
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
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.