WEBVTT - The Modern Connection to the Stolen Generation 0:00:00.320 --> 0:00:03.000 All right, here we go, very professional over here. 0:00:04.360 --> 0:00:06.760 Welcome to first things first, I'm Maddie Mills. My pronouns 0:00:06.760 --> 0:00:07.560 are he and him. 0:00:07.800 --> 0:00:09.880 I'm Brook Blatton and my pronouns are she and her. 0:00:10.360 --> 0:00:12.240 And before we get started, we'd like to acknowledge the 0:00:12.240 --> 0:00:14.880 custodians of the land on which we recorded today. For me, 0:00:15.000 --> 0:00:17.160 that's the gaddigl people of the urination. 0:00:17.320 --> 0:00:19.840 And for me it's a rendering people of the cooler nation. 0:00:20.160 --> 0:00:21.640 Let's get it, Let's get into it. 0:00:24.760 --> 0:00:28.040 Oh my god, I'm so excited because beside me in 0:00:28.080 --> 0:00:30.840 the studio I have the one and only director Ian 0:00:30.960 --> 0:00:34.280 Michael and incredible actor Stephanie Summerville. 0:00:34.560 --> 0:00:35.600 Oh, let's give him around. 0:00:36.560 --> 0:00:39.120 I thought it was clicks. I'm oh yeah. 0:00:42.479 --> 0:00:44.680 Oh. I'm so excited to have both of you with 0:00:44.760 --> 0:00:48.360 us in studio because right now at Sydney Theater Company, 0:00:48.440 --> 0:00:51.480 Stolen by Jane Harrison is on stage and I had 0:00:51.520 --> 0:00:54.120 the absolute privilege of coming to see you guys in 0:00:54.160 --> 0:00:56.560 the rehearsal room, but also to come to opening nights. 0:00:56.640 --> 0:00:59.160 So I am so excited that I get to talk 0:00:59.200 --> 0:01:01.959 to you about it now in full length detail. 0:01:03.240 --> 0:01:04.920 How are you but good? 0:01:05.280 --> 0:01:06.240 Yeah? Good? 0:01:07.360 --> 0:01:11.399 Having us introduce yourselves that with you. Ian, who's your 0:01:11.400 --> 0:01:12.520 mom where you're from? 0:01:12.640 --> 0:01:15.959 And Michael, I'm a Wilman man from the southwest of 0:01:16.080 --> 0:01:18.880 w A. And I'm the director of Stolen. 0:01:19.520 --> 0:01:22.080 And my name is Stephanie Somerville and I'm a proud 0:01:22.120 --> 0:01:25.000 Mardoo woman, which is from the Pilbrick Gascoyne region of 0:01:25.120 --> 0:01:27.280 w A. And my pronounce is she her. 0:01:27.600 --> 0:01:28.760 Oh, I know, deadly. 0:01:30.000 --> 0:01:32.880 I love on w w A Mobila on the side. 0:01:34.200 --> 0:01:35.720 I feel like an outcast. 0:01:36.040 --> 0:01:38.640 Hey, oh, I feel like an outcast because I'm all 0:01:38.640 --> 0:01:43.240 the way in Bloody Nam in Melbourne, but yours, Yeah, exactly, 0:01:43.400 --> 0:01:45.840 and it's actually such an honor. I haven't seen the 0:01:45.880 --> 0:01:47.880 play yet, and I actually did have tickets to the 0:01:47.880 --> 0:01:49.640 premier and I couldn't go because obviously it was in 0:01:49.680 --> 0:01:54.160 Sydney and I live in Mailban. But I've heard some 0:01:54.320 --> 0:01:57.640 great things from Maddie and some great things from other 0:01:57.680 --> 0:02:01.120 people who have saw the premiere, and I just want 0:02:01.120 --> 0:02:03.720 to know more about the show. And I guess how 0:02:03.760 --> 0:02:06.800 it sort of came back because Ian we have cross 0:02:06.840 --> 0:02:10.200 paths before. So years ago Ian and I were both 0:02:10.240 --> 0:02:13.119 nominated in a youth category for the w A Awards 0:02:13.760 --> 0:02:17.200 and what's right, And I was gunning for Ian. I 0:02:17.320 --> 0:02:21.359 was like, nah, this, like I just knew like what 0:02:21.400 --> 0:02:26.359 you were doing writing, you know, as a performer like everything. 