Jandamarra

‘Jandamarra’ by Steve Hawke is presented by The Black Swan Theatre Company and Bunuba Films; it is showing in Pavilion 6, at the new Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre each night until 23^rd February. It starts at 7.30, not any time up to 8.15 as numerous audience members seemed to think.

The scene opens with a meal in the Blighs’ house. Joe (Geoff Kelso) is discussing dealings with business partner Alexander Forrest (Peter Docker). The son Lindsay is outside with his good friend Pigeon – later known as Jandamarra (Jimi Bani). The caring mother (Margaret Mills) enjoys the compony of Pigeon’s mother, housekeeper / slave Jini (Ningali Lawford-Wolf), but due to the past and her work conditions this friendship is not fully reciprocated.
In the late 1890s, the Bunuba Tribe was one of the few tribes to fight back against the white infiltration and takeover of the land just south of the Kimberley.  After Lindsay’s death to the mystical Snake, Jandamarra ran away and became a bounty hunter and local legend; he initially helped police capture hundreds of his fellow Aboriginals, collected his fee, then stole some guns and set about setting them free again. Jandamarra makes love to a relative’s wife (Sandra Umbagai-Clarke) and is cast out.
After the killing of a couple of white men by Jandamarra, one being his friend Richardson (Simon Clarke), a posse was raised and Jandamarra’s gang were tracked down. Despite a bloody shootout Jandamarra escaped and created havoc in the North of WA for years.
As Jandamarra appeared immortal to the other Aboriginals, it was thought only similar mystical aboriginal powers could trap him.

This play can only be described as a 3-hour epic. The ‘Aida’ of the Aboriginal world. Director Tom Gutteridge and assistant director Ningali have truly created a feeling of the Kimberley. The auditorium is a massive place with rustic ‘circus’ style seating. With the 20-metre versatile backdrop, a genuine outback (designer Zoë Atkinson) complete with the wildlife around the creeks, and Jandamarra’s immortality, is created with Clancie Shorter and Kaylene Marr’s clever projected animation. The live stick music by George Brooking and the numerous successful sound effects from the off-stage cast kept up the atmosphere. Andrew Lake’s lighting was a huge undertaking and succeeded beautifully.

Writer, Steve Hawke, left the Prime Ministerial family home at the age of 19, and headed up to the Kimberley, where he instantly fell in love with the area and so stayed for decades. He became an accomplished author in various genres, for all ages. This script was interesting throughout and held one’s attention. It had love, killing and a great insight into the life of the aboriginals.

Whilst fascinating and most enjoyable, the lengthy passages of surtitles and sluggish entrances and exits on this the first night (increased overlapping necessary?), the performance appeared slow, but I am sure that the pace will pick up. A spectacle worth seeing.