Rainbow's End August 29, 2009

Christine Anu,
Lillian Crombie
and Chenoa Deemal
to star in Jane Harrison’s
Rainbow’s End
produced by Riverside Productions at Riverside Theatres

Jane Harrison’s play, Rainbow’s End, is a snapshot of Australian life in the nineteen fifties as experienced by three generations of Koori women. This Sydney premiere features film and television veteran Lillian Crombie as Nan Dear, popular music performer Christine Anu as her daughter Gladys and newcomer Chenoa Deemal debuts as teenage granddaughter Dolly. With humour and gentle irony Rainbow’s End skillfully captures the optimistic spirit of the women as they strive to belong in conservative rural Australia. Directed by Craig Ilott, this funny and engaging play is produced by Riverside Theatres for a limited season from Saturday August 29 to September 12.

The three women live in a shack on the flood plain of the Goulburn River near Shepparton in Victoria. The time is the 1950’s and the royal visit is creating a climate of `queen and country’ pride in the post-colonial world of Menzies’ Australia. Although Nan believes their life on “the flats” represents a certain progress, Gladys is eager to secure a real house and job for Dolly in town.

“It’s fantastic to have the opportunity to do my first play,’ says Christine Anu ”a wonderful storyline about three generations of women on their own personal journeys.”

Like Jane Harrison’s extraordinarily successful previous play Stolen, Rainbow’s End is a story of hope, of love and of the search for identity and belonging. Most of all it is a celebration of the triumph of human spirit as the three feisty women fight for an equal chance and acceptance in a white community. With music from the period, this funny and moving play has great heart.

"I decided to write about the '50s, but instead of writing about the obvious heroes, I chose to write about the unsung heroes," said the plays writer Jane Harrison.

Rainbow’s End had a successful Melbourne production and played at Rumbalara, the Aboriginal settlement which inspired the work. It has also had a season in Japan. The Riverside season is the Sydney premiere. This highly pertinent theatre work is included on the HSC syllabus for English for NSW.

‘Rainbow’s End is a testament to the transformative power of learning. While it is set in another era the message is relevant to the current situation in many indigenous communities and amongst cultural minorities. But first and foremost Rainbow’s End is a truly feel good night in the theatre’ says the play’s producer Camilla Rountree.

‘Harrison's writing is full of subtleties, from the ironies of Gladys' patriotic enthusiasm for the Queen's visit, to her mention of her husband's wartime service, and an awareness of the post-colonial implications of the Britannica - with a reference to the characters' lack of citizenship’ Melbourne Age

‘…high-quality, thought-provoking and emotionally powerful drama’ Melbourne Age

RAINBOW’S END

DATES: August 29- September 12
TIMES: Sat 29 Aug 7.30pm, Wed 2 Sept 7.30pm, Thurs 3 Sept 7.30pm, Fri Sept 4 7.30pm, Sat Sept 5 7.30pm, Thurs 10 Sept 6.30pm, Fri 11 Sept 7.30pm, Sat 12 Sept 2.15pm and 7.30pm
School Performances: Fri 28 Aug, Mon 31 Aug, Tues 1 Sept, Weds 2 Sept, Fri 4 Sept, Mon 7 Sept, Tues 8 Sept, Weds 9 Sept, Thurs 10 Sept at 11am.

BOOKINGS: Riverside Box Office 02 8839 3399 or www.riversideparramatta.com.au

More information about the artists

Australia’s most successful indigenous performer and one of the country’s most popular recording artists Christine Anu, makes her first appearance in a straight play after performing roles in music theatre that included Little Shop of Horrors and Mimi in the musical Rent. A multi ARIA Award winning music performer, Christine has also paved out a notable career in television and film from Baz Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge to the Matrix Reloaded and her own highly successful cabaret show Intimate and Deadly.

Lillian Crombie is one of our best known indigenous actors. She was most recently seen in Baz Luhrmann’s film Australia. Stage credits include The Cherry Pickers, Black-ed Up, Sydney Stories for Sydney Theatre Company, Clan for Bangarra Dance Theatre, Capricornia, Black Mary and Up the Road for Company B and appearances on Australian television including The Secret Life of Us and Breakers.

Newcomer Chenoa Deemal is a recent graduate from the Aboriginal Centre for the Performing Arts, Brisbane where she studied with Leah Purcell. She has performed in various short films and Rainbow’s End marks her professional theatre debut.

The cast is supported by an impressive creative team including director Craig Ilott who returns to Riverside Theatres after the successful production of Shakespeare’s R&J in 2008. His prestigious directing credits also include the highly acclaimed The Pillow Man for Company B, The Pig Iron People for Sydney Theatre Company and the Helpmann Award winning Hedwig and The Angry Inch. Productions for his own company, Albedo Theatre include Dealer’s Choice and Edmond. He was resident director on The Makropoulos Secret for Opera Australia and assistant director on the successful Australian feature Candy. Ilott is joined by composer Steve Francis who has composed music for many Bangarra Dance Theatre productions, Sydney Theatre Company and Bell Shakespeare. Set design is by Jacob Nash the designer of Yibiyung and the current hit Ruben Guthrie for Company B. Lighting by Matthew Marshall previously worked with Craig Ilott on Shakespeare’s R&J and for The Pillowman. The creative team is completed by Costume Designer, Rita Carmody and Sound Designer, Jeremy Silver.

MEDIA INQUIRIES: Michelle Guthrie, MGM Management –
02 8399 1613 or 0412 547 297 or michelleguthrie@mgmmanagement.com.au