Black Cockatoo

In 1868, 13 Aboriginal men from country Victoria became the first Australian cricket team to tour England. Starring Australia’s first Indigenous sporting hero Unaarrimin, AKA Johnny Mullagh, they represented a nation in waiting that wouldn’t recognise their rights – or even their humanity – for another century. Written by iconic screenwriter Geoffrey Atherden (Mother and Son, BabaKiueria) with award-winning director Wesley Enoch (Black Diggers, Sydney Festival 2014), Black Cockatoo begins in the present day with a group of young activists breaking into a museum to expose the truth of what happened to Johnny and his mates. A story of triumph and tragedy unfolds, spanning from the wild frontiers of western Victoria to the upper-class home of cricket, Lords. Directed by Enoch and starring Luke Carroll, Joseph Althouse, Chenoa Deemal, Aaron McGrath, Colin Smith and Dubs Yunupiŋgu, this funny and moving play is about more than sport – it’s a story of resilience, resistance and inspiration. Created in association with Sydney Festival