Torres Strait Regional Authority (TSRA) has proudly supported the premiere of The Boy Who Found His Way Home, the first play production written by acclaimed Torres Strait Islander author Jillian Boyd-Bowie.
Presented by the Grin & Tonic Theatre Troupe in collaboration with Bani Productions, Gab Titui Cultural Centre, Arts Queensland and the Torres Strait Islander Media Association (TSIMA), the show captivated more than 500 audience members across two fun-filled nights at the Gab Titui amphitheatre on Friday 16 and Saturday 17 May.
Jillian Boyd-Bowie (Bid Buai – Dolphin People and Bakir Bi) made her playwrighting debut with this heartwarming coming-of-age tale about a young city boy, named Iothamo, who is thrust back into the Strait and rediscovering his roots amid mango chores, no-filter aunties, and a local fishing comp.
“Sitting in the audience, watching and observing my story from page to stage was a surreal moment for me, especially seeing families and friends enjoying the show from start to finish, it warms my heart,” Jillian said.
“To experience storytelling and the passing on of knowledge in a fun and engaging way through theatre is powerful. It pays to have such a great team of actors, directors and designers behind it all.
“The post-show impact in community is overwhelming. I am humbled by the buzz and positive feedback.
“Within one hour, I did my best to capture and celebrate who we are as Torres Strait Islanders in the hope of inspiring our young people to be proud of their identity and cultural heritage, and to be eager to learn more, practice more, because the future of our cultural sustenance, including our language, lies in their hands, and we as elders and cultural educators must do more to create that safe space of learning in their lives,” she said.
Grounded in culture, the show delivered powerful messages wrapped with belly-aching laughter. It was a true celebration of Torres Strait talent with familiar stories about home and identity.
Renowned Torres Strait actor, Jimi Bani (Mabo, The Straits), brought many of the characters to life and was honoured to be part of the three-week production.
“To be able to deliver Aunty Jill’s words and share the stage with Vaughan was magical,” Jimi said.
“We’ve rehearsed and finessed the show in under three weeks, but acting alongside Vaughan has been the biggest highlight; he is an amazing storyteller, and I was honoured to ride this wave with him,” he added.
Theatre newcomer, Vaughan Wapau’s (Strait from the Strait), delivery of Iothamo was met with standing ovations.
“I honestly don’t know what to say, the show was so good and I’m glad family and the audience enjoyed it,” Vaughan said.
“I just loved that familiar story portrayed by Iothamo trying to fit in and then finding accomplishment and pride in learning his culture from his Ata and discovering his identity.”
TSRA Chairperson George Nona attended the show and praised the production team for bringing generations together through love and laughter.
“You could feel the joy and emotion from the crowd. They saw themselves in this story, and that’s the power of local theatre,” Mr Nona said.
“TSRA and the Gab Titui Cultural Centre are proud to support home-grown First Nation performing artists from our region to share their works on stage, here and abroad.
“Credit to playwright Jillian-Boyd Bowie on this amazing debut and for capturing our people, our humour and the connections we have with each other.
“Congratulations to Jimi, Vaughan and the Grin & Tonic Theatre Troupe for producing a wonderful show that reflected culture, keeping storytelling alive for our future generations,” he said.
TSRA acknowledged TSIMA for its contribution to the play, with Radio4MW being a prominent feature of the show.
Following its Waibene success, The Boy Who Found His Way Home was presented to Badu community on 21 May, as part of its mission to continue sharing Torres Strait stories with Torres Strait audiences.
Gab Titui offers community a line-up of incredible Public Programs for all ages. All upcoming events are published on our Facebook page. For more information contact CAHTeam@tsra.gov.au or contact 07 4069 0888 for more information.
