Review: KABBARLI: AN IRISHWOMAN IN THE DESERT, Etcetera Theatre
A Camden Fringe show about the complexity of morals
The curse of being a woman is that you will forever know anger. Anger from things around you. Anger from things put upon you by those who aren’t women. Anger about things that you could prevent if only you had the freedom to.
Walk In Her Shoes Productions’ newest play, Kabbarli: An Irishwoman in the Desert, is leaving clawmarks in the Camden Fringe with that anger and sending audiences away with a new outlook on history.
Kabbarli tells the story of an Irishwoman named Daisy Bates, a real-life activist, journalist, and, loosely, a mother. A telling of a complex woman who immigrates to Australia and redefines what a woman in the mid-late 1800s is. Cursed with being trapped in several loveless marriages, Daisy’s entire existence up until a certain point is jumping between relationships, believing that that is what she truly wants. It’s not until she learns of the enslavement and mistreatment of indigenous Australians that Daisy discovers her true destiny: helping the people whose suffering is caused by her own people.
Photo Credit: Sam Merryweather
The heartbreaking piece is written and performed by Georgia ‘Gee’ Nicholas. Nicholas’ ability to create worlds and effortlessly jump through timelines is a gift. Her writing style is easy to follow and takes audiences on an emotional rollercoaster through the complexities of being human. The abilities she has to completely transform herself are remarkable: from accents to mannerisms, Nicholas has a clear passion for embodiment and honouring those she is portraying. This piece means something deep-rooted to the Australian creative, not just in the story itself, but in the people it represents. Nicholas performs as if every word is touching her for the very first time, a true talent for naturalistic acting.
There are moments at the start where, although the pace needs to be quick, she could take moments to sit in it a bit more. Perhaps nerves? Perhaps feeling the electricity that comes with performing your own work? But once she is fully locked into the mindset of Daisy, there is clearly nothing breaking her out of it.
Photo Credit: Sam Merryweather
Nicholas’ acknowledgement of the flaws in Daisy is something to admire. She doesn’t write or play her fully as a hero; she plays her with layers and layers of truth. Daisy spent years helping the indigenous Australians, learning their languages, writing essay after essay about how they need protecting. Yet, she doesn’t shy away from her behaviour as a neglectful mother (albeit she never wanted to be one in the first place), her habits of serial cheating, and her belief in the British Empire.
Audiences leave the theatre asking themselves: ‘How much good can one person do to cancel out the dark they started with? Can people truly change?’ And to that, Nicholas says that we’re products of our environment at the start, but we don’t have to die by it.
Photo Credit: Sam Merryweather
This play will make you angry: it will leave you with a sour taste of injustice. But it’ll make you cry for those long gone, and worry for those who still stand.
Kabbarli: An Irishwoman in the Desert is raw; it is beautiful. Nicholas is a marvel.
Catch Kabbarli: An Irishwoman in the Desert at The Etcetera Theatre for the Camden Fringe on the 21 and 23 of August
Photo Credits: Sam Merryweather
Reader Reviews
To post a comment, you must register and login.