The Sapphires (play)
Encyclopedia
The Sapphires is an Australia
n play
written by Tony Briggs and directed by Wesley Enoch
. It is set in 1968 (a year after the referendum
expanding the rights of Aborigines) and it tells the story of The Sapphires, a singing group of four Koori
women who tour Vietnam
during the war
.
It was inspired by the true story of Briggs's mother, Laurel Robinson, and aunt, Lois Peeler, who toured Vietnam as singers.The pair slept on the stage, as Robinson recalled: “It was so scary – one night a bomb went off, the bed fell down and the place shook."
Though set at the time of increasing calls for Aboriginal rights, the play largely ignores these issues and concentrates on pure entertainment; fun and humour.
in 2004 and continued at Sydney's Company B
in 2005. The original cast included Deborah Mailman
, Rachael Maza, Ursula Yovich
and Lisa Flanagan
.
and Company B in 2010, with Christine Anu
, Casey Donovan
, Hollie Andrew
and Kylie Farmer
playing the lead roles. This company also toured to Adelaide and was a part of the Adelaide Festival.
The show appeared at the Barbican Centre
in London
for two weeks in March 2011. The four leading cast members were Casey Donovan
, Lisa Maza, Ngaire Pigram and Megan Sarmardin. The rest of the cast was Aljin Abella, Jimi Bani, Markus Hamilton and Oliver Wenn.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n play
Play (theatre)
A play is a form of literature written by a playwright, usually consisting of scripted dialogue between characters, intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. There are rare dramatists, notably George Bernard Shaw, who have had little preference whether their plays were performed...
written by Tony Briggs and directed by Wesley Enoch
Wesley Enoch
Wesley Enoch is an Australian playwright and artistic director of Murri descent.- Life :The eldest son of Doug and Lyn Enoch from Stradbroke Island, Wesley Enoch grew up in Brisbane....
. It is set in 1968 (a year after the referendum
Australian referendum, 1967 (Aboriginals)
The referendum of 27 May 1967 approved two amendments to the Australian constitution relating to Indigenous Australians. Technically it was a vote on the Constitution Alteration 1967, which became law on 10 August 1967 following the results of the referendum...
expanding the rights of Aborigines) and it tells the story of The Sapphires, a singing group of four Koori
Koori
The Koori are the indigenous Australians that traditionally occupied modern day New South Wales and Victoria....
women who tour Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
during the war
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
.
It was inspired by the true story of Briggs's mother, Laurel Robinson, and aunt, Lois Peeler, who toured Vietnam as singers.The pair slept on the stage, as Robinson recalled: “It was so scary – one night a bomb went off, the bed fell down and the place shook."
Though set at the time of increasing calls for Aboriginal rights, the play largely ignores these issues and concentrates on pure entertainment; fun and humour.
Original Production
The play debuted with the Melbourne Theatre CompanyMelbourne Theatre Company
The Melbourne Theatre Company is a theatre company based in Melbourne. Founded in 1953, it is the oldest professional theatre company in Australia, and has its own theatre, The MTC Theatre – which houses the 500-seat Sumner Theatre and the 150-seat Lawler Studio – located in Melbourne's Arts...
in 2004 and continued at Sydney's Company B
Company B (theatre)
Belvoir is an Australian theatre company based at the Belvoir St Theatre in Sydney, Australia. Its Artistic Director is Ralph Myers.Belvoir receives government support for its activities from the federal government through the Major Performing Arts Board of the Australia Council for the Arts and...
in 2005. The original cast included Deborah Mailman
Deborah Mailman
Deborah Mailman , is an Australian television and film actress. She was the first Aboriginal actress to win the Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role...
, Rachael Maza, Ursula Yovich
Ursula Yovich
Ursula Yovich is an actress and singer. She received a Helpmann Award in 2007 for her performance in Capricornia and was nominated in 2005 for her performance in The Sapphires...
and Lisa Flanagan
Lisa Flanagan
Lisa Flanagan is an Australian actress who is best known for her roles in the movies Australian Rules and Look Both Ways and the television series Double Trouble...
.
Other Productions
It was revived by Black SwanBlack Swan
The Black Swan is a large waterbird, a species of swan, which breeds mainly in the southeast and southwest regions of Australia. The species was hunted to extinction in New Zealand, but later reintroduced. Within Australia they are nomadic, with erratic migration patterns dependent upon climatic...
and Company B in 2010, with Christine Anu
Christine Anu
-Early life:Anu was born in Cairns, Queensland to a Torres Strait Islander mother from Saibai and Mabuiag Islands.-Career:Anu began performing as a dancer and later went on to sing back-up vocals for The Rainmakers, which included Neil Murray of the Warumpi Band. Her first recording was in 1993...
, Casey Donovan
Casey Donovan (singer)
-Australian Idol :Donovan transferred to the Australian Institute of Music in Sydney's Surry Hills in 2004 and it was in this year that her stepfather encouraged her to audition for the second season of Australian Idol...
, Hollie Andrew
Hollie Andrew
Hollie Andrew is an Australian actress.- Career :Andrew starred with Abbie Cornish and Sam Worthington in the AFI Award winning Somersault where Andrew herself was nominated for an AFI as best supporting actress in her role as Bianca in [2004]...
and Kylie Farmer
Kylie Farmer
Kylie Farmer is an Aboriginal Australian actress. She has played Juliet in a run of Romeo and Juliet with the Australian Shakespeare Company, featured in the 2010 revival of The Sapphires, appeared in Rima Tamou's film Sa Black Thing which is an episode of the SBS TV series Dramatically Black,...
playing the lead roles. This company also toured to Adelaide and was a part of the Adelaide Festival.
The show appeared at the Barbican Centre
Barbican Centre
The Barbican Centre is the largest performing arts centre in Europe. Located in the City of London, England, the Centre hosts classical and contemporary music concerts, theatre performances, film screenings and art exhibitions. It also houses a library, three restaurants, and a conservatory...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
for two weeks in March 2011. The four leading cast members were Casey Donovan
Casey Donovan (singer)
-Australian Idol :Donovan transferred to the Australian Institute of Music in Sydney's Surry Hills in 2004 and it was in this year that her stepfather encouraged her to audition for the second season of Australian Idol...
, Lisa Maza, Ngaire Pigram and Megan Sarmardin. The rest of the cast was Aljin Abella, Jimi Bani, Markus Hamilton and Oliver Wenn.
Film Version
Production of a movie version began in 2011. The leads have gone to Deborah Mailman (from the original production), Jessica Mauboy, Shari Sebbens and Miranda Tapsell. Although Donovan received strong reviews in the 2010 production, and auditioned for the movie version, she was ultimately not chosen to star.Awards
- 2005 Helpmann AwardHelpmann AwardThe Helpmann Awards recognize distinguished artistic achievement and excellence in Australia's live performing arts sectors. The recognized disciplines include musical and physical theatre, contemporary and classical music, opera, and dance, with a comedy category introduced in 2006...
- Best Play - 2005 Helpmann AwardHelpmann AwardThe Helpmann Awards recognize distinguished artistic achievement and excellence in Australia's live performing arts sectors. The recognized disciplines include musical and physical theatre, contemporary and classical music, opera, and dance, with a comedy category introduced in 2006...
- Best New Australian work