Katie Beckett joins Nick and Cat to chat about the World Premiere of Which Way Home presented by ILBIJERRI Theatre Company and Darebin Arts Speakeasy 24th August – 3rd September.
It’s a long way from the wide streets and big old houses of Tash’s childhood. Two Black faces in a very white suburb. Dad still thinks he’s the king of cool, but he’s an old fella now.
It’s time for Tash to take him home.
ILBIJERRI Theatre Company and Darebin Arts Speakeasy present Which Way Home - the heartwarming dramedy of an aboriginal girl, her much loved ageing dad and their road trip to his birthplace. It’s his return home to country, where the sky is higher and the world goes on forever.
Tash and her dad journey from Yuggerah country Ipswich to Muriwarri Country Goodooga learning new things about each other along the way. They experience moments of hilarity and annoyance as the trivial become exaggerated within the four doors of a car.
Which Way Home draws on writer Katie Beckett’s personal memories of growing up with her single Aboriginal father. Her mother died when she just 5 years old, leaving her dad to raise 3 children. He also lost his sister, grandmother and mum all within the space of a month.
“The reason I wrote Which Way Home was because I love my dad. That’s it. It’s truly that simple. I’m daddy’s baby pie. (He still calls me that by the way and I’m 32 years old).
It wasn’t an easy time but he did it. He is a loving, wonderful, strong man. I have had a lot of wonderfully strong and emotionally in tune, generous men around me growing up and I was wondering why don’t I see the aboriginal men that I grew up with represented on stage, on TV, on film? “said Katie Beckett, who was the recipient of The Balnaves Foundation Indigenous Playwright's Award last year for her work, Severed Cord.
Directed by Rachael Maza, actor and writer Katie Beckett plays Tash and her Dad is played by Tony Briggs Cleverman (2016), Australian Rules (2002), Bra Nue Dae (2009) and writer of the Helpmann Award winning play ‘The Sapphires’, which was later adapted into the 2012 film of the same name).
Katie Beckett television acting credits include Redfern Now and The Marshes whilst her stage credits include This Fella, My Memory (Moogahlin Performing Arts); Impossible Plays, Pull My Strings and I Will Play for You, Wrong Skin (Next Wave Festival); Winyaboga and To Soothe a Dying Pillow (Andrea James) and her film credits include Oakie’s Adventure, One More Time and Blackground. She is also a founding member of the Cope St Collective.
