The Visitors – REVIEW
Image: THE VISITORS, Sydney Theatre Company. Photo: Daniel Boud
The opening of The Visitors accidentally coincides with the upcoming referendum for the Voice, and even though written in 2013, it raises many of the issues that are currently being raised in the national debate.
Writer Jane Harrison opens this Sydney Theatre Company and Moogahlin Performing Arts production with a gathering of seven warriors from the local Eora (Sydney) clans to discuss how they are going to react to the arrival of the first fleet, which are seen on the horizon from their midden location on Warrane (Sydney Cove).
Storm clouds are gathering, both literally and figuratively as the meeting is called to order, with the person holding the message sticks having the right to speak.
What transpires is a parody of western meeting protocols governed by the laws of the First Nations clans as the symbol of authority is passed from one to the next.
As their back stories unfold so do the positions between each other change, when their opinions on how to deal with the arrival of the visitors undergo seismic shifts.
The dialogue opens in Bidigal language, representative of a clan within the Eora Nation, before settling into fast paced English reflecting parallels with the modern technical world, such as placing a message stick on silent during the meeting.
Much like the monolith in 2001: A Space Oyessey, a metal axe stolen from previous visitors appears to have magical powers; the group in turn, discusses those same visitors having appropriated a bunch of 40 spears.
The Visitors is well cast, with two of the warrior roles being played by women, Elaine Crombie as Jaky and Dalara Williams as Wallace.
Luke Carrol as Gordon and Kyle Morrison as Joseph at first appear to be the central players but the power balance continues to shift as options and votes begin to challenge what we have accepted as the status quo.
Carrol’s character’s delivery of a speech describing a previous encounter with Cook’s flotilla in 1770 is a powerful awakening to what is about to transpire with the arrival of these new visitors.
Guy Simon and Beau Dean Riley Smith play Gary and Albert respectively and Jospeh Wunujaka Althouse is the ill-fated Lawrence who also heralds the fate that awaits the entire First Nations people.
The set design (Elizabeth Gadsby) of a rock outcrop surrounded by two large middens is striking and simple, while the height fo the rock gives leverage to the authority of the speaker as the balance of power ebbs and flows.
The entire back and sides of the stage are draped to represent a sandstone cliff that later in the play, through lighting (Karen Norris) has a surprising and beautiful reveal.
While much of this play takes a humorous approach to a devastating moment in our history, for most of the audience it can be slightly disconcerting when we realise that we are the visitors.
