Set in the inner Sydney suburb of Waterloo, Battle of Waterloo is a love letter to the place that playwright Kylie Coolwell calls home. Kylie has written her play in the local dialect specific to the Aboriginal community in Waterloo.  

The characters are a close-knit family, and like all families, they love hard, fight with passion and make each other laugh. Actor Shari Sebbens, who plays Cassie, has said; ‘Kylie has created a mad, beautiful, truthful world’.

The characters in Battle of Waterloo occasionally use words that originate in traditional Indigenous languages or English language colloquialisms. Below is a glossary of the terms used in the play:
 

AMS – an acronym for Aboriginal Medical Service

Balung – woman / can be a white woman

Budoo – penis

Budgi-gan – gay

Bunty – bum

Charge – alcoholic drink

Cold biting – asking strangers for money

Doobai / Doob - a black woman

Doot – vagina  

Durri – sex

Emu pills – a traditional Aboriginal medicine taken by Aunty

Gammin – nonsense / untrue

Garras – testicles

Guarnie – mad

Gubba – white person

Hottie – stolen car

Jarjums – children

Miri – dog

Mulagah – man

Naringah – crazy / mad

Smallie – a small bottle of port

Walung – money

Yarndie – cannabis

Jiliwah – toilet

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Battle of Waterloo, 1 – 27 Jun, Wharf 1 Theatre. Limited tickets available. Book here

Read more about Battle of Waterloo in our excellent and insightful play program, available from the theatre for $10.

There is frequent strong language and a sex scene in this production.