The Secret River (play)
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| The Secret River | |
|---|---|
| Written by | Andrew Bovell |
| Date premiered | 8 January 2013 |
| Place premiered | Sydney Theatre |
| Original language | English |
| Subject | The Secret River by Kate Grenville |
| Genre | Drama |
The Secret River is a play by Australian playwright Andrew Bovell, based upon the novel of the same name by Kate Grenville.
Synopsis[edit]
Narrated by Dhirrumbin (originally played by Ursula Yovich), the drama is about a man who is exiled from London in the eighteenth century, and is sent with his family to a penal colony in the Hawkesbury River, New South Wales, where he hopes to make a new start, but its Indigenous inhabitants, the Dharug people, are not willing to give up their land.
Performances[edit]
Produced by the Sydney Theatre Company, the play was first performed on 8 January 2013 at the Sydney Theatre.
A 2016 remount toured Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane.
In March 2017, a co-production of the State Theatre Company of South Australia and the Sydney Theatre Company, co-directed by Neil Armfield and Geordie Brookman, was staged at Anstey Hill Quarry as part of the Adelaide Festival.[1] The show was a record-breaking success, selling out all performances over its 18 nights, with an audience of 800 each night.[2]
Characters[edit]
English settlers[edit]
| Dharug people[edit]
|
Original cast[edit]
- Nathaniel Dean - William Thornhill
- Anita Hegh - Sal Thornhill
- Jeremy Sims - Smasher Sullivan
- Colin Moody - Thomas Blackwood
- Ursula Yovich - Dhirrumbin/Dulla Djin
- Miranda Tapsell - Gillyagan/Muruli
- Bruce Spence - Loveday
- Bailey Doomadgee and Kamil Ellis - Garraway
- Lachlan Elliott and Callum McManis - Willie Thornhill
- Rory Potter and Tom Usher - Dick Thornhill
- Roy Gordon - Yalamundi
- Daniel Henshall - Dan Oldfield
- Ethel-Anne Gundy – Buryia
- Trevor Jamieson - Ngalamalum
- Rhimi Johnson Page - Wangarra/Branyimala
- Judith McGrath - Mrs Herring
- James Slee - Narabi
- Matthew Sunderland - Sagitty Birtles/ Captain Suckling/Turnkey
- Source:[3]
Awards and nominations[edit]
Helpmann awards[edit]
| Year | Award Ceremony | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 13th Helpmann Awards[4] | Best Play | Won | |
| Best New Australian Work | Won | |||
| Best Direction of a Play | Neil Armfield | Won | ||
| Best Male Actor in a Play | Nathaniel Dean | Nominated | ||
| Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play | Colin Moody | Won | ||
| Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play | Miranda Tapsell | Nominated | ||
| Best Original Score | Iain Grandage | Won | ||
| Best Musical Direction | Iain Grandage | Won | ||
| Best Costume Design | Tess Schofield | Nominated | ||
| Best Scenic Design | Stephen Curtis | Nominated | ||
| Best Lighting Design | Mark Howett | Nominated | ||
References[edit]
- ^ "The Secret River". AusStage. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
- ^ Cameron, Ben (31 March 2017). "The rags-to-riches tale behind Anstey Hill quarry, spectacular stage of Adelaide Festival's record-breaking The Secret River". Adelaide Now. Messenger. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
- ^ "Perth Festival 2013 - The Secret River" (PDF). Perth Festival 2013. Retrieved 8 August 2013.
- ^ "Helpmann Awards > Winners". HelpmannAwards.com.au. Archived from the original on 13 August 2013. Retrieved 3 August 2013.