After its success in 2022, pakana playwright Nathan Maynard's stage hit 'At What Cost?' is returning in 2023 with a national tour.
At What Cost? is a powerful play set in Putalina (Oyster Cove), Lutriuwita (Tasmania), dealing with intergenerational trauma and displacement of Tasmania's Aboriginal population.
Directed by Isaac Drandic, the play revolves around Boyd (played by Luke Carroll), a respected Palawa member tasked with returning the remains of William Lanne to his descendants, who discovers that many people are claiming to be Palawa, and he has to confront Tasmania's complex history to reconcile everyone.
With expert storytelling, Maynard disarms his audience with his narrative of Country and conflicting histories, before delving into the highly contentious and intricate discourse surrounding identity.
Sandy Greenwood, who plays Nala in the production, shared her insights into the thought-provoking stage piece with National Indigenous Times.
Ms Greenwood, a proud Gumbaynggirr, Dunghutti and Bundjalung woman, has been working in Indigenous theatre for the better part of two decades and notes her passion has always laid within truth telling while advocating for the Indigenous community.
She said she has loved her time working with the team and is eager to hone her role in new ways and in front of new audiences.
"We're excited to revisit it again, finding new nuances in the show and taking it around the country," she said.
"We've done one season at the Belvoir theatre in 2022 which was highly successful, it sold out so now it's back by popular demand, and now other state theatre companies around the country have bought it.
"So we're going to take around the country and back to Lutruwita (Tasmania) where the story belongs, and we can't wait for that.
"It's just like family, we just get on so well, we have that natural comradery."
Ms Greenwood notes that while the play is fictional, it does almost exclusively draw from real world experiences.
"He's (Nathan Maynard) like most blackfullas, the stories we tell are reflective of what's going on in our lives," she said.
"There's a whole lot of suffering and confusion going on around this issue, so to put it on the main stages of Australia and have people from all walks of life experience this specific Palawa story - it keeps the yarns and conversations going."
With the story of mistaken or stolen identities not exclusive to First Nations Australians, National Indigenous Times asked if there would be any interest in taking the show international.
"We would love to take it international as it's an issue that would resonate with mobs all over the world," Ms Greenwood said.
"But first we need to get it out in Australia and get the discussion happening.
"My whole purpose really is to tell our people stories, share the true history of this country and advocate for healing and empowerment."
At What Cost?
BELVOIR ST THEATRE (NSW):
4 May - 21 May
QUEENSLAND THEATRE:
25 MAY – 10 JUN 23
STATE THEATRE COMPANY SOUTH AUSTRALIA:
16 JUN – 1 JUL 23
THE THEATRE ROYAL (HOBART):
6 JUL – 8 JUL 23
More details here.
