The Brown Blouse Creative Development Showing

Following Monica Stevens’ Creative Development and showing in August, The Brown Blouse will return for another Creative Development showing in November.

The August showing followed several days of intensive writing with playwright and dramaturg Phoebe Grainer, with sections of the developing script brought to life in front of an appreciative audience with the support of wonderful community members.

This November showing will build on that work and a further week of creative development. This time, audiences will hear the first full draft of the play, presented with professional actors, designers and other creatives. It will be an opportunity to experience more of the story, see how it has developed since August, and gain an insight into the emerging creative and design vision for the work.

About the story

Set against the volatile backdrop of the Cape York gold rush in 1886, The Brown Blouse is a love story inspired by Monica’s own family history. It follows Thamali, a young Aboriginal woman navigating violence and upheaval, whose alliance with Yun Hei, a Chinese migrant, becomes a story of protection, resistance and cross-cultural connection.

The work explores truth-telling, cultural identity and the ways the past continues to shape relationships, belonging and community.

Audience warning: this work depicts scenes of violence, trauma and refers to deceased persons.

This Creative Development is supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland.