First Seen: Barren Ground by Helen Machalias

A work-in-progress showing.
Online event hosted via Zoom.

Barren Ground takes place on the Christmas Island detention centre between 2010 and the closure of the centre in 2018, and merges elements of the plot, dialogue and characters of Shakespeare’s The Tempest with media reports of the Christmas Island detention centre and first-hand accounts of the asylum seeker experience within the Australian system.

Machalias’s story interprets The Tempest’s timeless themes of dislocation, forgiveness and redemption through the human stories of this high-profile chapter in Australia’s history.

Cast: Arishia Bordbar, Peter Cook, George Kanaan, William Tran
Director: Nicky Tyndale-Biscoe
Dramaturg: Granaz Moussavi
Cultural Consultant: Yasin Sarabi
Assistant to Dramaturg and Director: Marni Mount

Audiences from across Australia take the opportunity to be part of the creative process helping The Street progress this performance work to production-ready stage. By sharing your thoughts with the creative teams you help assist us progress the works and get a sneak peek into Canberra’s ingenious artistic community. First Seen provides a unique insight into development and is a vital part of The Street’s planning for future years to bring original and diverse Canberra stories to the stage.