Black and white voices are given life through the re-enactment of their official testimonies in front of the Government Inquiry into Coranderrk in 1881. The minutes were uncovered by academic, Giordano Nanni, who saw an opportunity to tell an extraordinary reconciliation story using the original documents.
Unfortunately, a crisis gripped the performance when, about two-thirds through, actor Tom Long appeared to stagger on stage then collapsed in a crumple to the floor [June 30]. The disbelieving audience struggled to comprehend if this was part of the show or a serious incident. The actor’s ashen faces and calls, “Is there a doctor in the house?”, confirmed Tom wasn’t acting. The rest of the performance was cancelled and replaced by a hastily assembled Q&A. The rest of the planned run of shows was cancelled.
It posed ethical dilemmas for reviewing. After checking with Rhoda Roberts, the Head of Indigenous Programming at the Opera House, I decided to go ahead and review because otherwise this unique short-run show, which might return, would sink into the murk.
The strength of the story has so much to offer a contemporary audience, fusing black and white voices in protest, showing authentic attempts to weed out injustice and restore dignity and self determination to the men and women who resisted the maltreatment metered out by a new manager. It is anticipated Coranderrk will tour schools widely.
