebrate our land. For further information on upcoming events, please visit: www.ipaa.ca. Enjoy the Show! 9
blood links P ro d u c e d by P e r fo r m i n g Li n e s
M usic Co m p ose r
James Brown 60 minutes - no intermission Supported by the NSW Government through Arts New South Wales, and by the Australian Government through the Australia Council for the Arts, its arts funding and advisory body.
photo: William Yang
April 19-23
Cr e ato r & Pe r fo r m e r
William Yang
William Yang William Yang is one of Australia’s most celebrated independent photographers and performers. Born William Young in North Queensland in 1943, he changed his name to William Yang in 1983. He worked as a playwright from 1969 to 1974, and since then as a freelance photographer. His first solo exhibition in 1977, Sydneyphiles, caused a sensation because of its frank depiction of the Sydney gay scene. Later these photographs became part of a larger exhibition, Sydney Diary, which was published as a book of the same title in 1984. In the mid–eighties, William Yang began to explore his Chinese heritage which had hitherto been lost to him by his complete assimilation into the Australian way of life. His photographic themes expanded to include landscapes and the Chinese in Australia. During this period he made visits to China. William Yang integrated his skills as a writer and a visual artist in 1989. He began to perform monologues with slide projection in the theatre. These slide shows were a form of performance theatre and have become his favourite way of showing his work. The third one, Sadness, wove together two themes: the discovery of his Chinese heritage, and the rituals of dying and death in Sydney. The piece has toured successfully nationally and internationally as have all his subsequent pieces. William has created and performed seven full length monologues in all, including Shadows, Blood links, The Story Only I Can Tell and Objects For Meditation. In addition to his famed monologues, William Yang has presented over twenty individual exhibitions across Asia, Australia, Europe and North America. He is represented by Stills Gallery, Sydney. 10
About Celebrated Australian artist William Yang’s family is scattered around the world, yet the bond of blood binds them in unexpected and powerful ways. When William’s mother died in 1992, he embarked on a personal journey to rediscover his immediate and extended family. William was born and raised in North Queensland, his grandparents having migrated from China to the Top End during the 1880s gold rush. Yet it was not until mid-life that he claimed his Chinese heritage, previously lost to him by his complete assimilation into the Australian way of life. William’s transatlantic exploration of his genealogy unites him with scores of relatives from all walks of life, some rich, but most ordinary folk with menial jobs, and most cannot speak a word of Chinese. Blood Links examines how the Chinese diaspora establish roots in foreign soil, and how over the generations, through intermarriage, blood is mixed; yet the intricate bonds of family remain.
Creator’s Note
William Yang
My interest in theatre began when I was an undergraduate studying Architecture at Queensland University in the sixties. I directed the Architecture Revues and I also wrote plays. When I came to Sydney I was resident playwright with Rex Cramphorne’s experimental theatre group Performance Syndicate in the early seventies, but I couldn’t make a living from writing so I became a photographer instead and I was able to pay the rent. I worked as a freelance photographer for 15 years, doing whatever jobs people would pay me for. During this time I began projecting images in the manner of the living room slide show. The first were audio visual - music and projection, but I began to talk with the images as a commentary. I spent seven years working on these photo essays and finally in 1989 I had enough of them to do a show at the Downstairs Belvoir: The Face of Buddha, nine photo essays. Although I lost money on the project it was clear the format, monologue with slide projection was alluring. The other two alternatives I had for showing my work was a gallery exhibition or a book, and the performance was a stronger experience than either of these. My third piece, Sadness, was about the murder of my uncle, William Fang Yuen, in 1922, and about the AIDS pandemic in Sydney in the early nineties. It toured extensively in Australia and overseas and set up a touring circuit for me and most of my subsequent pieces. Since international entrepreneurs wanted my performance pieces, this form became my main artistic expression; I have 11 full length pieces in total. Most of them are autobiographical, and my family story has been featured in four of them. Five years ago I was awarded an Australia Council Fellowship along with a visiting fellowship at the University of New South Wales to make films of three of my performance pieces. I was able to update Blood Links, which was first performed in 1999, and translate the stage performance into film. Film is a much more unforgiving medium than theatre in that in a live performance - the performer is always there as a presence to hold the show together, whereas with small screen, the viewer is more easily distracted, so the editing process has to be much more rigorous. The music score is more detailed to hold the viewer’s attention. This version of Blood Links has been through a thorough editing process and I have used this refined film script and musical score to bring the piece back to live performance. The live performance is always the best manifestation of my work, because I am there performing it. I am present. 11
meeting
Cho r eog r aphy, Dir ec tio n , Pe r fo r mance
Antony Hamilton Instrument Design & Construction, Composition, Performance
A nto n yH a m i lto n P roj ec t s .
