Three estranged half-sisters gather for their mother’s funeral. It’s been years since the women have been together in the rundown Queenslander house, but the time has come to mourn the old girl and unpack a few family secrets.
In a new production of Louis Nowra’s 1993 play Radiance at Belvoir, Leah Purcell plays oldest sister Cressy, who escaped far north Queensland for international opera stages but hasn’t outrun her past. Shari Sebbens plays Mae, the middle sister left to care for their declining mother but still yearning for her love. And funny, feisty Miranda Tapsell plays the spitfire youngest daughter Nona, who spends her days and nights searching for legendary rodeo star the Black Prince, the man she believes to be her father.
When Indigenous actors Rhoda Roberts and Lydia Miller sat down with Nowra in the early 90s, they wanted to create a universal story that showcased their acting abilities rather than focus specifically on their Aboriginality. Nevertheless, while the reviews were mixed when it opened, the play would come to have a lasting impact on Indigenous theatre and its female stars in particular.
In this modern era of Black Comedy and Blak Cabaret, where the next generation of Indigenous playwrights look to tell their own contemporary stories, it’s heartening to revisit this piece and its focus on the strength of female performances above all.
Huge credit must go to director Purcell, long regarded as one of the finest actors of her generation, and someone who has been part of the evolution of Indigenous theatre. The three sisters spar and struggle against each other as sisters do, striking painfully at weak points only they know, but Purcell fills the production with wit and warmth.
Mention should also go to Dale Ferguson’s clever set that splits the scene between the claustrophobic old house and the squidgy mud flats, while the evocative light and sound design suggests the oppressive tropical storms just off-stage. With its powerful performances and still affecting story, Radiance is a strong start to Belvoir’s 2015 season and a reminder of its pioneering past.
• Radiance is on at Belvoir until 8 February