0:02:26.400 --> 0:02:28.480 And I was like, oh my god, this you were 0:02:28.520 --> 0:02:31.000 just going to take off. And I've just been silently 0:02:31.040 --> 0:02:36.600 watching Afar and I have not ever ever felt like 0:02:36.320 --> 0:02:38.760 like you know what I mean, Like I've just been like, yeah, 0:02:39.120 --> 0:02:42.000 you're feeling everything that I thought you would. Not that 0:02:42.080 --> 0:02:45.000 it matters about me, but I'm just saying like I 0:02:45.120 --> 0:02:47.960 just knew that, yeah, And I really would love to 0:02:47.960 --> 0:02:50.560 see Stolen, But could you please tell me and I 0:02:50.600 --> 0:02:54.919 guess our listeners more about the show and the synopsis 0:02:54.919 --> 0:02:57.360 and what it's about. Yeah. 0:02:58.320 --> 0:02:58.519 Yeah. 0:02:58.560 --> 0:03:04.000 Stolen is a play by Mormori woman Jane Harrison. She 0:03:04.080 --> 0:03:08.280 started writing it in nineteen ninety two. Jane was working 0:03:09.000 --> 0:03:13.760 in copywriting and the company she was working for went 0:03:13.880 --> 0:03:16.400 under and so she was looking through the newspaper looking 0:03:16.400 --> 0:03:20.640 for writing jobs and Ilbideri Theater Company had posted an 0:03:20.680 --> 0:03:23.960 ad looking for a writer to write a play and 0:03:24.400 --> 0:03:27.800 the idea of it was about the stolen generations and 0:03:27.840 --> 0:03:31.400 the original title was called The Lost Children. And Jane 0:03:31.440 --> 0:03:36.600 worked with another person, a consultant to find testimonials of 0:03:36.600 --> 0:03:40.000 stolen generations people, which then became the play and they 0:03:40.600 --> 0:03:43.960 wrote it over six years, so at premier in nineteen 0:03:44.040 --> 0:03:47.480 ninety eight, and it tells the story of five children 0:03:48.160 --> 0:03:52.080 who kind of, in this nonlinear way, transpose location and 0:03:52.160 --> 0:03:58.640 time over you know, decades, Ruby, Shirley, Sandy, Jimmy, and 0:03:58.720 --> 0:04:03.440 Anne who exist in this institution home that we kind 0:04:03.480 --> 0:04:06.520 of find ourselves in and out through the play. There's 0:04:06.560 --> 0:04:09.640 a beautiful thing in it that kind of tells this 0:04:09.920 --> 0:04:11.320 what I love so much about the play. It tells 0:04:11.360 --> 0:04:15.080 is kind of generational kind of narrative where at any 0:04:15.120 --> 0:04:17.960 time these children may or may not have ever existed 0:04:17.960 --> 0:04:22.240 in this home together, which is you know, it's just 0:04:22.320 --> 0:04:24.760 beautiful strength of that plan and the writing is. 0:04:24.720 --> 0:04:26.160 That it is. 0:04:26.600 --> 0:04:28.600 And the original brief of it as well was not 0:04:28.640 --> 0:04:31.040 to just tell one story, but to tell the multitude 0:04:31.080 --> 0:04:34.960 of stories. So we see these five characters and other 0:04:35.040 --> 0:04:37.760 various characters kind of come through this home. We see 0:04:37.760 --> 0:04:40.840 them as the youngest versions of themselves when they first 0:04:40.960 --> 0:04:42.880 enter the home, and then we see them through their 0:04:42.880 --> 0:04:47.279 adult lives once they've left, and their experiences and their 0:04:47.320 --> 0:04:52.760 memories and everything that they go through as adults. I 0:04:52.800 --> 0:04:55.080 feel like so privileged to have been able to make 0:04:55.120 --> 0:04:57.320 it because for me, it's been a play that has 0:04:57.320 --> 0:04:59.520 circled my life so much as an adult and as 0:04:59.520 --> 0:05:03.599 a theater and really inspired me a lot. The monologue Canopies, 0:05:03.600 --> 0:05:05.800 which is in the play, was the first monologue I ever. 0:05:05.760 --> 0:05:08.080 Learned as an actor as well. 0:05:08.160 --> 0:05:08.760 I love that. 0:05:08.880 --> 0:05:10.720 Yeah, And it's a play that for all of us, 0:05:11.080 --> 0:05:13.200 it's kind of like we've either done scenes from it 0:05:13.320 --> 0:05:17.039 or we've read about it a lot, and to be 0:05:17.120 --> 0:05:19.680 able to kind of continue the legacy of it has 0:05:19.760 --> 0:05:25.120 been really really special. And I've just pinching myself with 0:05:25.200 --> 0:05:26.599 the people that I've got to make it with. 0:05:26.480 --> 0:05:29.800 So that is really special. I mean, yeah, sorry. 0:05:29.800 --> 0:05:30.360 I love that. 0:05:30.440 --> 0:05:32.960 It has an Australian classic feel to it. You know, 0:05:33.000 --> 0:05:34.920 we all know it. It was in the curriculums we 0:05:35.000 --> 0:05:40.320 studied it in school. It has this sort of underlying 0:05:40.680 --> 0:05:43.720 truth of you know, the Stolen Generation and what happened 0:05:43.720 --> 0:05:46.919 in this country, that brutal colonial history that it impacts 0:05:46.920 --> 0:05:49.400 all of us as First Nations people. Steph, you play 0:05:49.440 --> 0:05:54.840 one of one of the Stolen Generation's members who experienced 0:05:54.880 --> 0:05:58.119 the Stolen Generation. Tell us about your character and what 0:05:58.240 --> 0:06:00.760 sort of personal experience do you bring good light? 0:06:01.520 --> 0:06:05.640 Well, I play a character called Anne who is taken 0:06:05.680 --> 0:06:10.000 from her family and adopted by a white family, and 0:06:10.320 --> 0:06:13.120 throughout the play we follow her journey of reconnecting with 0:06:13.160 --> 0:06:16.880 her black family and how that affects her and her 0:06:17.000 --> 0:06:20.919 feelings of identity and belonging. And I mean, I feel 0:06:21.000 --> 0:06:23.680 very deeply connected to this play as well. My Nan 0:06:24.400 --> 0:06:27.200 was a member of the Stolen Generation. Her and her 0:06:27.440 --> 0:06:30.359 nine brothers and sisters were all taken from their home 0:06:30.640 --> 0:06:34.360 in coom Marina and brought down to a place in 0:06:34.760 --> 0:06:39.320 wa in Perth called Sister Kates, which was a home 0:06:39.360 --> 0:06:42.880 for Aboriginal children where they were trained to be domestic servants, 0:06:43.400 --> 0:06:44.000 which is. 0:06:44.600 --> 0:06:45.880 Basically a slave. 0:06:46.440 --> 0:06:49.000 Yeah, and which is how she described it as well. 0:06:49.080 --> 0:06:51.600 She said I just felt like this little slave girl. 0:06:53.560 --> 0:06:56.680 And my Auntie, my NaN's daughter, was then taken from 0:06:56.720 --> 0:06:59.680 her when she was a baby as well. So in 0:06:59.720 --> 0:07:02.640 this play I see members of my family in each 0:07:02.680 --> 0:07:07.080 one of these characters, and so yeah, really deeply connected 0:07:07.080 --> 0:07:09.279 to it. In such an honor to get to tell 0:07:09.320 --> 0:07:11.360 these stories and tell their stories. 0:07:11.760 --> 0:07:15.920 Yeah, well, Ian you've said I read that. You said, 0:07:15.960 --> 0:07:19.040 you know, as a first nation's person you are, whether 0:07:19.040 --> 0:07:22.080 it's directly or indirectly affected by their stolen generations in 0:07:22.120 --> 0:07:24.760 this country, I know that you have a direct connection 0:07:24.960 --> 0:07:27.080 to stolen generations. Can you tell us a little bit 0:07:27.080 --> 0:07:28.760 about that experience for your father? 0:07:30.080 --> 0:07:33.320 Yeah, well, you know, with the history of the Solo 0:07:33.360 --> 0:07:38.840 generations and the timeline in which we know it as 0:07:39.320 --> 0:07:42.120 and you know what we know the kind of out 0:07:42.120 --> 0:07:45.440 of home care statistics now of children. So my dad 0:07:45.720 --> 0:07:50.720 was taken from his father in nineteen seventy three, which 0:07:50.760 --> 0:07:53.520 is you know, outside of the timeline of the stolen generations, 0:07:54.240 --> 0:07:57.440 and he was removed with all of his siblings and 0:07:57.480 --> 0:08:00.240 they were all taken and split up into different homes. 