April 26-30 50 minutes - no intermission
Alisdair Macindoe Lig hting De sig n
Canadian Stage Dance Programming Supporter
Bosco Shaw Costu m e De sig n
Paula Levis Pro duce r
Freya Waterson
Creator’s Note
Antony Hamilton
MEETING is my most choreographically focused work to date - a combined study of a self devised choreographic methodology, and it’s sonic counterpart in the form of automated robotic percussion instruments. Both elements utilise a shared complex counting sequence as a score for phrasing. The work is a dynamic, visually riveting duet for two dancers - myself and Alisdair Macindoe. A study in finely tuned physical and mental agency, the locus of the work is the relentless counting pattern that governs our compulsive movements to extreme levels of detail and accuracy. Over time we have used sparse beats or a metronome to measure the timing of each individual physical action. In MEETING we sought a sonic equivalent to the fractal-like possibility of the choreographic system. Alisdair’s robots offer a similar sense of limitation/possibility, in that they are a body in space and they are limited by their simple ability to strike the floor. Creative potential is exploited, through the space between hits, and the intensity of hits, very much in keeping with the choreographic vocabulary. The pairing of the sound and choreography has been catalytic in pushing both elements beyond their previously explored possibilities. This choreographic counting pattern is echoed by 64 custom designed and wirelessly operated drum tappers. These drum tappers are discrete, percussive instruments that have an external stick (pencil) attached to a lever that strikes the floor to create sound. This soundscape/landscape becomes a sonic representation of the idiosyncratic choreography. Counting to a metronome has been used widely in my work, but never audible to an audience, or used as musical or choreographic content in and of itself. The use of the drum tappers gives the sound physical and spatial properties, in a binary relationship with the choreography. In keeping with the visually striking nature of my previous works, the 64 drum tappers are arranged as a floor based percussion landscape, providing the most important visual and sonic design element in the staging of the work. 12
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photos: Gregory Lorenzutti
About MEETING reveals a fascination with the articulation of the body and mind in motion. A choreographic study stripped to the bare essentials, the work pairs Antony Hamilton’s compulsive choreography with Alisdair Macindoe’s obsessive machine-making practice. The two performers share space with 64 robotic percussion instruments. A relentless stream of activity unfolds, where the bodies enter states of heightened physical and mental agency, with all actions carried by the meditative pulse of the machine beat. A focused recital, with Hamilton’s unique physical grammar and Macindoe’s bespoke musical instrument making, MEETING composes the body, the space and the robots into a dynamic and riveting choreographic sound installation. Antony Hamilton Direction, Choreography, Performance Antony Hamilton is an independent choreographer. His award-winning creations involve a sophisticated melding of movement, sound and visual design. His major works include the seminal Black Project 1 (2012), for which he won the prestigious Helpmann Award, critically acclaimed MEETING (2015) and NYX, a commission for the 2015 Melbourne Festival. He has created numerous national and international commissions including Keep Everything and I Like This for Chunky Move, Black Project 3 for The Lyon Opera Ballet and Sentinel for Skanes Dansteater. Antony was the inaugural recipient of the Russell Page Fellowship in 2004, Tanja Liedtke Fellowship in 2009, Australia Council for the Arts Fellowship in 2012, and Sidney Myer Creative Fellowship in 2014. He was guest dance curator at The National Gallery of Victoria in 2013-14, honorary Resident Director at Lucy Guerin Inc. in 2014 and inaugural Resident Artist at Arts House in 2015. In 2008 Antony formed Antony Hamilton Projects to create contemporary dance work informed by an interest in multi-disciplinary practices. Combining experimental movement, visual, sound and video art, his original and unpredictable choreographic voice is a driving catalyst for bold experimentation. Alisdair Macindoe Instrument Design & Construction, Composition, Performance Alisdair Macindoe is a New York and Melbourne-based dancer and choreographer who trained in dance at the Victorian College of the Arts. He has performed extensively with Lucy Guerin Inc., Chunky