Which Way Home

ILBIJERRI Theatre Company and Darebin Arts Speakeasy present Which Way Home – a heartwarming dramedy of an aboriginal girl, her much loved ageing dad and their road trip to his birthplace at the Northcote Town Hall in a world premiere season from 25 August 2016.

Tash and her dad journey from Yuggerah country Ipswich to Muriwarri Country Goodooga. It’s his return home to country, where the sky is higher and the world goes on forever. Learning new things about each other along the way, they experience moments of hilarity, and annoyance as the trivial become exaggerated within the four doors of a car.

Which Way Home draws on writer Katie Beckett’s personal memories of growing up with her single Aboriginal father. Her mother died when she just 5 years old, leaving her dad to raise 3 children. He also lost his sister, grandmother and mum all within the space of a month.

“The reason I wrote Which Way Home was because I love my dad. That’s it. It’s truly that simple. I’m daddy’s baby pie. (He still calls me that by the way and I’m 32 years old),” said Beckett. “It wasn’t an easy time but he did it. He is a loving, wonderful, strong man. I have had a lot of wonderfully strong and emotionally in tune, generous men around me growing up and I was wondering why don’t I see the aboriginal men that I grew up with represented on stage, on TV, on film?”

Directed by Rachael Maza, Which Way Home features Beckett as Tash. Her Dad is played by Tony Briggs – Cleverman (2016), Australian Rules (2002), Bra Nue Dae (2009), and writer of the Helpmann Award winning play The Sapphires – which was later adapted into the 2012 film of the same name.

Beckett’s television acting credits include: Redfern Now and The Marshes whilst her stage credits include This Fella, My Memory (Moogahlin Performing Arts); Impossible Plays, Pull My Strings and I Will Play for You, Wrong Skin (Next Wave Festival); Winyaboga and To Soothe a Dying Pillow (Andrea James). Her film credits include Oakie’s Adventure, One More Time and Blackground. She is also a founding member of the Cope St Collective, and was the recipient of The Balnaves Foundation Indigenous Playwright’s Award last year for her work, Severed Cord.

ILBIJERRI is Australia’s leading and longest running Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Theatre Company, creating challenging and inspiring theatre creatively controlled by Indigenous artists. Our stories are provocative and affecting and give voice to our unique and diverse cultures. Each year the company travels to national, regional and remote locations across Australia and the world.

Director: Rachael Maza Writer/Performer: Katie Beckett Performer: Tony Briggs Dramaturge: Jane Bodie Set & Costume Designer: Emily Barrie Lighting Designer: Nik Pajanti Sound Designer: Mark Coles Smith Production Manager: Carly Heard Stage Manager: Kellie Jayne Chambers Sound Support: Steph O’Hara Producer: Ben Graetz