Describe working on
Bloodlandin three
words.
Magical, rewarding and challenging.
You are working on this
production with your brother, your cousin and two of your nephews.
What is it like working so closely with
family?
We're from a big family, so when I'm working with two or three or
four of them, that's nothing. This has been a chance for Stephen
and I to pass down what we know to the boys [Hunter and Rhimi] and
to keep them out of trouble. It's been really great; they're just
so talented, and we want to let them learn as well and to not
pressure them too much. We look at the boys and we see
ourselves.
How do you prepare your
character?
I try to keep in tune with the story, to know where it comes from
and to concentrate on what my role is, not just as a character in a
play but also as a storyteller. That's what we're employed for, to
put a message across, and this play has a particularly important
message.
What has been the best part
of working on Bloodland?
It's working with this mob, this cast. We all know each other so we
are working with our peers, which is quite beautiful in its way.
We're creating history together, which is quite cool, and I hope it
ends up being one of those plays that ends up coming back, and
other artists can play those characters, and the story can
continue.
The company made a trip to
the NT prior to starting rehearsals on Bloodland. What did you learn
from this visit?
I've been up there many times so I know that, like the city, there
are problems everywhere. You can't gloss over it but you have to
wonder what you can do to help it. It was great for all of us to go
up there and to bond by grabbing the guts of the story. It was a
big eye opener for a lot of people who hadn't been there before.
Doing this play is a way for us to give back to that
community.
What is it like performing a
show in an indigenous (Yolngu) language?
Stephen has a beautiful way of communicating through dance without
using any dialogue, so with Aboriginal language he has been able to
find a way to put across the meaning so you can understand it, and
we throw in some English words to support the understanding. It's
sometimes embarrassing, though, because there are people in the
show who are fluent and I've just learned it. Sometimes I
accidentally come out with some naughty words they tell me "You
can't say it like that", which is pretty funny.
Do you have a favourite
scene or moment in the show?
The last scene is exceptionally beautiful, it's incredibly
touching. You'll cry. We all do.
What do you think the
experience of watching Bloodlandwill be like for the
audience?
They're going to love it. It depends where you're from and how
broadminded you are. Everyone's different and we're not going to
please them all. Some people will want to be spoon-fed the story,
so this won't suit them but others want theatre to be an
experience. I think those people are going to be blown away.
Bloodland, Wharf 1, until
13 November, 2011.
Q&A: David Page
Date posted: 9 Nov 2011Author: STC