Move, Antony Hamilton Projects, and Stephanie Lake Company, and Leigh Warren and Dancers. He has also performed works by Katrina Lazarof, Lina Limosani, Nat Cursio, Jo Lloyd, Gerard Van Dyke, Underpass, Bare Bones Collective. Other performance highlights include his own works, Bromance (2010), 525600LOVE (2009) and Pay No Attention to the Man Behind the Curtain (2008). Alisdair was the recipient of the prestigious 2013 Helpmann Award for Best Male Dancer in a Dance or Physical Theatre work for Stephanie Lake’s DUAL, the recipient of the 2012 Green Room Award for Best Male Dancer for his year’s work with Lucy Guerin Inc. & Chunky Move, the 2015 Award for Lucy Guerin Inc.’s Motion Picture, and was nominated in the same category in 2008 and 2013. Alisdair is a self taught sound designer, composer and instrument builder and has created sound design for some of Australia’s leading dance companies and choreographers. For his work as a sound designer for dance, he has received consecutive Green Room Awards for Sound Design in 2014 for Antony Hamilton Projects’ Black Project 2, 2015 for Chunky Move’s Princess and 2016 for Antony Hamilton Projects’ MEETING. 14
endings April 26-30
Co nce p t, Te x t an d Pe r fo r mance
Tamara Saulwick Sou n d De sig n , Composition & Operation
Peter Knight
55 minutes - no intermission
Songwritin g & Pe r fo r mance
This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body and the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria. Commissioned by Performance Space and the City of Melbourne’s Arts House.
Paddy Mann Se t & Lig hting De sig n
Ben Cobham b lu ebot tle Dr amatu rg e
About Using portable turntables, reel-to-reel tape players and live performance, acclaimed performancemaker Tamara Saulwick finds form for experiences both ordinary and extraordinary that cluster around death, dying and afterlife. Endings is built in part from one-on-one interviews: people’s stories, reflections, and voices. These recordings are cut on to vinyl records and embedded within a richly textured electro-acoustic sound design that is operated, accompanied, and extended through live performance and song.
Creator’s Notes
Margaret Trail Costu m e De sig n e r
Harriet Oxley Tech n ical Manag e r , Au dio E ng in e e r & Ope r ato r
Nick Roux Pro duc tio n Manag e r
Emily O’Brien Pro duce r
Freya Waterson
Tamara Saulwick
When my son was 3 years old he came across a fly on the floor. A dead fly lying on its back. I picked it up by its little wing, opened the back door and threw it out into the winter night. My son, concerned about the welfare of the fly asked, ‘Mum, why did you throw the fly out the back?’ I said, ‘Because it was dead.’ ‘Won’t it be cold?’ he asked. I said, ‘No it won’t be cold because it’s dead.’ And I laughed. Then later after climbing into bed, ‘Mum, will I feel the cold when I’m dead?’ I said, ‘No you won’t feel the cold because ...’ He said, ‘Mum, will I be able to see when I’m dead? How will I be able to speak? Where will you be when I’m dead? Mum? How will I find you when I’m dead?’ For my young son the idea of death, of life ending, was beyond imagination. Embedded in his questions lies the very human desire to stay connected to loved ones. Always. In some ways. Endings is an extension of that, and subsequent conversations with my son, my father and others. The work is built in part from a series of recorded conversations or interviews which revolved around the general theme of endings, and in particular that of life ending. The interview participants, many of whom are personal friends, entered into the process with enormous generosity, trust, and grace. I thank each and every one of them. It was a genuine privilege to hear their stories. In Endings fragments of these conversations emerge from the old analogue technologies of tape & vinyl. In working with these vintage players we hope to embrace the qualities of unpredictability, fragility, and decay that they bring to the piece and so resonate with its overarching themes. In a culture where death is rarely discussed candidly, Endings creates a collective holding place for this most inevitable of shared experiences—a place within which multiple stories and perspectives can be voiced and evoked. Endings is an homage to loved ones no longer living. 15
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photos: Prudence Upton
