A unique musical documentary about the lives of Indigenous men and women in prison has been redeveloped as a multimedia stage production that will serve as the heart of this year’s Darwin festival.
The first round of artists to perform at the annual top end festival were revealed on Friday, and include Black Books comedian Dylan Moran, musician Xavier Rudd and his band the United Nations, the Australian Chamber Orchestra’s string ensemble AcO2 and theatre group Dead Puppet Society.
Prison Songs, a musical documentary which features inmates of Darwin’s Berrimah prison singing their personal stories, will be screened at Charles Darwin university to complement the festival-produced stage adaption starring Ernie Dingo, Leah Flanagan and Kamahi King.
“They’ll be playing people from the documentary, representing them in various ways,” the festival’s artistic director, Andrew Ross, said.
When the documentary screened on SBS in January, writer Shellie Morris said the creators sought to highlight the issues of incarceration – particularly of Indigenous people – and to show the real people behind the statistics, while staying aware of the victims of the crimes that put some of these people behind bars.
The Prison Songs show will be the heart of the festival. “It’s such a Darwin story,” Ross said. “It’ll be entertaining, but it’s also the product of a number of things good and bad here in the Northern Territory.
“It’s got a serious side to it but it’s not a glum show. I think the resilience of the characters and some of their reflections on their own lives are some of the most moving and potent moments in the show.”
The prison was closed down late last year, since the documentary was filmed.
The two-and-a-half-week festival will also showcase a variety of Australian and international acts, kicking off with a free open air concert on Sunday 6 August.
Former Northern Territory chief minister Clare Martin has been appointed festival chair. “Clare is a huge lover and supporter of the arts and the Territory, and brings a wealth of local and national experience and knowledge,” said Mark Crees, the festival’s general manager.
The Darwin festival will run from 6 to 23 August. The full program will be announced in early June when tickets will go on sale. Tickets for the early release shows are on sale from Friday.
