AustLit

A musical version of George Landen Dann's play of the same name, with the score written by Sydney-based composer Gerry Cole. Set in the Australian outback the narrative concerns Aboriginal rights and ideals, particularly with regard to the production of a corroboree. Matters such as assimilation, politics and ideology and race relations are questioned. Although the work was broadcast on radio there is no record of it ever having been produced on the stage. Theatre historian and friend of Dann, Leslie Rees, wrote in 1958 that he often thought about 'having a go at this musical but it would be hard to make any players other than true aborigines [sic] seem convincing' (qtd Queensland Theatre Company programme, 2000, p9). An unpublished manuscript is held in the Eunice Hanger Collection of the Fryer Library (The University of Queensland).