0:08:01.440 --> 0:08:04.360 And he was taken because they the government said that 0:08:04.360 --> 0:08:09.720 a black man can't raise children. And so, you know, 0:08:10.560 --> 0:08:13.760 like Steph said, like through the kind of early stages 0:08:13.800 --> 0:08:16.640 of rehearsing the play, that we'd all just sit around 0:08:16.680 --> 0:08:20.200 the table and talk about our families. And you know, 0:08:20.360 --> 0:08:23.440 every single one of us has has a story or 0:08:23.480 --> 0:08:28.080 has stories of family who were directly removed or you know, 0:08:28.560 --> 0:08:30.920 living with someone from the stolen generations too. 0:08:30.960 --> 0:08:32.040 And I think. 0:08:34.600 --> 0:08:37.200 The way in which like we were all able to 0:08:37.200 --> 0:08:39.679 share that and like hold those stories with each other 0:08:39.720 --> 0:08:42.839 and for each other. Like it's it's been like one 0:08:42.880 --> 0:08:48.480 of the most rewarding and humbling experiences of theater I've 0:08:48.480 --> 0:08:51.680 ever had in my life. And yeah, like Steph was saying, 0:08:51.920 --> 0:08:54.679 all every single one of those characters, like we see them, 0:08:55.000 --> 0:08:59.240 we know them in ourselves. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, absolutely, 0:08:59.360 --> 0:09:01.600 And we had to communit. We had the community night 0:09:01.720 --> 0:09:06.680 last week and you know, I said, and I said 0:09:07.040 --> 0:09:09.280 pre show to the audience, I said, there's always as 0:09:09.320 --> 0:09:12.120 an artist, you always ask yourself why and who you're 0:09:12.160 --> 0:09:15.600 making theater for, who you're telling stories for, And it 0:09:15.679 --> 0:09:17.839 was it was all of those people in that theater 0:09:17.880 --> 0:09:20.840 on that night. It was really special. 0:09:20.920 --> 0:09:22.839 Yeah, I've heard that. It's like. 0:09:25.040 --> 0:09:29.120 I'm currently studying acting at acting school here in Melbourn, 0:09:29.160 --> 0:09:32.960 and there's so many things that I've learned more about 0:09:32.960 --> 0:09:38.240 myself than anywhere, and I had to ask myself through 0:09:38.440 --> 0:09:43.600 throughout the breakdowns and the discovery and the obviously doing 0:09:43.600 --> 0:09:46.480 the work internally, you have to sort of sometimes pull 0:09:46.480 --> 0:09:49.920 yourself out of it and remember and validate your experiences 0:09:50.920 --> 0:09:54.120 because you're bringing that to the work. And I mean 0:09:54.200 --> 0:09:57.200 as a writer, as a performer, as an actor, like 0:09:57.600 --> 0:09:59.640 you have to bring your own experiences, but it's so 0:09:59.760 --> 0:10:03.760 hard sometimes when those experiences are so close to you. 0:10:04.480 --> 0:10:08.480 And I had to sort of remind myself of the why. 0:10:08.559 --> 0:10:09.840 And I love that. 0:10:09.760 --> 0:10:12.800 Because it's like, why am I doing this? And why 0:10:12.840 --> 0:10:14.960 am I putting myself through this? And why am I 0:10:15.000 --> 0:10:17.360 doing And we, you know, Maddie and I always are 0:10:17.440 --> 0:10:20.320 driven by our why of why we start this podcast, 0:10:20.360 --> 0:10:22.079 why we want to tell people's story, why we want 0:10:22.080 --> 0:10:23.520 to talk to you guys, why I want to talk 0:10:23.559 --> 0:10:27.360 to anyone who wants to share those stories as well. 0:10:27.400 --> 0:10:29.520 And I had to remind myself of the why I 0:10:29.559 --> 0:10:31.640 did it, and I think it's because I want these 0:10:31.720 --> 0:10:36.120 stories like you guys out there and to for people 0:10:36.160 --> 0:10:39.480 to see themselves in a way that you know, makes 0:10:39.520 --> 0:10:43.440 them feel seen and heard, which is not always easy 0:10:43.559 --> 0:10:47.880 because especially of our history and our you know the 0:10:47.920 --> 0:10:52.520 context of it. But I think it's such a magical, 0:10:52.600 --> 0:10:55.880 beautiful thing that I really learned through the power of storytelling. 