You Know We Belong Together

Julia Hales is a dynamic, attractive, bright 38 year old actor, who lives on her own in a flat in Subiaco. She is single, but would prefer not to be, is a huge fan of Home and Away, has been acting for over twenty years, and has an extra 21st chromosome.

You Know We Belong Together is a story of living, loving and loss and what it is like to have Down Syndrome, as Julia tells us about growing up in a loving family, gives us an insight into how people with Down Syndrome have been treated and explores Julia’s dream of being cast in Home and Away. Much of the success of this show lies in Julia’s writing and her performance. This leading lady can enthral an audience, commands attention, is incredibly likeable and is naturally and delightedly funny.

Along the way we meet some other lovely people with Down Syndrome - dancer Lauren Marchbank who is trained in ballet, contemporary dance and hip hop; Julia’s childhood friend Joshua Bott, a dancer who is the youngest in a family of ten; actor, screen writer and palmist Tina Fielding, loveable ball-room dancers and married couple Mark and Melissa Junor and Nyoongar man, performer and visual artist Patrick Carter. All of these performers are personable and talented and we learn about them through both video interviews and on stage appearances.

Simply set, to allow for the use of projections and video (designed by Michael Carmody), we get a feel of the Summer Bay Cafe from Tyler Hill’s set design. Joe Hooligan Lui’s lighting design is both supportive and emotive.

There is some lovely use of audience participation (including a most unlikely “surfer dude” on opening night), which adds to both the warmth of the show and its unpredictability. The plot, such that it is, feels more like stream of consciousness, but is obviously beautifully crafted. There are some lovely surprises which I am loathe to spoil.

Official Opening Night was on World Down Syndrome Day, and this was a wonderful way to celebrate.

While this is not the most ‘perfect' show that you will see this year, it is a wonderful celebration of humanity, is beautifully moving and is very, very special. Perhaps most telling is the huge standing ovation on Opening Night - a very rare occurrence in Perth and very much deserved.

Kimberley Shaw

Photographer: Toni Wilkinson