THE WOMAN
The 7 Stages of Grieving (2021) by Wesley Enoch & Deborah Mailman
Directed by Shari Sebbens
Cloak: acrylic bouclé, nylon base, sequins, seed beads, gemstones
Shirt: cotton jersey, sequins, beads, ‘Swamp Reed’ hand-painted design by Mumgarr (Chantal Henley)
Track pants: heavy cotton jersey
Made by Mary Anne Lawler; Photo by Joanna Shuen
Elizabeth Gadsby (Designer): "Shari Sebbens and I began the design process by returning to the original text by Wesley Enoch and Deborah Mailman. Wesley and Deborah had given their permission for adjustments to be made to the text and the staging, and we knew that this production would feel quite different from the ones that had come before. This was primarily due to the nature of time, and the progress (or lack of) that had been made since the original staging.
"It is a work that exists in a space which is non-linear. There are distinct scenes and moments that are explored in sequence to one another, but it is like turning a multifaceted prism rather than following a line or thread.
"It was important that the key elements of the set and costume spoke to the original production but gave a contemporary context to the work. The sense of land/country/nura was important and for this we collaborated with Quandamooka artist Megan Cope to create the middens that were part of the set.
"The cloak that is worn by Elaine Crombie is a reference to traditional possum skin cloaks. We wanted her to literally dazzle and emit light. Rather than using traditional materials, we found a bejewelled sequin fabric that was the outside of the cloak and used something more natural, a bouclé wool for the inside.
"The text asks the performer to make themselves vulnerable and asks them to go to places that are painful. The aim of this garment was to give Elaine a sense of power and agency. We wanted her to feel fabulous and invincible. It speaks to the sky and the cosmos and reflects the quality of the shimmering blackness in the set. We wanted the 'black' in this design to be full, sparkling and radiant, not empty or indicative of a nothing space."
Worn by Elaine Crombie; Photo by Joseph Mayers
Elaine Crombie (The Woman): "It was a very camp, high urban drag moment. It acts as a release. After hearing all of those songs and stories, everyone gets to breathe and rejoice and reflect. Just be in the moment of watching my best life on stage. And then we can finish up the rest of the show."
The t-shirt design is by Nughi/Mununjali textile designer Chantal Henley, the creative force behind Mumgarr.
"That was my choice to get her in. That's my sister girl too, my cousin. She knows me. I can just ring her up and have a conversation with her, say what I'm feeling or what I want to portray, and then she'll just come up with the goods.
"She uses all natural dyes and all natural elements to make the design. She's fantastic.
"The whole outfit was pretty bomb."