Tamara Saulwick Co nce p t, Te x t & Pe r fo r mance Building on over twenty years experience, Tamara Saulwick’s individual practice has coalesced in recent years into a singular and compelling voice. Utilising digital, mobile and analogue technologies, with a particular emphasis placed on the role of sound in live performance, her works reflect on how we as individuals connect, confront, and interact with one another. Tamara’s work has toured in Australia and internationally, been adapted for radio and received numerous nominations and awards. Her solo work Pin Drop received critical acclaim, was nominated for four Green Room Awards and won Outstanding Production Award (Theatre - Hybrid Performance). Pin Drop was later presented at the Malthouse Theatre (2011), toured across Australia, adapted for ABC Radio Nationa, and was presented as part of the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games cultural celebrations. Other recent works include commissions for public spaces, Seddon Archives (2011), PUBLIC (2013), Newport Archives (2016), and Alter for Melbourne’s 2016 Festival of Live Art. Tamara’s most recent independent work Endings was commissioned by Performance Space and Arts House, and premiered at the 2015 Sydney Festival, earning Tamara a prestigious Helpmann Award nomination for Best New Australian Work. A sonic excerpt of the work was previewed at the 2014 Aarhus Festival in Denmark. Tamara is an Australia Council for the Arts Fellow and the Artistic Director of Chamber Made Opera. She recently premiered her first work for the company, Permission to Speak, a collaboration with composer Kate Neal. PETER KNIGHT Sou n d De sig n e r & Co m p ose r Peter Knight is a multidisciplinary musician who has gained wide acclaim for his eclectic approach, which integrates jazz, world music, & experimental approaches. Peter’s work as both performer and composer is regularly featured in a range of ensemble settings, he also composes for theatre & creates sound installations. He has been the Artistic Director of the Australian Art Orchestra since 2013. Perpetually curious, Peter’s practice defies categorisation; indeed he works in the spaces between categories, between genres, & between cultures developing an international following for his work with nine albums in as many years showcasing a diverse range of Ensembles and approaches. Peter is the recipient of numerous awards and nominations including an Australia Council Music Fellowship, two Bell Jazz Awards, APRA/AMC Art Music, Green Room Theatre (sound design), and AIR Independent Music. He holds a doctorate from Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University and was awarded 2013 Alumnus of the Year. PADDY MANN Son gwritin g & Pe r for man ce Under the moniker Grand Salvo, singer/songwriter Paddy Mann has created six albums of songs that are not easy to categorise but which could be perhaps described as contemporary folk. Paddy is recognised by many as one of Australia’s finest songwriters and Grand Salvo has a steadily growing and loyal following. Paddy has staged two album launches at Melba Hall with a twenty-piece ensemble, played at the Fairfax Studio, Arts Centre Melbourne, the Famous Spiegeltent, the Meredith Musical Festival, the Guggenheim museum in Metz, and the ‘Music Apartment’ festival in Fukuoka, Japan. His albums have been selected for album of the week on radio stations PBS, RRR, Radio National, 3CR, & RTR. In 2013 his most recent album, Slay Me in My Sleep (Preservation), recorded in Berlin with Nils Frahm was shortlisted for the Australian Music Prize. 17
the return
(il ritorno)
May 3-7 Bluma Appel Theatre A Ci rc a p ro d u c ti o n p r e s e nte d by C a n a d ia n S tag e
75 minutes - no intermission
acro bats
By
Nathan Boyle Marty Evans Nicole Faubert Bridie Hooper Nathan Knowles Todd Kilby Cecilia Martin
Circa
O pe r a sing e rs
Kate Howden Benedict Nelson M usicians
Pal Banda
Cr e ato rs
Yaron Lifschitz with
Quincy Grant an d
the Circa Ensemble M usic
Monteverdi Grant Mahler Pisador traditional
c ello
Dir ec to r
Joe Bronstein
Yaron Lifschitz
vio li n & vio l a
Natalie Murray-Beale m usical direc tor , pian o, harpsich or d
Cecilia de Santa Maria harp
Canadian Stage Dance Programming Supporter
Com p ositio n/ M usical Dir ec tio n/ Ar r ang e m e nts
Quincy Grant Tech n ical Dir ec tio n / Lig hting De sig n
Jason Organ Stag e De sig n
The Return is co-commissioned by Brisbane Festival, The Barbican, Les Nuits de Fourvière/ Département du Rhône, CACCV Espace Jean Legendre-Compiegne, Dusseldorf Festival and Les Théâtres de la ville de Luxembourg and was first presented at Brisbane Festival. Circa acknowledges the assistance of the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body and the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland. Circa received funds from Creative Partnerships Australia and Danielle and Daniel Besen Foundation towards the creation of The Return.
