The landmark, critically acclaimed production of Black Diggers tells the untold story of Indigenous soldiers in WWI and opened in Brisbane at the Playhouse QPAC as part of Brisbane Festival. Directed by Queensland Theatre Company’s past Artistic Director, Wesley Enoch, and written by Tom Wright, Black Diggers uncovers the contribution of WWI Aboriginal Diggers, following their stories from their homelands to the battlefields of Gallipoli, Palestine and Flanders. An extraordinary all-male, all-Indigenous cast enacted the stories of these heroic men, largely unrecognised by history.
The production, a collaboration between Queensland Theatre Company, Brisbane Festival and Sydney Festival in association with QPAC and The Balnaves Foundation, is a work of immense importance and was staged as the centenary of WWI is marked. Its Brisbane season in 2014 followed the world premiere sold-out season at the Sydney Opera House as part of Sydney Festival, 2014. Black Diggers then went on to tour in 2015 to Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, Melbourne and Bendigo.
Black Diggers is a story of honour and sacrifice that has been almost forgotten. It draws from interviews with the families of 15 black Diggers who heard the call to arms – men who will step from the blank pages of history to share their compelling stories. After the curtain falls, we will remember them.
To purchase a copy of the full performance of Black Diggers, please click below
To purchase a copy of the full play text from Playlab, please click below
Creatives
Wesley Enoch Director
Tom Wright Writer
Stephen Curtis Set Designer
David Williams Researcher
Tony Brumpton Composer/Sound Designer
Louise Gough Dramaturg
Ruby Langton-Batty Costumer Designer
Ben Hughes Lighting Designer
George Bostock Cultural Consultant
Cast
2014 Premiere (Sydney Festival)
George Bostock
Luke Carroll
David Page
Hunter Page-Lochard
Guy Simon
Colin Smith
Eliah Watego
Tibian Wyles
Meyne Wyatt
Ian Stenning (Bugler)
2014 Brisbane Season
George Bostock
Luke Carroll
David Page
Hunter Page-Lochard
Guy Simon
Colin Smith
Eliah Watego
Tibian Wyles
Sam Lappin (Bugler)
2015 National Tour
George Bostock
Luke Carroll
Kirk Page
Guy Simon
Colin Smith
Eliah Watego
Tibian Wyles
Shaka Cook
Trevor Jamieson