Regions

Back to Bilo

Upcoming
3–13 September
Queensland Theatre
Brisbane, QLD

A true-life testimony to people power and persistence.

 

“A must-see production about the triumph of the human spirit and the power of community.”
— Cathy Hunt, Women of the World Festival

A Belloo Creative Production, Produced by Performing Lines

Priya and Nades left war-torn Sri Lanka and found each other in regional Queensland. They married, had two daughters, worked hard and settled into a simple but happy country life.

The community welcomed them with open arms – but four years later came a knock at the door and they were ripped away in a dawn raid.

Their story could have ended there, but a brave band of Biloela women weren’t giving up on them so easily.

Fighting alongside the young refugee family, they launched a grassroots, people-powered campaign that galvanised hundreds of thousands of ordinary Australians to demand the family be brought back to Bilo. This is the remarkable true account of one family’s ordeal in the nightmare limbo of immigration detention, a story of how love is stronger than fear and of how persistence and togetherness can win against crushing odds.

Back to Bilo is a profoundly moving new play from celebrated local company Belloo Creative (Boy, Lost) and is made with – and from – the heart of regional Queensland.

 

Credits

Written by
Katherine Lyall-Watson

Directed by
Caroline Dunphy

Original Concept by
Matt Scholten

Tamil Cultural Advisor
Sudhesh Somu & Vashini Jayakumar

Produced by
Performing Lines

Creatives

Dramaturg
Dr Kathryn Kelly

Assistant Director
Janaki Gerard

Production Designer (Lighting & Set)
Govin Ruben

Costume & Props Designer
Keerthi Subramanyam

Co-Composer and Sound Designer
Guy Webster

Co-composer
Menaka Thomas

Video Designer
Mic Gruchy

Biloela Video Content
Shaun Charles

Cast

Matt Domingo
Leah Vandenberg

Current dates & tickets

3–13 September
Queensland Theatre
Brisbane, QLD
Book now

Information for Presenters

Recommended for Ages 14+

Vanessa Wright Senior Producer

Project Partners & Acknowledgements

This project has been assisted by the Australian Government’s Major Festivals Initiative, managed by the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body, in association with the Confederation of Australian International Arts Festivals Inc commissioned by Brisbane Festival, Darwin Festival, Perth Festival and Queensland Theatre.

In everything we do, we acknowledge that we live on Aboriginal land and constantly learn from the wisdom of First Peoples.

Where we are and the history that precedes us informs how we work and how we move forward.