Yaron Lifschitz Jason Organ Costu m e De sig n
Libby McDonnell USA Ag e nt
Tommy Kriegsmann ArK t ype Inte r natio nal Ag e nt
Paul Tanguay 18
About A powerful physical poem of absence and separation, The Return is structured and inspired by the Monteverdi baroque opera Il Ritorno d’Ulisse in Patria, which is in-turn based on Homer’s Greek epic The Odyssey. Within the legend, the King Ulisse of Ithaca, thought to be dead, makes the long journey home after the Trojan War. He finds that a trio of suitors are pursuing his faithful queen, Penelope, relentlessly. Once he vanquishes them, he proves he has survived the war, and is reunited with her. At the core of this show is the hunger to return home – saturated with loss and war, powered by longing and haunted by the past.
Creator’s Note
Yaron Lifschitz
This one is personal. Sometimes, as they say in the movies, ‘this one is personal’. That is how I feel about The Return. It’s personal because the classics of antiquity have much to teach us. I came to them late, mainly through reading the great Polish poet Zbigniew Herbert whose writings changed my life. Once I heard the deep mythic music of antiquity I would never be free of its charge. It’s personal because I love opera and have worked in it over the years—at its core, being in a room with a voice, communicating directly is deeply moving and necessary to our species. It’s personal because Primo Levi’s account of returning from the innermost circle of hell that was Auschwitz only to end up in the vast expanse of the Russian steppe was tinged with the same crushing nostalgia, posttraumatic memory and cold hope that I heard beating at the heart of Monteverdi’s Il Ritorno d’Ulisse in Patria. It is only through good fortune and the caprices of history that my family ended in the sun of Australia rather than the fires of that evil and it is beholden on us to tell of it. It’s personal because for the past 17 years I have believed, naively, totally, and to the embarrassment of many doubters that circus is a real artform. That it can express deep emotions and higher truths, that it can grapple with issues, exalt our spirits and touch our souls. Sadly, today it is constantly debased by the idea that it can only entertain. Like opera, it is full of conventions and keepers of the ‘one true way’ who suffocate it by purporting to protect it. So I wanted to break it all. To rebuke those who think opera is about sets and warbling, to annoy those who believe circus is an extension of the strip club or adolescent technicolour lycra fantasy. With Quincy Grant our exceptional musical collaborator, we fashioned a world out of Monteverdi as a tale within a tale – surrounded by Mahler, folksong and Quincy’s own compositions. With our singers we asked them to sing across style with a multitude of bodies and stagings around, over and in the middle of them. And with our acrobats we, as always, challenged them to embrace the new, invest themselves and pursue what is vital and necessary. The world today is seething with millions who wander the globe in search of home. It is haunted by the numberless ghosts of those who died in the horrors of war and genocide. It would be absurd to imagine that what we do, in a small room in Brisbane, can really make a practical difference. But I doggedly believe that when we challenge ourselves, when we make it personal, when we try to communicate difficult, inexpressible things and when we share them, raw, vulnerable and without the safety net of convention then we have continued to help a little to keep culture alive – culture which may be our only defence. 19
YARON LIFSCHITZ Co - cr e ato r , Dir ec to r Artistic Director Yaron Lifschitz is a graduate of the University of New South Wales, University of Queensland and National Institute of Dramatic Arts (NIDA). Since graduating, Yaron has directed over 60 productions including large-scale events, opera, theatre, physical theatre and circus. His work has been seen in 37 countries, across six continents by over 900,000 people. In 2016 Yaron was the recipient of the prestigious Australia Council Theatre Award. He was founding Artistic Director of the Australian Museum’s Theatre Unit, Head Tutor in Directing at Australian Theatre for Young People and has been a regular guest tutor in directing at NIDA since 1995. Yaron is currently Artistic Director and CEO of Circa and the Creative Lead of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games arts and cultural program. With Circa, Yaron has created works such as by the light of stars that are no longer...,CIRCA, Wunderkammer, How Like an Angel, S, Beyond, Opus, Carnival of the Animals and most recently The Return which world premiered in 2015. His passion is creating works of philosophical and poetic depth from the traditional languages of circus.
