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Bennelong in London, written by award-winning Muruwari playwright Jane Harrison, is a thoughtful and engaging work that explores history, identity, and performance through an inventive theatrical premise.
The main character, Sebastian Anderson, is played with eagerness and conviction by Biripi, Worimi, Wadi Wadi, and Walbanga actor Guy Simon.
Sebastian is rehearsing in his apartment for the role of Woollarawarre Bennelong – an Aboriginal man who was captured by Governor Arthur Phillip and taken to Europe to meet the king – when he unexpectedly summons the spirit of Bennelong himself.
This encounter establishes the play’s central design: a conversation between the past and the present that questions how history is remembered, represented, and performed.
Weaving identity, politics and memory
As Sebastian grapples with what it means to portray an Aboriginal historical figure, the play poses compelling questions about identity and authenticity.
Is technical acting ability enough, or should an Aboriginal performer also possess a deep connection to culture, language, dance and history? And how do Indigenous actors balance Western and European conservatory training with their cultural knowledge and performance practices?
Echoes of playwright Jane Harrison’s book Indig-Curious: who can play Aboriginal roles permeate the work. The play particularly examines who has the authority to tell Aboriginal stories and how those stories should be performed.
Rather than offering easy answers, the script invites audiences to reflect on these complex issues alongside its protagonist.
Sebastian’s desire to understand Bennelong forms both the emotional and intellectual heart of the play.
The spirit of Bennelong, portrayed with dignity and nuance by Gamilaraay actor Googoorewon Knox, recounts a life reconstructed largely through the journals of Governor Arthur Phillip, Lieutenant Watkin Tench and other colonial observers. The play exposes the limitations of these historical records, reminding us Bennelong’s own voice was never fully documented.
This absence becomes one of the play’s most compelling ideas. Rather than claiming to reveal the “true” Bennelong, the production asks audiences to consider how history is shaped by those who record it. It raises questions about whose lives are preserved in the historical archive, whose perspectives dominate, and whose voices have been lost altogether.
A rich script and grounding performances
The production also revisits Bennelong’s remarkable journey to England in 1792, where he lived for several years as an Aboriginal “ambassador” before returning to Country in 1795.
Rather than presenting him as either a hero or collaborator, the play embraces the ambiguity of his legacy. He is portrayed as a complex individual navigating extraordinary historical circumstances. These layers make Bennelong an endlessly fascinating figure whose story continues to resonate.
Under Ian Michael’s assured direction, the production maintains a confident pace while balancing humour with more reflective moments. Michael finds playful moments that lift the historical material beyond a simple retelling, allowing the dialogue between Sebastian and Bennelong to feel immediate, spirited and resonant.
The lively dialogue between actors Simon and Knox anchors the production, giving weight to the hypothetical while ensuring it remains engaging and accessible.
Emma White’s naturalistic set effectively draws the audience into Sebastian’s apartment, creating an intimate domestic space where the boundaries between history, memory and the present are dissolved. Woven throughout the living room is the native Lomandra grass, evoking Country within the urban setting.
In the play’s closing moments, Gymea lilies emerge quietly from the grass, transforming the space into something symbolic and potentially ceremonial. While the precise connection between Bennelong and the Gymea lily remains open, its prominence in the final image suggests themes of resilience, regeneration and the enduring presence of culture.
Bennelong in London offers a fresh and thought-provoking perspective on the life, legacy and contested history of one of Australia’s most significant historical figures.
Bennelong in London is playing at the Sydney Theatre Company until August 16.
Liza-Mare Syron, Scientia Associate Professor and Co-Associate Dean Indigenous (ADA), UNSW
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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