0:10:55.960 --> 0:10:59.920 And I think, yeah, I'm so admirable, like to all 0:11:00.160 --> 0:11:02.720 you guys, because you're able to execute that and see 0:11:02.760 --> 0:11:07.400 that as well and see the fact of people as well. 0:11:07.679 --> 0:11:10.199 So what was that community's like nightlife. 0:11:10.400 --> 0:11:14.720 It was amazing. It felt like it felt like everyone 0:11:14.880 --> 0:11:17.280 was there with us every step of the way, like 0:11:17.360 --> 0:11:22.320 we're all breathing together. That's how it felt. And afterwards, 0:11:22.360 --> 0:11:23.800 in the four year, I had this uncle come up 0:11:23.800 --> 0:11:25.600 to me and say he was a member of the 0:11:25.600 --> 0:11:29.520 Stolen Generation and how deeply he was moved by it 0:11:30.280 --> 0:11:34.679 and to me, to know that we are doing their 0:11:34.720 --> 0:11:41.560 stories justice is so yes, so uplifting and makes me 0:11:42.360 --> 0:11:44.520 just go like, oh, this is why, this is exactly 0:11:44.559 --> 0:11:47.840 why we're doing it. I just think every night, if 0:11:47.840 --> 0:11:49.800 there's just one black fellow in the audience, if it's 0:11:49.840 --> 0:11:53.440 for them and we're telling you know, their stories justice, 0:11:53.480 --> 0:12:00.120 then that's that is enough, you know. So yeah, it was. 0:11:59.800 --> 0:12:02.320 It was amazing night. I mean, community night for any 0:12:02.360 --> 0:12:06.240 show is always incredible, but to this it really felt special. 0:12:06.480 --> 0:12:07.160 Yeah. 0:12:07.160 --> 0:12:09.760 Well that reminds me of Opening night there obviously, what 0:12:09.800 --> 0:12:11.640 I could say, there wasn't a dry you know, iron 0:12:11.679 --> 0:12:14.360 the house. We were all moved and affected by what 0:12:14.360 --> 0:12:16.719 we saw. I want to ask about the rehearsal room 0:12:16.720 --> 0:12:18.920 and Ian, I know that you create such a safe space. 0:12:19.360 --> 0:12:21.520 You know, it's an own You've got a reputation to 0:12:21.600 --> 0:12:25.400 be you know, a really delicate and loving, you know, 0:12:25.520 --> 0:12:29.520 director and in the industry, and I feel like this 0:12:29.679 --> 0:12:33.679 is a room that the base and you know, what 0:12:33.720 --> 0:12:36.360 you create is it needs to be safe, and it 0:12:36.400 --> 0:12:38.880 needs to make sure that, you know, the actors feel nurtured. 0:12:39.200 --> 0:12:40.640 What are some of the ways that you do that 0:12:40.720 --> 0:12:43.280 as a director to make sure that your cast feel 0:12:43.320 --> 0:12:46.319 supported when they're carrying such weighted stories. 0:12:47.720 --> 0:12:50.199 Well, I think you know, as a director, the greatest 0:12:50.200 --> 0:12:54.440 privilege is creating space and then who you get to 0:12:54.440 --> 0:12:57.880 put in those spaces. That's the greatest privilege for me, 0:12:58.360 --> 0:12:59.960 and it's the reason I got inter directing was to 0:13:00.080 --> 0:13:04.760 create spaces for black fellows to tell our stories. You know, 0:13:05.040 --> 0:13:07.600 being an actor and then going into directing, you kind 0:13:07.640 --> 0:13:12.240 of just have an understanding of what an actor's experience, experiences, 0:13:12.240 --> 0:13:16.720 and processes are as you move through rehearsals. And you know, 0:13:16.760 --> 0:13:19.400 I've been really lucky. I've had really great rehearsal processes 0:13:19.400 --> 0:13:21.040 and I've had not so good ones. So I've learned 0:13:21.080 --> 0:13:24.839 so much from my own experiences as a performer. The 0:13:25.120 --> 0:13:27.520 big thing that I always lead with every time