CIRCA ENSEMBLE Nathan Boyle Nathan Boyle has been a natural performer his whole life. After terrorising his parents at a young age with handstands and cartwheels, his parents saw his passion for performing and acrobatics and enrolled him in gymnastics. His passion for acrobatics took him to sports acrobatics where he represented and won titles for New South Wales at many national championships. After accepting his position at The National Institute of Circus Arts he specialised in cloudswing, adagio, bungee trapeze and teeterboard. A memorable moment for Nathan whilst at NICA was performing at an International Circus Festival (CIRCA festival) in Auch, France in 2009. Nathan joined Circa as a full time ensemble member in 2011. Some highlights for Nathan so far has been creating and world premiering S (Brisbane Festival) and travelling around Australia on the National Roadworks Tour in 2012. Marty Evans Marty came to circus by a more roundabout route than most. After watching nothing but circus videos during his lunchbreaks at Australia’s only nuclear reactor, Marty left behind his published scientific career, embracing his physical sports background to pursue a career in circus. His first taste of circus came at the University of Sydney in 2010 as he tried to entertain himself during free periods by learning to throw people into the air and trying to catch them again. Marty trained at the National Institute of Circus Arts (NICA) in Melbourne. He is a fiercely determined and hard working hand-to-hand base that enjoys exploring new challenges and techniques. Nicole Faubert Nicole has a background in both dance and gymnastics. At the age of 15, at the end of her competitive career in acrobatic gymnastics, Nicole was introduced to the world of circus and hasn’t looked back since! She started off with flying trapeze and various aerial apparatus’ and hand to hand before she began studying at the National Circus School of Montreal where she specialized in handstands, duo straps and banquine. 20
Bridie Hooper Bridie Hooper tumbled into Spaghetti Circus at the age of 11, where her imagination became entirely unleashed. She was taught to bend, fly and dream, and at 16, Bridie ventured south to the banks of the Murray River to join the Flying Fruit Fly Circus. In 2008 Bridie bid Australian soils ‘adieu’ to complete her studies at the Montreal National Circus School where she also had the chance to perform in the Vancouver Olympics Opening Ceremony, at Festival CIRCA, and in the Montréal Complètement Cirque Festival in 2010 and 2011. Upon graduating in 2012, Bridie toured Quebec with Vague de Cirque, performed in GOP Variété Dummy and returned to Australia to work for Circa. Nathan Knowles Nathan is a fairly odd beast originating from Vancouver, Canada and describes himself as having the mind of a canine stuck in the body of a young man. Most days are a struggle between deciding whether to chase his own tail or find a way to appropriately deal with the conventional world around him. Nathan had the luck of being introduced to circus at the age of seven when he marched home from school to tell his parents that one day he would leave suburbia behind and maybe never look back. After ten years of studying acrobatic dance and contortion, Nathan was accepted into Montreal’s renowned National Circus School where he spent four years specializing in hand balancing, contortion and aerial hoop. Now, with a head full of questions, a heart on fire and a new home with Circa, this pup has no doubt that he’ll find his way. Todd Kilby Todd Kilby, from the New South Wales coastal city of Newcastle, was born into the life of surfing and all things beach. He is a black belt in Taekwondo and has both trained and performed with “Circus Avalon” and “Hands Free Physical Theatre” with whom he won a CONDA (City of Newcastle Drama Award) for stunt choreography. He