Jurrungu Ngan-Ga (Straight Talk)

Black Swan’s latest work, a co-production with Marrugeku, is a striking and emotive piece of dance-theatre. Set inside “the prison of the Australian mind” it is the story of government sanctioned abuse of Aboriginal and refugee people in Australian prisons and immigration centres.

Provocative and powerful, it is designed by Visual Artist Abdul-Rahman Abdullah with a striking, imposing, and institutional set. Damien Cooper makes strong choices with the lighting design – which is both visually impressive and highly emotive. 

The stories are told chiefly through high impact and complex choreography (by Dalisa Pigram) performed with impressive skills by the nine dancers, but the show also uses a strong and thumping soundscape to tell stories that emanate anger, anguish and occasionally joy.

The use of real names and stories is particularly striking and brings ‘real life’ and recent history to this imaginative work, adding to its impact and power.

Co-devisors and dancers Czack (Ses) Bero, Emmanuel James Brown, Chandler Connell, Luke Currie-Richardson, Issa El Assaad, Macon Escobal Riley, Feras Shaheen, Miranda Wheen and Bhenji Ra are all superb performers, both as individuals and as an ensemble and this production allows them to approach and communicate with the audience in unique ways.

A very personal and beautiful theatre-piece, Jurrungu Ngan-Ga challenges its audience, but also is visually stunning and highly entertaining. 

Kimberley Shaw

Photographer: Prudence Upton