I 0:13:27.600 --> 0:13:30.040 run a room or start a day is I always 0:13:30.040 --> 0:13:34.240 want to respond to how everybody is feeling, because that's 0:13:34.280 --> 0:13:36.880 how the only way that I want to operate is 0:13:37.160 --> 0:13:40.960 how people, where people are at every single day, how 0:13:41.000 --> 0:13:43.080 far we can go with telling that story that day, 0:13:43.960 --> 0:13:46.320 especially with plays like this, and Steph and I worked 0:13:46.360 --> 0:13:49.120 in another play called The Bleeding Tree, which was you know, 0:13:49.240 --> 0:13:54.920 about domestic violence, and we can't tell these stories unless 0:13:55.080 --> 0:13:57.319 there's moments that we can all just like press pause 0:13:57.400 --> 0:13:59.600 and laugh or you know. 0:14:00.320 --> 0:14:01.960 At each other with each other. 0:14:03.559 --> 0:14:05.760 But for me, it's always about responding to the people 0:14:05.760 --> 0:14:08.280 in the room and how they are because I just 0:14:08.320 --> 0:14:13.360 don't believe in making people. These actors are already giving 0:14:13.360 --> 0:14:15.880 so much of themselves every night on that stage, and 0:14:15.920 --> 0:14:18.240 so I never wanted in the room for them to 0:14:18.320 --> 0:14:22.000 feel like they couldn't do it, or that they couldn't 0:14:22.000 --> 0:14:25.200 do it safely, or that they weren't that they couldn't 0:14:25.280 --> 0:14:26.880 leave the work in. 0:14:26.800 --> 0:14:27.680 The room every day. 0:14:28.000 --> 0:14:30.640 Yeah, So it's always about the people. 0:14:33.840 --> 0:14:36.360 It's a really strong ensemble that you have, and you've 0:14:36.400 --> 0:14:38.680 been able to pick and choose and put this together. 0:14:39.120 --> 0:14:40.840 When I was in the rehearsal room Brook, I had 0:14:40.880 --> 0:14:43.240 a chance to go through and watch rehearsals because I 0:14:43.240 --> 0:14:45.640 was interviewing for an ITV and I was sort of 0:14:45.640 --> 0:14:47.880 looking around the room and I was just thinking to myself, like, 0:14:48.840 --> 0:14:51.760 there's so much talent in that space, you know, from 0:14:52.040 --> 0:14:54.840 you know, directing a system, directing to you know, even 0:14:54.920 --> 0:14:58.280 the stage design, but also the cast. What does it 0:14:58.320 --> 0:15:01.480 take to put together such a you know, a deadly cast? 0:15:01.560 --> 0:15:04.280 And were there people that you had in mind and 0:15:04.360 --> 0:15:06.600 didn't have to audition and someone like Steph Are You're 0:15:06.640 --> 0:15:09.480 just like, she's amazing. I absolutely know that she's going 0:15:09.520 --> 0:15:11.320 to kill this, so she just can't have the role. 0:15:12.360 --> 0:15:20.960 She would call her Marto Merrill. And speaking of laughter, 0:15:21.040 --> 0:15:23.120 we did us three were in a show together, you know, 0:15:23.240 --> 0:15:25.840 Black show Girls, And when you said pauls and laugh, 0:15:26.160 --> 0:15:28.600 I was thinking about was the Black show Girls? How 0:15:28.600 --> 0:15:29.720 different it was to this show? 0:15:29.760 --> 0:15:34.680 But how I love that show. By the way, I 0:15:35.120 --> 0:15:36.120 nearly pissed myself. 0:15:37.680 --> 0:15:40.880 But you know, this room is it's beautifully crafted, and 0:15:40.920 --> 0:15:43.120 it's testament to you but also the actors. But what 0:15:43.160 --> 0:15:44.840 does it take to put together in a space like this? 0:15:46.160 --> 0:15:50.040 It's pretty easy when you've got like actors of the 0:15:50.080 --> 0:15:53.120 color bar and skill that we have in the in 0:15:53.160 --> 0:15:54.440 the industry that we have. 0:15:57.520 --> 0:15:59.120 This is the third play that Stephan and I've worked 0:15:59.160 --> 0:16:01.040 together on She's a favorite one. 0:16:04.760 --> 0:16:08.120 