Insightful and moving, Stolen tells the stories of five individuals
from the stolen generation. On its 20th anniversary this is a must see Australian classic. Van Hout moves the storytelling into a contemporary dreaming time underlaid with hope. Chronology and geography is fluid as she unlocks movement from place and communities.
Stolen sketches the stories of five children taken from their families in
early childhood and the impact this has on their lives and those of their
families.
This script by Jane Harrison has become an Australian classic. 2018 is the twentieth anniversary of its premiere.
Stolen is as relevant today as when it was first performed. Themes of loss and love and resilience: the poignancy of five children’s experiences struggling to make sense of their world.
It is a classic and important work brought to life in a bold, visceral and contemporary fashion by Director Vicki Van Hout, who moves the storytelling into a contemporary dreaming time underlaid with hope. Chronology and geography is fluid as she unlocks movement from place and communities.
The main link between the five characters is that they were all
stolen and placed in a children’s home, although not necessarily at the
same time. However, in many scenes they interact as though they were there
together.
The script merges past and present in a non-linear narrative. The play begins with the characters as children and ends with the resolution of their characters – where they are at the present moment in time, the end result of all that has gone before.
This is a story that needs to be retold, as we recognise that there are now more children in custody than there were nearly twenty years ago.
FULL
REVIEW
HERE
The Moment
“A can of peas. A can like this one ruined my family. True, a can of peas. Destroyed my mother and us kids”
Using cans of peas in a theatrical version of the shell game con trick, Sandy performs the story of why a can of peas was used to take him away from his mother. Taking the metaphor of an ages old confidence trick, many children were removed with their families being unaware that they would never have contact or be reunited with their children.
Sandy’s rages amidst the futility of his situation in a scene where cans go flying and he punches out in a world where it seems no one is listening.
AVAILABLE TO TOUR FROM MAY 2018
REVIEWS FOR THE SHOW
A National Theatre of Parramatta Production
STOLEN
Directed by Vicki Van Hout
I am always surprised by the power and presence of humour, especially when times appear at their bleakest and this play readily utilises humour to this effect. This play is ultimately not about lives in the home care system, but of the resilience to overcome an appalling start in life. This work operates as a sort of modern day urban song cycle, the storytelling occurs in a kind of dreaming time, where chronology and geography is fluid and secondary to the essence of who these characters are.
I am always seeking to embed my own works with the knowledge I have and am continuing to accumulating as a long time alumni of NAISDA. At NAISDA we learned dances, were told stories, lore and law, we made our own props from simple materials, often including, developing and substituting the traditional artefacts with urban equivalents at hand.
I have enhanced the idea of Stolen occurring as a song cycle, sung or conceived by the character Ruby. Because she is deemed disturbed, I see her character as accessing the Dreaming more readily.
VICKI VAN HOUT, Director
The play is at once a chance to reflect on the tragedies of our recent past and a celebration of the endurance of Aboriginal people and their diverse cultures.
Van Hout has inter-woven and augmented the scenes with beautifully choreographed and performed dance and movement segments, that heighten the anguish and despair of the stories, yet infuse them with a renaissance of identity and hope.
Van Hout and her ensemble have delivered a fresh and emotionally affecting take on an Australian classic, well worth the trip to Sydney’s west for those who normally restrict their theatre diet to within their capital city.
THE JOURNEY SO FAR...
June 2013
Reading and development at Riverside Theatres, Parramatta
2018
April/May 2018 remount
2018
National touring
Van Hout’s production is expansive, earthy, and generous
Time Out
CREATIVE TEAM
Director Vicki Van Hout
Set & Costume Imogen Ross
Lighting & Video Toby Knyvett
Sound Design Phil Downing
TOURING PARTY
5x Performers
1x Production Manager
1x Company Stage Manager
The Creative Team
MARKETING
ENGAGEMENT
Rather than give the traditional remount/weekly budget breakdown, we thought we would make your price estimations a little easier for you. We've estimated a conservative number of venues on the tour to arrive at a price range for the minimum buy.
Note - fees will adjust depending on the level of interest for the show.
Please contact Arts on Tour if you would like an estimate for more performances.
PRICE GUIDE
1 DAY BUY: 1 day bump in, open with evening performance, PLUS 1 workshop
# Presenters
10
DAY 1: bump in, open with evening performance, PLUS 1 workshop
DAY 2: Matinee Performance, Evening Performance, PLUS 1 workshop
2 DAY BUY:
# Presenters
10
2016
Season at Riverside Theatres, Parramatta
Fee Estimation
# Perfs
Royalty
15
$10,500 - $12,600
14.5%
Fee Estimation
# Perfs
Royalty
14.5%
$15,900 - $19,200
15
# Weeks
4
# Weeks
4
We love talking about shows with presenters!
Please get in contact with Joanne at National Theatre of Parramatta or Sara at Arts on Tour for further info or to chat about how Stolen could fit into your programming.
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