Silence

It’s only fitting that Silence return to HOTA, the virtual place of its birth, at a time when our “new”ish PM is finally listening to the calls to end the silence which has been crippling reconciliation for the last 250 plus years. It’s about the silence of non-response, of muted muffled arguments, and pleas that are knowingly not heard. It has potent and poignant points to make. Most of all, it’s about the need for a Treaty - for all our sakes.

But how do we relate to those who were here for 40,000 years before us? Perhaps the more important question is WHEN?

This call for a treaty is not just for indigenous people. And it is not a gripe list of accusations against white settlement.  It’s a highly sophisticated piece of theatre, where entertainment happily weds subversion (all art must be subversive if it is to say something worth saying) and shows us the potential of a happy marriage finally between the First and Second Nations of the country that colonial circumstances have forced us to share.

Conceived, directed and choreographed by the astonishingly charismatic powerhouse that is Thomas E.S Kelly, we are taken on a journey through the past in Lore, an experience of oneness with the land, the past and perhaps the future. The lighting design by Karen Nobbs is astonishing throughout and the soundscape/composition by percussionist Jhindu Pedro Lawrie is completely jaw-dropping and spell binding. He is aided by the excellent sound design created by Samuel Pankhurst. It’s clean and cutting with deep bass that starts to churn your stomach.

Essentially a dance show, it features a cast of wonderfully lithe indigenous dancers who mix traditional moves with contemporary, resulting in long flowing lines melded with the organic and powerful moves of animals and nature. Kelly’s emu is so convincing and real, that I almost expected him to sprout feathers. We’re left with no doubt that this is indigenous land… and the audience completed the cry of Always was, Always will be.

And so we move to Treaty, a cry from the heart for recognition, and amidst the harmony and melody of dance itself (for the composition is all percussive), there’s contemporary life and real humour. A sketch featuring the FNTA (First Nations Tenancy Agency) takes telephone calls from the Commonwealth and reminds them that, whilst they’ve done a lot of re-furbishing – without asking for Landlord’s permission … they STILL haven’t paid the rent, but there’s no malice in the jibe and the audience laughs long and loud.

Kelly willingly acknowledges ’our’ sovereignty over the past 252 years (since Cook). The implication is that we could meet them halfway! And really, shouldn’t that sound fair to Everyone, regardless of ethnicity?

The singing of Advance Australia Fair in the Yugambeh language is another humorous moment that points out the absurdity of the current situation….and then there’s football…about the only place an Indigenous male can rise to star status and be equal. The opposite end sees one selling boomerangs “genuine ochre colours …not acrylic.”

Thomas E.S Kelly has created sixty minutes of awesome conscience-pricking for non-indigenous audiences, and ratification for indigenous audiences. This will do far more for reconciliation than all the Pollies waffling away for years without action.

Kelly points out that the silence can be destructive and a barrier. He’s right, but it’s also essential to moving forwards. For it’s only when we get rid of the deafening noise of grand-standing and BS-ing that we can truly hear and be heard. Lord knows its overdue. I saw the show at HOTA on Sept 1^st but illness prevented me completing the review until now.

It’s perhaps fitting that I complete it on Indigenous Literacy Day, for our children are the future we all hope for.

Right now, Silence is on tour – dates below. See it if you can. It’s important. It’s also bloody good theatre.

Coral Drouyn

Photographer: Simon Woods

Regional Dates Dance, First Nations Tour

Sept 7^th CAIRNS. Bulmba-Ja Arts

Sept 9^th – PROSERPINE Entertainment Centre

Sept 15^th ROCKHAMPTON Pilbeam Theatre,

Oct,12^th LOGAN Entertainment Centre

Oct 14^th CLEVELAND RPAC Concert Hall.

Oct 25^th, 26^th MELBOURNE Arts Centre.