The Return

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Event The Return
Venue Merlyn Theatre @ CUB Malthouse, Southbank, VIC
First Date 13 May 2022
Last Date 4 June 2022
Dates Estimated No
Status Professional
World Premiere No
Description AN EPIC, 250-YEAR STORY TO RETURN HOME THE CAPTIVE BODILY REMAINS OF FIRST PEOPLES.

Once considered ‘exotic’ trophies of antiquity, the bodily remains of Indigenous men, women, and children served scientific theories of evolution and were prized objects displayed on mantelpieces. In the cover of darkness, grave robbers would pillage burial grounds, to sell Ancestral remains to the highest bidder under the guise of scientific research. Thousands were stolen and sold.

Today, they are still locked away.

Some are displayed in private homes, while others are hidden deep within the bowels of museums and universities. Now is the time to bring them back to Country.

Torres Strait Islander playwright John Harvey (Heart is a Wasteland) recounts a dark history of Australia in The Return, inspired by Yorta Yorta man Jason Tamiru’s experiences as a repatriation worker. Three narratives interweave—a repatriation officer, a museum curator, and a bone collector—uncovering a macabre history of false justifications in an epic tale spanning 250 years.

In his Malthouse directorial debut, Jason Tamiru joins forces with Malthouse Theatre Artistic Director Matthew Lutton for a theatrical event that will give rise to how the repatriation of Ancestors can bring us closer to homecoming and healing.
Description Source Website
Primary Genre Theatre - Spoken Word
Secondary Genre Indigenous
Theatre
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Created
Subjects Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
Related Events
  • Is part of The Return , Merlyn Theatre @ CUB Malthouse, Southbank, VIC, 25 August 2020, The rescheduled production that was cancelled due to COVID-19
Organisations
Contributors
Name Function Notes
Jimi Bani Actor
Culture Evolves Actor Cultural Dance & Ceremony
Ghenoa Gela Actor
Damion Hunter Actor
Kristel Kickett Actor Understudy
Angelica Lockyer Actor
Ari Maza Long Actor Understudy
Guy Simon Actor
Laila Thaker Actor
Laura Hale Company Manager Company Manager
Jason Tamiru Consultant Cultural Custodian
Zoe Rouse Costume Designer Costume Designer
Matthew Lutton Director Co-Director
Jason Tamiru Director Co-Director
Mark Pritchard Dramaturg/e Dramaturg
Lyndall Grant Fight Director Fight Director
Paul Jackson Lighting Designer Lighting Designer
Sean Ryan Musician Yiki Yiki (Didgeridoo)
Jason Tamiru Musician Traditional Vocals/Yidaki/Clapsticks
John Harvey Playwright Writer
Laura Hale Producer Producer
Zoë Atkinson Set Designer Set Designer
Chloe Ogilvie Set Designer Design Consultant
Jethro Woodward Sound Composer Composer & Sound Designer
Jethro Woodward Sound Designer Composer & Sound Designer
Lyndie Li Wan Po Stage Manager Stage Manager
Cointha Walkeden Stage Manager Assistant Stage Manager
Works
Text Nationality Australia
Production Nationality Australia
Event Status Completed
Data Source
Source Description
Web https://www.malthousetheatre.com.au/tickets/malthouse-theatre/the-return/
Event Identifier 163035
Dataset AusStage