Stolen (play)
Encyclopedia
Stolen is a play by Australia
n playwright Jane Harrison. It is based upon the lives of five indigenous people who dealt with the issues for forceful removal by the Australian government.
children, who go by the names of Sandy, Ruby, Jimmy, Anne, and Shirley.
Sandy has spent his entire life on the run, never having a set home to live in. Stolen tracks his quest for a place to be, a place where he doesn’t have keep hiding from the government (even though they are no longer after him), and a place he can call home.
Ruby was forced to work as a domestic
from a young age, and was driven insane by the abuse of her white masters. In the latter part of the play, she spends a lot of her time mumbling to herself, whilst her family desperately try to help her.
Jimmy was separated from his mother at a very young age, and she spent her entire life looking for him. He spent a lot of time in prison, and on the day he finally got out, he was told about his mother’s search. As he went to meet her, she died, and he committed suicide in anger. Jimmy thought his mother was dead because everytime she writes him a letter the nuns take it and put it in the cabinet.
Anne was removed from her family and placed in a Caucasian
family’s home. She was materially happy in this home, a lot happier than many of the other characters, but when her indigenous family tried to meet her, she was caught in crossfire between her two “families”.
Shirley was removed from her parents, and had her children removed from her. She only felt relief, safety, and comfort when her granddaughter was born, and not removed.
syllabi.
, on 21 October 1998, with the following cast and crew:
All of the other parts in the play (mainly offstage voices) were played by one of the five actors/actresses mentioned above.
, Adelaide
, regional Victoria
, Tasmania
, the UK, Hong Kong
, and Tokyo
. Furthermore, readings were performed in Canada
and New York
..
by Dallas Wimmar) the Kate Challis RAKA award in 1998, on the back of largely successful first season
Stolen was studied on the Victorian Certificate of Education
English
syllabus, and the New South Wales
Higher School Certificate syllabus. Many other schools throughout Australia have also placed Stolen on their English curriculum
.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n playwright Jane Harrison. It is based upon the lives of five indigenous people who dealt with the issues for forceful removal by the Australian government.
Plot
Stolen tells the story of five AboriginalIndigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
children, who go by the names of Sandy, Ruby, Jimmy, Anne, and Shirley.
Sandy has spent his entire life on the run, never having a set home to live in. Stolen tracks his quest for a place to be, a place where he doesn’t have keep hiding from the government (even though they are no longer after him), and a place he can call home.
Ruby was forced to work as a domestic
Domestic worker
A domestic worker is a man, woman or child who works within the employer's household. Domestic workers perform a variety of household services for an individual or a family, from providing care for children and elderly dependents to cleaning and household maintenance, known as housekeeping...
from a young age, and was driven insane by the abuse of her white masters. In the latter part of the play, she spends a lot of her time mumbling to herself, whilst her family desperately try to help her.
Jimmy was separated from his mother at a very young age, and she spent her entire life looking for him. He spent a lot of time in prison, and on the day he finally got out, he was told about his mother’s search. As he went to meet her, she died, and he committed suicide in anger. Jimmy thought his mother was dead because everytime she writes him a letter the nuns take it and put it in the cabinet.
Anne was removed from her family and placed in a Caucasian
Caucasian race
The term Caucasian race has been used to denote the general physical type of some or all of the populations of Europe, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, Western Asia , Central Asia and South Asia...
family’s home. She was materially happy in this home, a lot happier than many of the other characters, but when her indigenous family tried to meet her, she was caught in crossfire between her two “families”.
Shirley was removed from her parents, and had her children removed from her. She only felt relief, safety, and comfort when her granddaughter was born, and not removed.
Writing style
The play is split between the stories of the five characters, both as children and as adults. It leaps backwards and forwards through time without warning, and changes location quite dramatically. In one scene, the five children may be in a schoolyard, and in the next scene, one adult may be alone in their room, or taking care of their unstable brother. This is due to creating an almost 'memory like' form of sequence, with each scene being connected by a stray thought instead of being connect in a chronological order. Because of these elements, which aren’t found in many plays, Stolen is a favourite on high schoolHigh school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
syllabi.
- aboriginal children language
- native: yurringa= sun
- wrong pronunciation: pitcha=picture
- double negation
- monologues intermixed with dialogues
- alienation effects: rapid scene changes, projections, sound-effects
- Ironic elements (Welfare, Sandy)
Original cast and crew
Stolen was performed at The C.U.B. Malthouse, MelbourneMelbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, on 21 October 1998, with the following cast and crew:
- Anne - Tammy Anderson
- Ruby - Kylie Belling
- Jimmy - Tony Briggs
- Shirley - Pauline Whyman
- Sandy - Stan Yarramunua
- Director - Wesley Enoch
- Designer - Richard Roberts
- Lighting Designer - Matt Scott
- Composer - David Chesworth
All of the other parts in the play (mainly offstage voices) were played by one of the five actors/actresses mentioned above.
Touring
Stolen toured extensively throughout Australia. On top of its seven years in Melbourne (starting in 1998), it was also performed in SydneySydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, regional Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
, the UK, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, and Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
. Furthermore, readings were performed in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
..
Reception
Stolen won (along with Aliwa!Aliwa!
Aliwa! is an Australian play written by Dallas Winmar. It was first presented by Yirra Yaakin Noongar Theatre, directed by Lynette Narkle and starred Rachael Maza, Irma Woods and Kylie Farmer and debuted in 2000. Based on a true story, it tells the story of a mother who tries to keep her three...
by Dallas Wimmar) the Kate Challis RAKA award in 1998, on the back of largely successful first season
Stolen was studied on the Victorian Certificate of Education
Victorian Certificate of Education
The Victorian Certificate of Education or VCE is the credential awarded to secondary school students who successfully complete high school level studies in the state of Victoria, Australia. Study for the VCE is usually completed over two years, but it can be spread over a longer period in some cases...
English
English studies
English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language , English linguistics English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language (including literatures from the U.K., U.S.,...
syllabus, and the New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
Higher School Certificate syllabus. Many other schools throughout Australia have also placed Stolen on their English curriculum
Curriculum
See also Syllabus.In formal education, a curriculum is the set of courses, and their content, offered at a school or university. As an idea, curriculum stems from the Latin word for race course, referring to the course of deeds and experiences through which children grow to become mature adults...
.