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Back to Bilo

Belloo Creative
The StorytellersWorld PremiereTheatre
Presented by Brisbane Festival and Queensland Theatre
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A true-life testimony to people-power, and persistence.

Back to Bilo is the profoundly moving new play from celebrated local company Belloo Creative (Boy, Lost) made with — and from — the heart of regional Queensland.

Priya and Nades left war-torn Sri Lanka and found each other in regional Queensland. They married, had two daughters, worked hard and settled into a simple but happy country life.

Their community welcomed the new family with open arms — until four years later, after an unexpected knock at the door, they were ripped away in a dawn raid. The family’s story could have ended there, but a brave band of Biloela women weren’t giving up so easily. Fighting alongside the young refugee family, the women launched a grassroots campaign that galvanised hundreds of thousands of ordinary Australians demanding the family be brought back home.

This is the remarkable true account of one family’s ordeal in the nightmare limbo of immigration detention, a story proving that love is stronger than fear and that persistence and togetherness can win against crushing odds.

Dates & Times

3 - 16 Sep

Duration: 90 mins, no interval.

Prices & Ticket Info

Adult Single Tickets from $70 Concession Single Tickets from $68 35 & Under Single Tickets from $35

Accessibility

  • Assistive Listening
  • Wheelchair Access
  • 75% Visual Content

Auslan Interpreted and Audio Described Performance: Fri 12 Sep, 7:30pm

Audio Described Performance: Sat 13 Sep, 2pm

Important Info

This production includes loud noises, flashing lights, backout, haze, and mature content and themes such as war, detention, and children in distress.

Recommended for ages 14+

Credits

Creatives:

  • Writer Katherine Lyall-Watson
  • Director Caroline Dunphy
  • Original Concept Matt Scholten
  • Dramaturg Kathryn Kelly
  • Production Design (Lighting & Set) Govin Ruben
  • Costume and Props Design Keerthi Subramanyam
  • Sound Design Guy Webster
  • Composers Guy Webster & Menaka Thomas
  • Video Designer Mic Gruchy
  • Videographer (Biloela Video Content) Shaun Charles
  • Tamil Cultural Consultants Sudhesh Somu & Vashini Jayakumar
  • Assistant Director Janaki Gerard
  • Producer Performing Lines
  • Producer (Belloo) Kristen Maloney
  • Foyer Installation Artist Charlotte Haywood
  • Design Associate (Set) Max Bowyer
  • Accent Coach Melissa Agnew
  • Tamil Language Coach Dr Gunalan Shanmuganathan
  • Dramaturgical Mentee Jai Bofinger


Crew:

  • Production Manager Jason Thelwell
  • Stage Manager Mikayla Hosking
  • Assistant Stage Manager Tia-Hanee Cleary


Cast:

  • Liz Buchanan
  • Matt Domingo
  • Sarah McIntosh
  • Erika Naddei
  • Menaka Thomas
  • Leah Vandenberg

Cover Janaki Gerard

Cover Sudhesh Somu

Accent Coach Melissa Agnew

Tamil Language Coach Dr Gunalan Shanmuganathan

Dramaturgical Mentee Jai Bofinger

Image by Stephanie Coombes

Supported By

This project has been assisted by the Australian Government’s Major Festivals Initiative, managed by Creative Australia, its arts funding and advisory body, in association with the Confederation of Australian International Arts Festivals Inc commissioned by Brisbane Festival, Darwin Festival, Perth Festival and Queensland Theatre. 

Reviews

A must-see production about the triumph of the human spirit and the power of community.

Cathy Hunt, Women of the World Festival

Partners

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Based on a true story

Read More

Brisbane Festival expresses deep respect to and acknowledges the First People of this Country.