Having heard of ‘Minto Live’ and the Urban
Theatre Project’s (UTP) work, I was curious how this whole things works- months
of community liaison to create a cultural and experiential street party. After attending their latest project, ‘Bankstown Live’, I can tell you that it’s a
vibrant and diverse insight into not only the local area but also the integrity
of UTP in finding authentic voices and expressions of the flavor and colour of
the community and respecting the stories and benefits they bring. ‘Bankstown
Live’ is raw, ragged and real.
Northam St in Bankstown provides our
backdrop. Closed off to traffic and filled with beach chairs and seats, you
move between people’s yards, footpaths and tree-lined street to engage with any of the
nine activities taking place over the four hours. It’s well organized and even
though there are glitches, like crackling headphones on the pre-recorded
monologues from ‘The Last Word’ or the visuals and/or sound dropping out every
now and again, it only adds to the experience of live community theatre and
technical issues are soon resolved from the diligent staff on hand. Add to
that, the chance to eat local specialties and a sneaky ice cream makes for a
great way to further the delights of the area.
It all kicks off with the scaffold of a
house carried down the street by some of the night’s performers, lead by an
Aboriginal elder, paying tribute to country and those past and present with a
smoking ceremony.
When Emma Saunders’ piece began, using local the
Vietnamese community dancing on the street, it was endearingly charming and the
warmth of support for the challenge of publicly displaying and coordinating
their work was both beautiful in its awkwardness and commitment. The live music supplied by Toby Martin and
guests was a lovely touch and had a CD been on sale, I would have happily
snapped one up.
I also appreciated the 'Family Portraits' section of the night, where local activists or personalities set up their
lounge room on the street and you get to converse with them about whatever
takes your fancy- family, politics, culture. I had the pleasure of talking to
Wafa Ziam (and the privilege of tasting some of the best coffee I’ve ever had, made by Wafa.
Apparently the secret is the cardamom). We talked about issues for women in the
local area, which seems to be the story for women everywhere, reminding us all
that Bankstown is not so different as the suburb each of us have come from to
attend the event tonight.
UTP also featured their film, ‘Bre and
Back’ directed by Rosie Dennis.
Projected in the middle of the street onto its calico backdrop, it was a moving
tribute to two families, four women, and the relationships of mother and
daughter. There was humour- I still have the line uttered by Noeleen Shearer,
“Don’t need a fishing licence, we’re Aboriginal” in the context of the film a
terrific reminder that law and culture have such beautiful contradictions. As a piece here, it felt slightly out of place but it's such a good piece of work, it didn't seem to matter.
One of the highlights of the night is
Mohammed Ahmed’s performance of his book, ‘The Tribe’, devised by Ahmed and
Janice Muller. It is worth joining the long line to enter the backyard of 156
Northam Ave to catch his exemplary storytelling and enter the world of growing
up in his family’s tribe. Transformational, rhythmic and at times, non-linear,
Ahmed weaves stories of his grandmother and family that echo his unique
experiences with our own and we are totally engaged.
'Lullaby Movement' by Sophia Brous and guests
was a haunting finish to the night and as quiet descended on the neighbourhood,
her singing was joined by the crying of babies, of excited local children in
their pyjamas coming to investigate the siren song and all noises blended to create a multi-dimensional soundtrack to the night.
‘Bankstown Live’ is much more than a piece
of theatre. It’s a thought-provoking artistic community vision of cultural
understanding and experience and should
be a must do for the Sydney Festival.
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