By Alana Valentine. Queensland Theatre Company. The Street Theatre. 5 Jul 2015
It would be quite a yarn to hear how Alana Valentine came to work with a theatre company based in Queensland on a play developed around the setting of the Alice Springs Beanie Festival. But whatever fortuitous events transpired to make this quirky and colloquial play happen, I’m really glad they did. And with the Alice Springs Beanie Festival only just wrapping up for another year and NAIDOC Week just kicking off, it’s also a really perfect time to bring Head Full of Love to the capital.
Head Full of Love tells the story of Nesa (Annie Byron), a slightly potty grey nomad of sorts who has impulsively run away to Alice Springs to escape her problems in Sydney – in a moment later on in the play, a young Anangu girl asks Nesa if she’s a missionary, mercenary or misfit (three common stereotypes of white people that end up out in remote Indigenous communities). Well, Nesa is a misfit.
An awkward chance meeting in Alice sees Nesa come into contact with Tilley (Paula Delaney Nazarski), a wary Anangu woman whose heart is heavy with grief. Despite their initial differences and misunderstandings they bond through the art of beanie crocheting as Tilley works on her entry piece to the Beanie Festival. Their time together eventually blossoms into a beautiful and nurturing companionship that goes some way to healing the pain and loneliness they both suffer.
An extremely deep and nuanced script peppered with Pitjantjatjara, it is abundantly clear that an enormous amount of research and immersion on the part of Valentine went into developing Head Full of Love.
All the cringe worthy, predictable experiences of a white person experiencing time in a remote Indigenous community for the first time have been accurately and painstakingly infused into the storyline. Equally, there is just as much emphasis on the frustration of Indigenous people about how they are viewed and treated by those white people, as well as the complex challenges they face on a daily basis.
There is no doubt that Head Full of Love is a powerful educational tool for cultural literacy. However, this divide between the women does dissolve somewhat in the end and it really just boils down to two fellow humans with much more in common than they first thought – shedding tears, sharing laughs and having a good old gossip like any good friends do.
Byron and Nazarski are just brilliant in their respective roles, pouring every ounce of themselves into the production. They navigate the highs and lows of the unfolding companionship between Nesa and Tilley with much care and authenticity and steer well clear of any saccharine sentiment – this play is heart-warming, but it’s certainly not sappy.
The set design by Simone Romaniuk coupled with lighting by Ben Hughes is also magic. The rusted corrugated iron sheets and red desert sand transport you at first glance to central Australia, while the makeshift bench seat chair evokes the resourcefulness of communities that often make do with whatever they can find. Stunning projected images of the landscape are also intermittent reminders that Tilley’s spirituality and connection to country are never far below the surface.
And of course, how could one forget the glue that binds this story together: the beanies. Brought out one by one and perched upon specially designed hat stands, these lovingly created beanies are an imaginative, poignant representation of the women’s day to day routine that fast becomes a special chapter in the story of their lives.
Head Full of Love is an unforgettable piece of home grown theatre that really highlights the treasure trove of fascinating stories buried in our own backyard. Importantly, it is also a strong gesture of reconciliation without qualification.
For those who have limited knowledge of Indigenous people, communities and culture, it is a perfect opportunity to learn more about this important element. For those that have had a little more exposure, it’s a good chance to have a knowing chuckle and be thankful for a production that explores this terrain through such positive and accomplished storytelling.
Deborah Hawke
When: 3 to 4 Jul
Where: The Street Theatre
Bookings: Closed
