Namatjira

Albert Namatjira was a man of firsts: the first successful indigenous artist and the first indigenous man to be made a citizen in a time where his people were legally considered ‘flora and fauna' of Australia. Citizenship must have been an honour - even if it meant that the 1950s government could suddenly tax his considerable income at the height of his career.

That's just a slice of what's presented in Namatjira, a thoughtful and refreshing theatrical look at the life of a man who gave generously to the Australian cultural landscape. Co-produced by Belvoir and Big hArt, the show, like a lot of great Indigenous theatre, cannot be appropriately placed into a genre box. It mixes music, monologue, mime, dance and art together in a way that's not often seen on Sydney's biggest stages and is certainly difficult to pull off.

The show takes place within the relatively bare theatre space (a canvas in essence), with a large wooden centerpiece present on the floor to aid the action. Trevor Jamieson leads the show, narrating and flipping between characters. Supporting him is Derek Lynch and music director Genevieve Lacey on traditional instruments. There is no set dramatic structure here: Namatjira relies much more on striking imagery to unwind the heart of the piece. At the end of it all we're left with a simple picture of a man and the environment he faced everyday.

Jamieson is utterly charming as he pokes fun at white perceptions of indigenous theatre and indigenous people, a sentiment echoed through the show. It highlights the persevering hypocrisy of white Australia and is a sad audit of our (too recent) history. But the show manages to never beat the audience over the head with it all. It's measured without being preachy.
 
The show moves fluidly through the chronology of Namatjira - after a small stumbling block. An early monologue is a little confusing as it throws out names and places to set up the story, but it's not long before everyone is on the same page. Anyone concerned that they lack knowledge of indigenous history or culture can rest easy - the show has no assumed knowledge. This actually seems to have allowed co-directors Scott Rankin and Wayne Blair to have some fun with audience expectations, resulting in some very funny, very truthful moments.

Lovingly detailed on the stage, Namatjira is as richly drawn as one of its namesake's best works. Playful and provocative, it's remarkably well balanced and speaks to the heart of the Australian culture. Adam Moussa