The Boxties: A net of souls. Songs of dislocation and common ground

Do we succumb to all fears or do we tell stories of the ‘kindness, courage and kinship’ amongst people who stood up against forces that sought to grind them down?

This is the question Ben Burrows leaves with the audience after more than an hour of insatiable music-making by a Brisbane ensemble whose collective voice strikes at the heart and the head.

Artistic director Steph McCaw has put together a thought-provoking set of songs for the journey, from Sting, the poetry of Rudyard Kipling set to music by folk singer Peter Bellamy, George Butterworth, Ronald Jamieson and Maggie Holland.

Linked by the steady tenor of Ben Burrows’ narration, the performance tells the story of the great movement of people across oceans from the early 1900s to today, some carrying all their possessions, and others carrying none. Travelling on big steamers or small boats, ‘spreading, scattering, a net of souls with its mesh spreading ever further in the search for a new home’.

This was a powerful evening of song, not just because of the music selection and subject matter but because of the honesty and purity of heart that flowed from each musician in the show.

When Burrows smiled it was almost an involuntary response to the music. You couldn’t help but smile back, and he smiled a lot. And then there were other nuances, like Bridget Matthews leaning into her drum kit, almost coaxing the rhythm into life, particularly in the lively opening arrangement of “The Gloaming”. There was the playful interactions between Ebony Cundy-Profke on viola and mandolin, and Rachel Kelly on tuba in “A Place Called England” and Sting’s “Show Some Respect”. This last piece was an audience favourite as it also shone the spotlight on bass player Annie Silva who looked like she’d stepped out of a Robert Palmer video clip to go rogue with the Boxties.

Front and centre throughout the show was Deanna Connelly on violin and vocal artist Ashreya Ward.

The haunting violin interlude in Ronald Jamieson’s Sudden Waves was one of Connelly’s standout moments.

Ashreya Ward’s voice was alluring, whether she was singing ballads, Celtic lilts, jazz, or musical theatre pieces. She even alternated between voice and oboe, with Burrows and Cundy-Profke providing haunting harmonies.

And while he was tucked away to the side, Mitchell Dormer was holding everyone together at the piano, underscoring the narration and turning out masterful renditions of Sting’s “Practical Arrangement” and Butterworth’s :The Lads in their Hundreds”.

The Cremorne Theatre audience was also rich in musical talent. Private music instructors and state school music teachers who are inspiring the next generation of music makers, were sitting in the packed theatre.

If you love world music that speaks to the head and the heart, don’t miss the next performance of the Boxties.

Debra Bela

Photographer: Simon Woods