Some of them will have to be in it. Megan Wilding, 0:16:08.160 --> 0:16:09.160 I knew how to be in it. 0:16:10.680 --> 0:16:14.760 And then Katana Maynard and Jaron Andy are both actors 0:16:14.760 --> 0:16:20.000 that we auditioned for Ruby and Jimmy and they came 0:16:20.040 --> 0:16:22.840 in and you know, you get like self taped from 0:16:22.840 --> 0:16:24.560 around the country and then you did. We did a 0:16:24.680 --> 0:16:28.560 day of auditions for those two characters, and Katani came 0:16:28.600 --> 0:16:32.360 in and said to me, I've prepared them on all 0:16:32.480 --> 0:16:34.320 three ways. How do you how do you how do 0:16:34.320 --> 0:16:35.840 you want to see? Which one do you want to see? 0:16:35.840 --> 0:16:38.200 And I was like, show me all of them and 0:16:38.240 --> 0:16:40.240 she showed me too, and I was like that's enough. 0:16:41.160 --> 0:16:43.920 I was like, I don't need to see anything. And 0:16:43.960 --> 0:16:46.280 then she you know, and like she walked out of 0:16:46.320 --> 0:16:48.840 the room and I was like, that's Ruby, and I 0:16:48.880 --> 0:16:50.240 was like, I don't need to see anybody else. 0:16:50.480 --> 0:16:51.240 That is so cool. 0:16:51.360 --> 0:16:54.600 Yeah, And Jaron Andy was the first actor I saw 0:16:54.840 --> 0:16:57.200 for Jimmy in the room and he walked out and 0:16:57.240 --> 0:16:58.320 I was like, that's Jimmy. 0:16:58.960 --> 0:16:59.320 Deadly. 0:16:59.360 --> 0:17:01.320 He blew me away on stage. I think that he 0:17:01.400 --> 0:17:03.800 has such like he's he's fresh right, He's like, this 0:17:03.880 --> 0:17:06.840 is his stage play. But to give a performance like 0:17:06.880 --> 0:17:08.840 that at Sydney did the company and have that as 0:17:08.880 --> 0:17:12.320 your debut, it's like you meant to be here. 0:17:12.359 --> 0:17:13.879 This is exactly what you meant to be doing. 0:17:13.960 --> 0:17:15.919 And I saw that in him and it excited me 0:17:16.000 --> 0:17:19.040 because you know, he's obviously very talented in the TV 0:17:19.119 --> 0:17:21.680 presenting world and so like we we've we've we've crossed 0:17:21.720 --> 0:17:23.679 paths a lot, but to see him on stage, it 0:17:23.760 --> 0:17:26.560 was a moment where like I felt so celebrated for him. 0:17:27.000 --> 0:17:30.760 In particular, absolutely him and Catania both have not done 0:17:30.760 --> 0:17:33.760 a lot of theater, and again, like the privilege of 0:17:33.800 --> 0:17:36.880 being a director is to give people opportunities, like I've 0:17:36.920 --> 0:17:41.280 been afforded so many great ones, and so to like 0:17:41.359 --> 0:17:43.760 to give Jaron his first play and for him to 0:17:43.760 --> 0:17:46.720 do what he's doing in that play, like is it's 0:17:46.760 --> 0:17:50.880 like something to absolutely celebrate, you know. And I remember 0:17:51.040 --> 0:17:54.719 after our first preview and he was like, that's my 0:17:54.760 --> 0:17:56.840 first show I've ever done in front of an audience. 0:18:00.160 --> 0:18:01.000 So brilliant. 0:18:01.040 --> 0:18:04.800 And Matthew plays Sandy in the show. I've known Maddie 0:18:04.880 --> 0:18:10.240 for a long time, brilliant and like in casting, these Roles. 0:18:10.600 --> 0:18:13.840 I knew that every single one of these actors, like, 0:18:13.880 --> 0:18:15.960 there's a reason why everyone's in the room, right, And 0:18:16.000 --> 0:18:17.560 for all of these actors, I just wanted them to 0:18:17.600 --> 0:18:19.879 be able to flex and show your case their entire 0:18:20.040 --> 0:18:24.600 range and skill, but also to let the audiences and 0:18:24.640 --> 0:18:28.320 the industry know like what black Fellows can do and 0:18:28.359 --> 0:18:30.360 the range that we have in storytelling. 