Stephen Page’s creative homecoming for Brisbane Festival is something special. While Baleen Moondjan’s world premiere season began in Adelaide last year, this pioneering tale belongs on The Landing at Queen’s Wharf – albeit transforming the site for only a few days.
The artistically gifted Page brothers – Stephen, David and Russell – became three of our city’s most celebrated sons through their contributions to Bangarra Dance Theatre, but during his 32 years at the helm Stephen Page tragically lost both his sibling collaborators.
His first major commission post-Bangarra honours family and clan spirit and heritage, country and culture, through a narrative inspired by his Nunukul/Nughi mother’s ancestral stories of the Moondjan people of Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island). Baleen Moondjan represents their whale spirit totem.
Co-written by Page with Alana Valentine, the life-cycle story celebrating totemic connections is also ceremonial, drawing on a mix of traditional and contemporary elements.
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That is, of course, what Page did so brilliantly as artistic director and choreographer of Bangarra and beyond, including the Sydney 2000 Olympics. The company’s works achieved a symbiotic fusion of movement and design – set, costumes, lighting and sound – and the team of Jacob Nash, Janet Irwin, Damien Cooper and Steve Francis respectively – have united again to craft a spectacular and atmospheric feast floating on the Brisbane River.
Most striking is the huge skeleton of whale rib bones that is powerfully symbolic and also frames the work beautifully. Irwin’s costumes are also richly evocative, especially the kelp nets that transform into skirts draping the three female dancers. Bangarra alumni Beau Dean Riley Smith (who’s also assistant director) and Tara Gower are among the cast of six.
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However, this 65-minute journey differs significantly in one aspect that offers an extended public reach. Juxtaposing traditional smoking, boomerang clapstick and movement elements are contemporary songs and rap (in addition to Francis’s ambient score).
Aria World Music award-winning rapper and drummer DOBBY is one of four singers and two musicians (who also contribute keyboards, electric guitar and bass).
Forming the central focus as elder Gindara and granddaughter Nundigili, veteran performer Elaine Crombie and Zipporah Corser-Anu wow with their soulful delivery and dramatic vocal range. The younger artist’s surname provides a clue as to why she is a talent to watch, her parents being Christine Anu and Rodger Corser. Portraying the Spirit of Yallingbillar, Brandon Boney lends further gravitas to the multi-generational tale.
Just as the story represents a passing of the torch, one senses that Baleen Moondjan is a continuation of now-elder Stephen Page’s artistic handover.
The seating banks are farther from the stage than they would be in a theatre, so those who like close-up detail might want to bring magnification.
Even though there’s a glossary of Jandai language in the program and the story is communicated with the creator’s trademark clarity, subtitles would add another layer of understanding. Perhaps next time. But you won’t want to miss this special, all-too brief season of Baleen Moondjan.
Baleen Moondjan plays The Landing, Queen’s Wharf, until September 21.