Tiddas

This play continues Belvoir’s magnificent commitment to indigenous theatre.

It’s an adaptation of Anita Heiss’ novel by the writer herself, directed by Nadine McDonald-Dowd and Roxanne McDonald.

Six women meet regularly as members of a book club and we witness their changing relationships as each faces their own individual problems.

This is, of course, not new territory. However, presented from an indigenous perspective, it’s fascinating.

Yes, there are several challenges involved in using this type of plot in theatre. One is that the positing of five (or is it six?) protagonists makes it difficult to give sufficient time to each individual story. Secondly, by setting many of the scenes in the actual club meetings – an exclusively female space – the main problem each woman appears to face is her relationship with other women. And to achieve dramatic tension, these women bicker and fight. In a tale which aims (I think) to ultimately valorise sisterhood, that tension is disconcerting.

But is it a truthful representation? I wouldn’t know.

And that raises the issue of theatre that purports to tell our stories. As an outsider, am I to take all this as reportage?

I suggested initially that the following of the standard tropes of a sisterhood story was made more intriguing by its indigenous perspective. How?

Firstly, all the books discussed by the club are written by indigenous writers (once again, I think). We’re spared lengthy discussions of texts we may not be familiar with, but it’s curious that what the characters often value about the chosen books is their focus on what might be called political issues. Valuing a novel for its content or theme is not what is usually done. A book about, say, native title might be well written or it might be poorly written. Consider the enormous range in quality of novels about, say, love. When an artwork is valued primarily for its content or theme it suggests either a lack of sophistication on the part of the reader, or a glorious relief that finally a deep silence is being broken. (It’s worth noting that the much esteemed Jane Austen wrote six novels about love – which is six more than she wrote about native title.)

Continuing to addressing the deep silences in our nation’s literature, the characters suggest that the great Australian novel would need to include indigenous characters and to have a “message.” The first of these requirement is obvious, but the second is highly debatable. Heiss’ Tiddas is playfully asking us to think about fiction (I’m deliberately avoiding the phrase our stories.)

In a gorgeously provocative twist, though the novels the club reads are often valued for their focus on indigenous political issues, most (though not all) of the issues Heiss’ characters face are more universal; sexual relations, procreation, and friendship. (I’ll point out a fascinating blurring of this: one character uses the word “sovereignty” to describe the experience of personal autonomy or individual independence. It will be interesting to see, over the next few years, the changing usage of this oddly legalistic word.)  

If I take Tiddas as reportage, I should also point out that a fundamental aspect of the characters’ experience is an intense awareness and assertion of distinctions: Blak as against white, Aboriginal as against Torres Strait Islander, Koori as against Murri, woman as against man. Definition by opposition can feel empowering. And the characters’ emphasis on nomenclature (which word or phrase is the correct or acceptable one) expresses both a desire to be accurately represented and a desire for power. Considering this nation’s appalling colonial history, both desires are utterly understandable. (That knowledge is readily aligned with power is highlighted in a scene in which the sole white character apologises for her terrible behaviour, saying “There is so much I need to learn.” Learn? Is ignorance really her fault? Though it seems counter-intuitive, to emphasise her moral culpability would be to further underline her power. Ascribing ignorance to her weakens her, particularly when what counts as knowledge is beyond her remit.)   

The cast – Louise Brehmer, Lara Croydon, Jade Lomas-Ronan, Roxanne McDonald, Anna McMahon, Perry Mooney and Sean Dow (playing all the male roles) – are very watchable, and warmly invite us to share their characters’ frustrations and joys.  

I’ll finish by describing a golden moment in the performance. It’s understated and unobtrusive. The spoiler rule prevents me giving much detail, but it’s a piece of stage business involving two glasses of alcohol and which of two characters is drinking what. It’s a delightful subversion of stereotypes, and a wonderful example of the dramatic form’s ability – through its juxtaposition of voice with voice, and words with actions – to remind us that the world will refuse to fit our theories (our stories?) and will constantly challenge us to growth.   

Paul Gilchrist

Tiddas by Anita Heiss

At upstairs Belvoir (as part of the Sydney Festival) until Jan 28

belvoir.com.au/productions/tiddas/  

Image by Stephen Wilson Barker

Tags: Belvoir, Tiddas