This August, get ready for The Street company’s world premiere of The Chosen Vessel, Barbara Baynton’s short story adapted by award-winning Palawa playwright Dylan Van Den Berg.
In a bold re-imagining of the Australian 1896 classic exploring the isolation and oppression experienced by women in the Australian bush in the 19th century, The Chosen Vessel plays for a limited season from 9 August at The Street Theatre.
Diving deep into Gothic drama genre in writing the adaptation, Van Den Berg (Milk, Whitefella Yella Tree), is one of this country’s most significant young playwrights, already having won the Griffin Award, two AWGIES, the David Williamson Prize, the Victorian Premier’s Literary Award and two NSW Premier’s Literary Awards.
“I thought about trickin’ him – about given’ him an idea of where I might be – usin’ my voice.”
A young Aboriginal woman, made a mother against her will lives in the bush. One day a white Swagman arrives, asking for food and water, and her fears about the ‘white’ ghosts who occupy the land begin to take hold.
Dylan Van Den Berg sets out to ‘re-truth’ the past and carve out a meaningful place for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in a respectful adaptation of Barbara Baynton’s The Chosen Vessel, his 2022 Rodney Seaborn award-winning play commissioned by The Street.
Placing a black body in a white story, and expanding the colonial world to show the various angles through which colonial violence was/is enacted, Van Den Berg aligns his adaptation with the original story in its portrayal of the reality isolated women faced at that time.
“I’m thrilled to be premiering The Chosen Vessel on Ngunnawal and Ngambri Country. This story was incubated here, tested creatively here and it feels only right that it is fully realised here, too,” said Van Den Berg.
Under the direction of Kalkadoon woman and Andrew Cameron Fellow Abbie-lee Lewis (An Ox Stand On My Tongue, Sappings), Torres Strait Islander (Meriam/Wagadagam) and Indian (Ratlamwali) actor Laila Thaker and award-winning Australian actor Craig Alexander bring to life multiple characters in this Aboriginal gothic horror drama that invites us to reflect on what we chose to see – and what we wilfully ignore.
With an imaginative creative team of Angie Matsinos (Set), Leah Ridley (Costume), Nathan Sciberras (Lighting) and Kyle Sheedy (Sound), the director and designers conjure the gothic genre space as the intimate Street 2 theatre is transformed back to the late 19th century.
Step into the compelling and gripping world of The Chosen Vessel – melding old and new in this vivid engaging production this August!
Director: Abbie-lee Lewis | Featuring: Craig Alexander, Laila Thaker | Set Designer: Angie Matsinos | Costume Designer: Leah Ridley | Sound Designer: Kyle Sheedy | Lighting Designer: Nathan Sciberras
The Chosen Vessel
The Street Theatre, Childers Street, Canberra City West
Season: 9 – 24 August 2025 (preview: 8 August)
Information and Bookings: www.www.thestreet.org.au
Image: Craig Alexander and Laila Thaker feature in The Chosen Vessel (supplied)