[Ngapartji Updates] ngapartji ngapartji a hit in Melbourne!

[alex kelly]

*Hit of the **Melbourne** Fesival!*

/"It's a magical piece of theatre" – Sybil Nolan, Herald Sun
“The most important event for local audiences to see this Festival.” – 
Andi Moore, Artszine
"It does honour to the festival that has presented it." – John Slavin, 
The Age
“A pure gift” – Alison Croggon, Theatre Notes
“An inclusive plea for understanding and justice” – Miriam Cosic, The 
Australian/

We’ve just completed the world premiere of */Ngapartji Ngapartji/*/ /at 
the 2006 Melbourne International Arts Festival – it was a sell-out 
season which commanded a standing ovation at each of the six performances!

Feedback has been overwhelming, with audiences deeply moved by the 
experience of this beautiful language, story and show.

Written and directed by Scott Rankin,*/ Ngapartji Ngapartji/* tells the 
story of the Spinifex people and their encounter with the Cold War. It 
is told with great humour, sensitivity and physicality. The hauntingly 
beautiful singing from the Pitjantjatjara Choir moved audiences to 
tears, as did the telling of the systematic and ongoing injustice 
inflicted on the Spinifex people.

Weaving together the narratives of principal performer and co-creator 
Trevor Jamieson’s family with that of Hiroshima and Afghani refugees, 
places the Spinifex nation and their story within global stories of 
displacement and resettlement – as Trevor says, “we’re all refugees now.”

*/Ngapartji Ngapartji/* takes its name from the Pitjantjatjara concept 
of reciprocity meaning ‘I Give You Something, You Give Me Something'. 
The production introduced audiences to the ancient Pitjantjatjara 
language, many of whom engaged in the online language course of 
*/Ngapartji Ngapartji/* before seeing the production.

'It's such a triumphant piece embedded in a very special process”, says 
Melbourne International Arts Festival Artistic Director Kristy Edmunds, 
whose vision and support was instrumental in mounting the production.

The response from the public is testament to the power of the show, the 
cast and principal performer Trevor Jamieson. We have been flooded with 
responses from people who have been deeply affected by the production, 
not only by the stories but also by the generosity with which they are 
told. The integrity of this process and work on the ground has been 
honoured deeply by the responses of Melbourne audiences.

Another fantastic BighART project, Radio Holiday, has also been 
receiving great feedback in the Festival. The company is currently 
producing several major works and we are all pulling together to make it 
happen in style. It’s been a busy time with lots of late nights and hard 
work – with deeply exciting and rewarding results!

Ngapartji Ngapartji Reviews:
http://www.theage.com.au/news/arts-reviews/ngapartji-ngapartji/2006/10/16/1160850841302.html
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20604448-5001562,00.html
http://theatrenotes.blogspot.com/2006/10/miaf-ngapartji-ngapartji-la-fille-de.html
http://melbournefestival.com.au/news/13/17/ngapartji-ngapartji-review--i-give-you-something,-you-give-me-something/80/enews.aspx

Radio Holiday in the news:
http://www.theage.com.au/news/arts/the-mother-of-all-vacations/2006/10/22/1161455602810.html

*What’s Next….*
Ngapartji Ngapartji will be introduced to Sydney audiences next week 
with a season at the Opera House Studio. The season runs for 5 nights, 
each night exploring a different theme around a different key area of 
Pitjantjatjara life such as /Ana_n_gu/ (Body), /Walytja /(Family), 
/Ngura/ (Country,) /Tjukurpa/ (Law and Culture). This show invites 
audiences to enter the online world of Ngapartji Ngapartji in person, 
experience language and culture lessons and multimedia material and 
participate in language learning with the cast.

This is a chance for Sydney audiences to begin a relationship with the 
cast, language and stories which they can continue online before we 
return with the full scale production in 2007. So if you’re in Sydney 
book some tickets and come, learn some language and hear some of the 
stories….

http://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/sections/whats_on/boxoffice/event_details.asp?EventID=1831&sm=1&ss=1 
<http://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/sections/whats_on/boxoffice/event_details.asp?EventID=1831&sm=1&ss=1>

Then we’re off to Perth in February for the season in UWA Perth 
International Arts Festival – Perth audiences are encouraged to log on 
to http://ninti.ngaparjti.org <http://ninti.ngaparjti.org/>.

*Online world*
Our target is 5000 supporters of the project, currently we’re at 166. 
Each donation contributes directly to project running costs on the 
ground and in exchange you are invited in to the online learning site of 
Ngapartji Ngapartji, receive a beautiful limited edition hard back 
Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara dictionary and you have the option of 
coming and seeing the full scale production. If you haven’t already 
donated and signed in – please do so now!

-- 
Alex Kelly
Creative Producer
http://www.ngapartji.org
http://www.bighart.org

0422 777 590
08 8953 5463

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