0:18:30.440 --> 0:18:32.480 And a bit of pressure on him for doing the 0:18:33.080 --> 0:18:35.920 Canned Peace monologue for you. That was the first monologue 0:18:35.920 --> 0:18:38.560 you did, right, So how did he go? What did 0:18:38.600 --> 0:18:41.120 you think? Because I thought it was a bloody brilliant No. 0:18:41.359 --> 0:18:44.240 I'm like, I saw the show on Saturday night after 0:18:44.280 --> 0:18:44.920 not seeing. 0:18:44.720 --> 0:18:47.159 It for a few days, and usually you go in 0:18:47.200 --> 0:18:50.240 and just watch the play once or twice after it's opened, 0:18:50.640 --> 0:18:52.560 and I find it really hard to stay away as step, 0:18:54.960 --> 0:18:57.600 but I just wanted to check in because of the 0:18:58.000 --> 0:19:00.639 kind of the process that we've had has just always 0:19:00.680 --> 0:19:03.560 been so close with each other, and I really just 0:19:03.600 --> 0:19:04.920 went just to check in on the show. 0:19:04.960 --> 0:19:06.440 And I was so blown. 0:19:06.160 --> 0:19:09.840 Away by all of you and the the depths in 0:19:09.920 --> 0:19:11.280 which you're finding that story. 0:19:11.320 --> 0:19:13.360 It was. I was like, very. 0:19:13.280 --> 0:19:27.080 Very proud, flat Sydney. Yeah, bring it to Melbourne Brook. 0:19:27.200 --> 0:19:29.280 I just know you and you're going to be crying 0:19:29.359 --> 0:19:31.000 like the second scene, and I'm going to be like 0:19:31.000 --> 0:19:32.880 with that box of dishes next to you. 0:19:32.760 --> 0:19:36.520 You know when Steph was, you know, talking about Sister Kates, 0:19:36.520 --> 0:19:39.040 like I have a connection with that as well, Like 0:19:39.119 --> 0:19:42.800 I know so many stories of my family with Sister 0:19:42.920 --> 0:19:49.840 Kates and it's very known in the you know. 0:19:47.560 --> 0:19:48.920 Know what Sister Kates is. 0:19:49.040 --> 0:19:53.160 So I yeah, I felt really like I just dropped 0:19:53.160 --> 0:19:53.600 in then. 0:19:53.560 --> 0:19:56.240 And I was like, oh, like that hurts a little bit. 0:19:58.080 --> 0:20:01.200 But I yeah, I obviously I haven't seen the play 0:20:01.320 --> 0:20:03.800 and I would love to, so if you get. 0:20:03.680 --> 0:20:05.200 The chance to bring it to Melbourn. 0:20:08.000 --> 0:20:11.600 I know some people people I know where money is 0:20:11.640 --> 0:20:12.320 not kidding. 0:20:16.320 --> 0:20:18.720 You know you just like just smile and think. 0:20:20.000 --> 0:20:25.000 No, but just hearing just this the story, how proud 0:20:25.040 --> 0:20:28.639 you are Ian and how much this play meant to 0:20:28.720 --> 0:20:31.560 use stuff as well, Like it's just so nice. I 0:20:31.560 --> 0:20:35.879 feel like when you said the depth of you know, 0:20:35.920 --> 0:20:39.679 all the scale of what First Nations performers and shows 0:20:39.680 --> 0:20:42.040 can be like as well, like we're only I feel like, 0:20:42.080 --> 0:20:45.160 you know, obviously we've been around, but I think we're 0:20:45.200 --> 0:20:48.800 only just kind of like this is not even like 0:20:48.840 --> 0:20:50.760 we've got more, you know what I mean, Like it's 0:20:50.760 --> 0:20:53.520 only just kind of getting started. I know, there's some 0:20:53.640 --> 0:20:56.200 great shows that have been previously out there, and I've 0:20:56.240 --> 0:21:00.120 seen some wonderful ones where I have been in the 0:21:00.119 --> 0:21:05.720 the room cry like bawling mind, but I yeah, I 0:21:05.720 --> 0:21:07.520 feel like we're already just kind of getting started. 0:21:07.680 --> 0:21:08.800 So yeah, you know. 0:21:08.960 --> 0:21:12.680 Absolutely, and also like who's running those rooms? And then yeah, it. 0:21:12.680 --> 0:21:17.359 Was the first kind of experience I've had as a director. Yeah, 0:21:17.400 --> 0:21:19.840 and a few experiences that I've ever had with like 0:21:19.880 --> 0:21:22.280