The Bogong’s Song: A Call to Country

This world premiere performance is from the same team who created the award-winning Waru: Journey of the Small Turtle. The Bogong’s Song: A Call to Country by Yolande Brown and Chenoa Deemal is Bangarra Dance Theatre’s call to connect with nature, with family and with culture. For non-indigenous families, the show is a lovely way to introduce children to First Nations dreamtime stories, totems and dance through the simple story of the endangered Bogong moth. The vibrant moth flutters into the bedroom of a brother and sister – Brisbane-based Matilda Award nominee, Benjin Maza (Othello, Stradbroke Dreaming) and Tjilala Brown-Roberts (a singer, dancer and songwriter, completing the Advanced Diploma in Performing Arts at the Aboriginal Centre for the Performing Arts) – as they pack their bags to visit their grandmother in the Snowy Mountains. The children’s dreams that night turn into an adventure that uses shadow puppets, dance and song (and a little audience call and return) to introduce a range of bush creatures – from a cheeky possum to a confident crow and a slick reggae-loving lizard who suns himself on a discarded foil chip packet. The environmental message is clear – the snow is melting faster each year, and the litter they encounter is impacting the creatures’ lives. The siblings also have a third sibling to worry about too, but first they need to reconnect, get back on the path together and find their grandmother.

I was sceptical that children today would sit still for an hour’s show with no splashy special effects, except for some delightful video projection work and shadow puppets. But the children in the crowd seemed to love it. They were engaged and even sung along when prompted. It helped that performers Benjin and Tjilala were warm, funny and engaging, and adept at performing a little rap and reggae. They are both brilliant performers with a calm confidence on stage that really drew the audience into their orbit. I loved the way this story taught little ones how to use their imaginations in simple ways to create big stories. For example, a black cap introduces the crow, a white shirt becomes a cloud, the kids’ double bunks and sheets become a projection screen for puppetry. The techniques are left open for the audience to see – and I’m betting that many kids will give it a go at home too. Because the characters have a brother who is deaf, Auslan is also used as part of the movement of the piece. Being Bangarra, the dance element is superb, with choreography by co-writer and director, Yolande Brown. The final corroboree-style dance is very moving, as the children finally ditch their devices and their footballs, to reconnect with nature and their culture. There was a lovely message about listening to nature and tuning in to your own gut instinct about things. These are lessons that are not on any set curriculum, but they add to self-esteem which is so important. It also underlined the theme that we can make a difference to the environment by starting one thing at a time. Small actions matter, so start with one person, one garden, one project. A QR code in the foyer invited kids to record and submit any Bogong moth sightings in their own home environment.

I found the show’s music energising and the soundscape relaxing. Songs by Yolande Brown, and music, sounds and arrangements by Brendon Boney (Bran Nue Dae) combine to create a lush atmosphere. The dream setting was realised with beautiful illustrations by Cheryl Davison, sets and costumes by Richard Roberts, lighting by Ben Hughes, and video design by Justin Harrison. Cultural consultation was provided by Aunty Doris Paton and Arthur Little. After Brisbane Festival performances, The Bogong’s Song returns to Bangarra’s Studio Theatre in Gadigal Country/Sydney.

Beth Keehn

Photographs: Daniel Boud

Find out more: www.bangarra.com.au/productions/the-bogongs-song/