joined the National Institute of Circus Arts (NICA) in 2008 and whilst there worked with the Tangentyre Council in Alice Springs teaching in the local Indigenous Youth Circus Arts Centre. While specializing in Chinese Pole and Hoop Diving he has also been trained in Teeterboard, Adagio, Tumbling and Knockabout. Todd is a multifaceted performer with a uniquely Australian style combining circus, dance, martial arts and drama. Todd has a passion and love of performing and entertaining audiences through exploration and raw human energy. Cecilia Martin Cecilia grew up as an only child. With Spanish as her first language, she was engaging with her friends physically before she could communicate verbally. She grew up surrounded by sport, music and art and found a passion for circus early on, attending Warehouse Circus in Canberra. Cecilia went on to co-found the company ‘Poncho Circus’ at the age of fifteen, where she created and performed in circus shows as part of an ensemble. Cecilia is also a talented musician, demonstrating this by composing scores to three different circus productions. Upon graduating high school, Cecilia went on to study circus full time at the National Institute of Circus Arts (NICA) where she specialized in dance trapeze, Washington trapeze and group acrobatics. She joined the Circa ensemble in late 2016 and is excited to create new works with the company.
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The Return in rehearsals photos: Chris Herzfeld
About Circa From Brisbane, Australia comes a bold new vision of contemporary circus. A blending of bodies, light, sound and skills. A place where acrobatics and movement meld into a seamless whole. A celebration of the expressive possibilities of the human body at its extremes. Since 2006 Circa has toured to 33 countries across six continents. Critics have raved about Circa calling the work “stunning... exquisite... heart stopping” and “electrically charged”. Circa’s current touring shows span diverse contexts from works for families in traditional arts centres to European contemporary arts festivals. Its works are highly innovative genre-bending pieces that stretch the practice and perceptions of circus. Circa features a full time ensemble, a concentrated administrative team and a dedicated circus studio. Circa also runs a Training Centre with an impressive workshop program in Brisbane at our professional studio, in schools and with partners throughout Queensland and beyond. On top of our term based and one-off training activities, Circa has an impressive track record of producing quality workshops for children, young people and adults in a range of community contexts.
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SPOTLIGHT AUSTRALIA SUPPORTERS Production Sponsor
With the generous support of
Proud Sponsor, 16.17 Berkeley Season
Dance Programming Supporter
Media Sponsors
Spotlight Forum Supporters
wine sponsor
Spotlight Australia has been financially assisted by the Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund, a program of the Government of Ontario through the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport and administered by the Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund Corporation. Spotlight Forum is supported through Toronto Arts Council Strategic Funding and by the Ontario Arts Council through the Strategic Collaborations Fund.
Canadian Stage would like to acknowledge that we are situated on the traditional territories of the Anishinaabek Nation, Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nations, the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, Wendat, and MĂŠtis Nations. We recognize the enduring presence of Indigenous people on and of this land.
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The Return, photo: Tristram Kenton
Acknowledgments: Indigenous Performing Arts Alliance, Cole Alvis, Collette Brennan, Ryan Cunningham, Sandra Laronde, High Commissioner H.E. Mr Tony Negus AO APM Australian High Commission Ottawa, Calum Logan, Second Secretary Australian High Commission, Hamida Sachedina Manager, Community Relations, TD Bank Group, Meredith Potter, Ross Manson and Michele Charlton (Volcano Theatre), Isaac Thomas and Native Earth Performing Arts, Bojana Stancic (AGO), Deborah Recollect and the Beaver Creek Institution, Kiki Matese and Rachael Maza.