Written by one of the most exciting new Australian voices to come along in years, Sydney Theatre Company presents the world premiere of The Long Forgotten Dream, by Ngarrindjeri writer H Lawrence Sumner, at the Drama Theatre – Sydney Opera House from 27 July 2018.
Archaeologist Simone Tucker (Jada Alberts) has returned home to South Australia with good news. Having crossed oceans to follow historical clues, she has scoured archives in great and obscure museums of the world to find her great-grandfather’s bones. After two years of cramped planes, dingy hotels and endless searching, she has finally found them, jumbled in a dusty box.
Now, it’s her mission to put him to rest. She wants to give him the burial he always deserved. What Simone doesn’t realise is that this burial will unearth heartrending secrets for herself and her family. Her small coastal town has a dangerous history, and her father Jeremiah (Wayne Blair) just wants to lie low.
Evoking our windswept Australian coast and reaching into far corners of the world, this epic tale is a rich tapestry of families, history and murder told with wry humour, an array of captivating characters and even a little magic.
The Long Forgotten Dream was developed through the STC’s Rough Drafts program in 2017. Inspired by true stories of stolen bones in Australia’s past, H Lawrence Sumner’s exceptional play is a sweeping family story that brings to life four generations of history in an enchanting Australian town.
Lauded film and theatre director Neil Armfield (Holding the Man, STC’s The Secret River) leads a star studded cast to bring to life this beautiful piece including Jada Alberts (Brothers Wreck, Cleverman), Wayne Blair (Redfern Now, The Sapphires), Nicholas Brown (STC’s Still Point Turning), Brodi Cubillo, Melissa Jaffer (STC’s Uncle Vanya, All My Sons), Ningali Lawford-Wolf (STC’s The Secret River), Wesley Patten (The Secret River), Justin Smith (STC’s A Flea In Her Ear) and Ian Wilkes.
Director: Neil Armfield Featuring: Jada Alberts, Wayne Blair, Nicholas Brown, Brodi Cubillo, Melissa Jaffer, Ningali Lawford-Wolf, Wesley Patten, Justin Smith, Ian Wilkes Set Designer: Jacob Nash Costume Designer: Jennifer Irwin Lighting Designer: Mark Howett Composer: William Barton Sound Designer: Steve Francis Assistant Director: Deborah Brown
The Long Forgotten Dream
Drama Theatre – Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point, Sydney
Season: 27 July – 25 August 2018 (previews: 25 & 26 July)
Information and Bookings: www.sydneytheatre.com.au
Image: Wayne Blair stars in The Long Forgotten Dream – photo by Rene Vaile