We acknowledge and pay our respects to the Elders, Ancestors and leaders of the Kulin Nations on whose unceded lands ILBIJERRI Theatre Company is based.
We extend this respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, recognising their resilience and ongoing connection to land, water and culture, despite ongoing colonial interruption and genocide.
Always was, always will be, sacred Indigenous land.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples should be advised that this website may contain images of deceased persons.
Because We're Blak - Development
Development of a new play by Melody Dia
Because We’re Blak is a fast paced dramedy that follows hard-pressed single parent Fran as she ferries her teenagers and various family members endlessly around town in her spotless Troopy - her pride and joy - all while running her business and endlessly sharing her opinions with her captive audience. It’s Her Car, Her Rules!
Fran is angry, and post Voice referendum she is even angrier. But to the bemusement of her family, she’s also trying to organise her biggest party yet when it’s not even her birthday, and she won’t say why.
Inspired by a real life incident, Because We’re Blak packs a visceral punch. Capturing the idioms and struggles of ordinary people in Broome. It tackles contemporary issues of racism, prejudicial policing, and generational divide, leavened by humour and pathos. Showcasing playwright Melody Dia’s acute ear for detail, dialogue and trademark blak humour, this is an urgent play that explores not just the racism that exists in a remote contemporary town, but also asks the universal question, ‘How shall we live?’
Because We’re Blak speaks to where we are in Australia at this point in time.
2024 Development Interviews
Produced by Goolarri Media Enterprises and Ilbijerri Theatre Company, supported by Performing Lines WA
Senior Producer Jodie Bell, Goolarri CEO
AV Design Sean Bacon & Gary Hamaguchi
Sound Design Gary Watling
Set Design Emily Barrie
