The Moncrieff Entertainment Centre will welcome a moving and thought-provoking production this September as Moogahlin Performing Arts and the Sydney Theatre Company present The Visitors.
Written by Muruwari playwright Jane Harrison and directed by one of Australia’s most celebrated directors, Quandamooka man Wesley Enoch, The Visitors invites audiences to witness a powerful narrative set on a sweltering day in January 1788.
Seven clan leaders gather on a sandstone escarpment overlooking the harbour.
The attendees, six of them Elders and one new initiate, catch-up, laugh together, share a meal and compare notes.
But beyond the friendly banter, protocols, and hospitality, a momentous decision is waiting to be made.
Having recently been awarded Best Mainstage Production and Best Ensemble at the 2023 Sydney Theatre Awards, this production offers a riveting, deeply researched insight into one of the most impactful and painful days in Australia’s history, and a hugely entertaining study of how communities respond to change and the unknown.
Director Wesley Enoch said the production highlights the need for discussion and debate.
“We have friendly disagreements all the time, we argue and oppose sometimes for very personal reasons as we clash over values and ideology but as a society the key is finding some way forward rather than being paralysed by division.” Wesley said.
“The Visitors simultaneously leads us to a past and a preferred future.
“It takes us back to the arrival of the First Fleet in Sydney Cove and asks: ‘what if’ that moment was different? What if there was a way for the visitors to hear the generous message of welcome? What if they understood the power of connection to Land for the First Peoples?”
The Visitors promises to be a captivating performance that challenges the mind and moves the heart.
The Visitors
When: Tuesday 3 September 7.30 pm
Where: Moncrieff Entertainment Centre
Cost: Adults $42, Concession $38, Group 6+ $35, Child U16 $20
For more information and to book tickets, visit the Moncrieff Entertainment Centre’s website or contact the box office at (07) 4130 4100 or email moncrieff@bundaberg.qld.gov.au.
Learn about future performances coming to the Moncrieff in the latest program.
