A powerful story of adolescence, self discovery and an unbreakable connection to Country, Queensland Theatre presents the high-energy world premiere of Dear Brother at the Bille Brown Theatre from Saturday 7 September.
Conceptualised by Djabuganjdji man Lenny Donahue and Girramay and Kalkadoon man Tibian Wyles, and directed by multi-award-winning creative, Noongar man Isaac Drandic (37, At What Cost?, City of Gold) the bold, boundary-pushing original work is set to electrify the Queensland stage.
Presented with BlakDance as part of the Brisbane Festival, the thought-provoking story of brotherhood and Aboriginal masculinity is told through dance – to a level Drandic said will draw audiences in. “We don’t often get to see dance on stage, and certainly not to this extent,” he says.
“The piece incorporates traditional and contemporary movement in a way that’s pivotal to the story-telling. It’s going to be magical and something we have never seen on a Queensland Theatre stage before.”
“Through the movement, we see the inside story and history of a deep ancestral connection, with a distinct language from each actor’s unique cultural journey. Their bodies are able to portray the story in such a way that we can feel the movements of generations of ancestors’ past inbuilt in their bodies through each nuance of the performance,” said Drandic.
The new play will be the first project this trio of creatives will embark on together but follows Drandic’s prior projects working with both playwrights. He first met Donahue on local creative works in their shared hometown of Cairns and most recently worked with Wyles in Queensland Theatre’s 5-star powerhouse production featuring a 10-strong-cast, 37.
“The play is a special story about brotherhood and solidarity, and how we can come together to support, uplift and empower one another,” said playwright Tibian Wyles. “We are drawing from over 65,000 years of culture and storytelling, blending this with modern influences and experiences to show how stereotypes of masculinity can be used to heal generations. We want to show a different side to Aboriginal people and Aboriginal men.”
The play’s representation of brotherhood mirrors the sentiment of the collaboration between Lenny and Tibian in the writing and production of this project as they both take to the stage as first-time playwrights.
“Lenny and Tibian are such brilliant dancers, actors and storytellers, and it’s been really special to see them draw from these backgrounds to embark on telling this story with a new and exciting lens. The form of the work is really rooted in who they are as individual performers.” added Drandric.
Director and Movement Dramaturg: Isaac Drandic | Featuring: Lenny Donahue, Benjin Maza, Kelton Pell, Tibian Wyles | Set Designer: Kevin O’Brien | Costume Designer: Delvene Cockatoo-Collins | Lighting Designer: David Walters | Composer and Sound Designer: Brendon Boney | Sound Design Realiser: Wil Hughes | Choreographer: Waangenga Blanco | Costume Mentor: Nathalie Ryner | Choreography Contributors: Lenny Donahue, Benjin Maza, Tibian Wyles | Stage Manager: Sarah Connolly | Assistant Stage Manager: Sophie Watkins | Co-Writers: Lenny Donahue, Tibian Wyles
Dear Brother
Bille Brown Theatre, 78 Montague Road, South Brisbane
Season: 7 – 28 September 2024
Information and Bookings: www.queenslandtheatre.com.au
Image: Queensland Theatre presents Dear Brother (supplied)