THE SAPPHIRES - Canberra Theatre Centre Playhouse.

 

The Sapphires.

Written by Tony Briggs – Directed by Wesley Enoch

Musical Direction: Nathaniel Andrew – Choreography: Yolande Brown

Set and Costume Design: Richard Roberts – Lighting Design: Ben Hughes

Video Design: Craig Wilkinson – Sound Design: Isaac Ogilvie

Presented by Canberra Theatre Centre and Queensland Theatre Company

Canberra Theatre Centre Playhouse – 31^st May to 7^th June 2026.

Opening night performance on 31^st May reviewed by BILL STEPHENS.

Taeg Twist (Gail McCrae) - Tehya Makani (Julia McRae) - Aurora Liddle-Christie (Kay McRae)
Ruby Henaway (Cynthia McCrae) - The Sapphires.

The Sapphires is one of the most enduring and popular musical plays to come out of Australia.

Many would know The Sapphires from the 2012 film, which was based on this 2004 stage play written by Tony Briggs; based on the real-life experiences of his mother and his aunt, both Yorta Yorta women, who toured Vietnam in 1968.  

Briggs’ play tells the story of four ambitious Yorta Yorta sisters, Gail, Cynthia, Julie and Kay McRae who having formed a vocal quartet called The Sapphires who specialised in singing pop songs made popular by girl-groups like The Supremes, are spotted during a talent quest by a charming, if incompetent, talent-scout, Dave Lovelace. Dave signs The Sapphires to a contract to tour Vietnam to sing for troops.

The sisters soon find themselves coping with unexpected challenges and relationships not addressed by their contract. How they cope with these challenges forms the basis of a disarmingly charming and entertaining production.

This is the third version directed by Wesley Enoch who directed the 2004 original. For this production he has taken the opportunity to re-imagine the play from the perspective of changes achieved by Australian Aboriginal women since the 1967 referendum.

Enoch’s concept for this production embraces technological changes not available at the time of his original production. An evocative set and sparkling costume design which includes clever use of scrims, imaginative lighting; and inventive sound design that  provides important clues for the sharp-eared, as well as carefully chosen archival video projections, Enoch enables vivid storytelling that allows his carefully chosen cast of eight actors and four musicians to transport its audience to a war-torn country in another time and place to illustrate the courage, resilience and humour of four aboriginal women working under extreme duress in war-torn Vietnam.

The Sapphires and band.

Portraying these women, Taeg Twist commands the stage as Gail McCrae, the no-nonsense, self-appointed protector of her siblings, willing to forfeit her own personal happiness to ensure their safety.  Ruby Henaway is the adventurous sister, Cynthia McRae, chafing at the bit to live life to the full. Tehya Makani plays Julie McRae, retiring and gentle, but hiding a secret that none of her sisters suspected, and Aurora Liddle-Christie plays the youngest, Kay McRae, also hiding a secret, which when exposed, draws the sisters closer together with the realisation of the importance of sisterhood.

Taeg Twist (Gail) - Tehya Makani (Julie) - Ruby Henaway (Cynthia) - Aurora Liddle-Christie (Kay)
The Sapphires take a call from home.

In addition to creating compelling individual characterisations, each perform Yolande Brown’s delightfully cheesy 60’s choreography with a flair and conviction that convinces their viability as a professional singing quartet.  

Jack Bannister gives an engaging performance as Dave Lovelace, the well-meaning but incompetent entrepreneur who recognises the sister’s talent and sets up their tour, but at a cost. Chris Bguyen delights as 14-year-old Joe, a Vietnamese orphan who attaches himself to the group. Garret Lyon as the Medic, Jimmy and Cameron Leonard as the hunky American parachutist, Robby, each get moments to shine in this busy, compact production.

A feature of the show is the excellent on-stage band led by musical director, Nathaniel Andrew on guitar, and featuring  Eli Badger on Bass, James Feagai on Keys and Dimple Bani on drums which provide excellent backings for the sisters as they belt out toe-tapping versions as such sixties classics as “It’s In His Kiss”, “Respect” ,  “Change, Change, Change”,  “Heard it through the Grapevine” and “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”.

This newest iteration of The Sapphires not only honours the resilience and initiative of the women who inspired it, it’s also a dazzling showcase for the talent of the new generation of artists who carry their banner.  It deserves to be seen more widely than Brisbane and Canberra.

 

                                                            Photos by David Kelly

     This review also published in AUSTRALIAN ARTS REVIEW.  www.artsreview.com.au