Image by Stephen Wilson Barker
Isaac Drandic and John Harvey's adaptation of Thomas Mayo's collection of letters from indigenous men to their fathers and sons explores deeply personal narratives of joy, sorrow, connections gained and lost, and it's an example of positive masculinity at its finest. A simple setup - an outdoor recreation shelter with BBQ and firepit, is the site where 5 men gather to tell various stories taken from Mayo's book of letters written in response to a racist cartoon in a News Corporation paper about Aboriginal men not knowing the names of their children. It's a case of the response vastly overwhelming the cause in both power and breadth, as the five actors (Jimi Bani, Waangenga Blanco, Kirk Page, Aaron Pedersen and Tibian Wiles) bring us into their stories, with sound, movement and with powerful projections (video designed by Craig Wilkinson, AV realised by Susie Henderson). Drandic directs with a hand that lets the actors take ownership of other people's stories, both solo and shared across the group - with the finale letting the five men talk in their own persona of their family connections. It's an emotional journey, and a show both exposing, emotional and ultimately heart-holding as it gives us a chance to see how tough family relationships can still hold together even in the roughest of circumstances.
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