Silence - a powerful First Nations performance work on Sovereignty and Country - to begin national tour

Rhiannon Clarke Published March 9, 2023 at 8.59am (AWST)

Queensland's First Nations Performing arts company, Karul Projects, are ready to show Australia their powerful production, Silence, with a national tour.

Described as a powerful narrative in its original, compelling with all the elements of which add up to a transformative stage experience choreographed.

Silence is an hour-long performance that encompasses dramatic and visual storytelling replete with dialogue, humour, and rhythmic percussion.

After a previously sold out premier season in 2020, Silence is back with an ensemble of an all First Nation cast.

The production will kick off their tour starting in NSW in March before taking in Victoria in April, and Adelaide in May with more to be announced.

BlakDance Executive Producer Merindah Donnelly said: "Silence is a searing commentary on Australian Nationhood, representing the call for Land Back."

"BlakDance is a self-determined First Nations producing house so it's fitting the first work we tour is adding to the conversation about recognising our Sovereignty," she said.

Silence was written by Karul Projects' co-founder and director, Minjungbal-Yugambeh, Wiradjuri and Ni-Vanuatu man Thomas E.S. Kelly.

Including Kelly, his co-founder Taree Sansbury and returning multidisciplinary performing artist, Benjin Maza, the cast of seven perform on a stage slowly engulfed in dirt.

According to Kelly, Silence is a seminal, First Nations Australian work developed on rich and raw grounds with the light and shade of visual storytelling in dance, dialogue, and percussion.

"Abounding in our struggle for Land Back and Treaty, SILENCE breaks the silence both literally and symbolically using dynamic live percussion from composer Jhindu-Pedro Lawrie, whose rich drumbeats drive the dancers in their exploration of past, present, alternate realities and dreamscapes of Country, the milky way and Murun, the emu in the sky," he said.

"Silence interprets what a 250 plus year-long denial of meaningful listening to First Nations people has done to the psyche of the people and land.

"Brown feet kick up sand, earth, dirt, and dust. The sand seeps through brown fingers as it always has. Always was, always will be."

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