ALWAYS HERE – 50 Years of Black Theatre

ALWAYS HERE – 50 Years of Black Theatre is a free photographic exhibition which opens on 3 July, the first day of NAIDOC Week, in the Bennelong Passage at Sydney Opera House.

It recognises the pioneering activism of Redfern’s National Black Theatre and the history of First Peoples on the stages and sails of the Opera House.

This year marks 50 years since the Aboriginal run National Black Theatre was created in politically-charged Redfern. It began a cultural revolution and was instrumental in establishing actors Bob Maza, Justine Saunders, Jack Charles and Lillian Crombie, who became key figures in a community that also included director Brian Syron and activist Gary Foley. These images are presented in dialogue with the history of First Nations theatre and representation at the Opera House.

Highlights include actor and descendant of Bennelong, Ben Blakeney OAM performing on the Sails, images from the 1977 production of The Cakeman, and a portrait of Uncle Jack Charles in Ben Hall.