Visitors are meant to leave. Right?
The premiere of Jane Harrison’s The Visitors at the Sydney Opera House marks the second rendition of the acclaimed play since its smash-hit debut at Sydney Festival in early 2020. The performance, directed by the legendary Wesley Enoch and produced by Moogahlin Performing Arts and Sydney Theatre Company, is a fantastically critical and speculative historical fiction that leaves you inspired and hopeful.
Harrison’s play is set in 1788, where seven Elders from each respective nation across the region we now know as Sydney gather to discuss the looming nawees (the First Fleet) sailing towards the Eora nation (Botany Bay). The play focuses on the discussions within that meeting, and explores the varied suggestions for what to do about the strange boats heading closer towards their shore.
...this play humanises history and recenters Indigenous presence and engagement, simultaneously in the past and for the future.
The premise is simple: how do we come to an agreement about understanding the unknown? Each character represented provides dimension into what becomes a very difficult question to resolve. Both Harrison’s meticulous dialogue and the deeply considered character development of each Elder adds colour and complexity to this question. It is very easy for performances about historically marginalised and colonised groups to become patronising or dogmatic parables – this production completely evades such superficial discussions, executing a performance that empowers the audience with choice, and the responsibility that comes with choice.
In a world that conflates intellectualism with sterile, clinical, and quantitative metrics; Enoch’s approach to this play foregrounds emotion, empathy and nuance. This refreshing and meaningful approach stays with the audience long after they have left chambers of the Sydney Opera House.
In this revised version, Enoch collaborates with cultural liaison Aunty Yvonne Simms and Senior Dharug and Dharawal language teacher Corina Norman to provide a performance that is accurate down to its Bidjigal dialect. The interspersed use of Dharug language accompanied by cultural props and weapons used by Sydney Harbour nations honours tradition and culture, and sets an astounding benchmark for what cultural consultation and collaboration must look like in artistic works.
The simple yet detailed staging by Elizabeth Gadsby replicates a beautifully imagined coastal landscape of Sydney. It is very easy to see such discussions by the Elders taking place amongst the shucks of oyster shells, rocky terrain and blinding Australian sunlight (with complementary lighting designed by Karen Norris). A contrast to this homage is portrayed in Gadsby’s anachronistic costuming – the Elders are draped in corporate suits, which reinforce their status to the assumed Western audience. However, despite the overtly Western costume choice, the use of the suits becomes a reclamation of power, rather than an interpretation of foreshadowed assimilation.
The choice to cast women as Elders Jaky and Wallace (played by Elaine Crombie and Dalara Williams) reflects the traditional involvement of Aboriginal women in authoritative positions. Much like these characters, Crombie carries great authority on stage. She is able to seamlessly hold space for the serious nature of the play, yet her precise comic timing cuts the tension and provides great relief. In contrast to Crombie, Williams’ performance provides a softness and introspection which catalyses the central plot of the performance. However, Williams’ performance requires some fine-tuning; her harsh enunciation of her lines feels at times like rote memorisation and diminishes the emotional depth of her performance.
The star performance comes from Luke Carroll (At What Cost?) as Gordon. Carroll’s control of Gordon’s anger throughout the performance is a masterful endeavour. He commands the audience with a zealous fervour and ends his performance with two raw monologues. The distinction between actor and performer during these monologues becomes unclear and further heightens Carroll’s masterful command of language, pain, poise and audience attention. It is a privilege to experience such a moving performance.
The Visitors is a powerful and contemplative performance that challenges the mind and moves the heart. In an educational system where learning about colonisation is often reduced to selective facts; this play humanises history and recenters Indigenous presence and engagement, simultaneously in the past and for the future. The play’s weighty discussions hold even more significance with the upcoming referendum. It serves as a timely reminder on the importance of critical discussions and collaboration in order to best serve each other and our future as a nation. Whilst the pacing may be at times slow, this is compensated for in the emotional catharsis witnessed and experienced from such a profound performance.
The Visitors is at the Drama Theatre at the Sydney Opera House until October 14 (get tickets here); Riverside Theatres from October 19-21 (get tickets here); and Illawarra Performing Arts Centre from October 25-28 (get tickets here).
