C-Block Theatre, Gorman Arts
Centre, Braddon. March 8-11.
A brief note
on The Age of Bones. This little piece swam into town for a few days, full of
the seas that separate the islands of Indonesia and the stories of those who
venture into them, whatever their reasons. It’s a dark story, based on the true
stories of under-age Indonesian boys imprisoned in Australia after being
unwittingly caught up in people smuggling.
It’s full of
feeling for the background and situation of Ikan, the boy who finds himself
caught up in a justice system he does not understand in a foreign country,
while at home his parents grieve, not knowing if he is alive or dead.
The piece
makes extensive use of Indonesian puppet traditions, with the banter between a
couple of lower class characters and a strong sense of the storyteller. There
are English subtitles for those who do not know Bahasa. Overlaying the shadow
puppets is the powerful use of modern film and projections with much use of
images of the sea in all its moods.
Pivotal
courtroom scenes where an Australian lawyer defends the boy are given an edge
of dark humour as the court functionaries become sea creatures like sharks and
squid.
An energetic
and poetic piece about important issues. The storyteller finally confronts the
audience. Where indeed does our tax money go?
Alanna Maclean
