The Sapphires (play)
{{Short description|Play by Tony Briggs}}
{{About|the play|the film adaptation of the play|The Sapphires (film)}}
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{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Use Australian English|date=June 2011}}
The Sapphires is an Australian play written by Tony Briggs and directed by Wesley Enoch.{{Citation | last = Thomson | first = Helen | date = 19 November 2004 | title = Black sisters singing up a storm | periodical = The Age | url = http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/11/18/1100748122897.html | access-date = 4 December 2008 | archive-date = 3 October 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20091003124500/http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/11/18/1100748122897.html | url-status = live }} It is set in 1968 (a year after the referendum, which symbolically expanded the rights of Aboriginal people) and it tells the story of The Sapphires, a singing group of four Yorta Yorta women who tour Vietnam during the war.{{Citation | last = Doyle | first = Brendan | date = 9 February 2005 | title = Black sisters singing up a storm | periodical = Green Left Weekly | issue = 614 | url = http://www.greenleft.org.au/2005/614/35447 | access-date = 4 December 2008 | archive-date = 3 August 2012 | archive-url = https://archive.today/20120803004044/http://www.greenleft.org.au/2005/614/35447 | url-status = live }}{{Citation | last = Hallett | first = Bryce | date = 11 January 2005 | title = The Sapphires, Company B | periodical = The Sydney Morning Herald | url = http://www.smh.com.au/news/Review/The-Sapphires-Company-B/2005/01/09/1105205980903.html | access-date = 4 December 2008 | archive-date = 3 November 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121103170408/http://www.smh.com.au/news/Review/The-Sapphires-Company-B/2005/01/09/1105205980903.html | url-status = live }}
It was inspired by the true story of Briggs's mother, Laurel Robinson, and aunt, Lois Peeler, who toured Vietnam as singers.{{Citation | last = Usher | first = Robin | date = 15 November 2004 | title = Sparkle, in any colour | periodical = The Age | url = http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/11/12/1100227566726.html | access-date = 4 December 2008 | archive-date = 30 March 2015 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150330032320/http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/11/12/1100227566726.html | url-status = live }} The pair slept on the stage, as Robinson recalled: "It was so scary – one night a bomb went off, the bed fell down and the place shook."{{Citation | last = Dow | first = Steve | date = 23 May 2010 | title = Shining through | periodical = The Sydney Morning Herald | url = http://www.stevedow.com.au/default.aspx?id=505 | access-date = 25 May 2010 | archive-date = 16 February 2011 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110216181805/http://www.stevedow.com.au/Default.aspx?id=505 | url-status = live }}
Though set at the time of increasing calls for Aboriginal rights, the play takes these issues seriously but in a way that does not detract from its fun and humour and adds to its entertainment value.
Productions
The play debuted with the Melbourne Theatre Company in 2004 and continued at Sydney's Company B in 2005. The original cast included Deborah Mailman, Rachael Maza, Ursula Yovich and Lisa Flanagan.{{Citation | last = Boland | first = Michaela | date = 19 January 2010 | title = Second life for acclaimed show | periodical = The Australian }}
It was revived by Black Swan and Company B in 2010, with Christine Anu, Casey Donovan, Hollie Andrew and Kylie Farmer playing the lead roles.{{Citation| last = Blake| first = Jason| date = 29 May 2010| title = Sass, soul and old-school panache in musical gem| periodical = The Sydney Morning Herald| url = http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/musicals/sass-soul-and-oldschool-panache-in-musical-gem-20100528-wld6.html| access-date = 17 June 2010| archive-date = 3 June 2010| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100603032340/http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/musicals/sass-soul-and-oldschool-panache-in-musical-gem-20100528-wld6.html| url-status = live}} The show ran at Daegu International Music Festival mid-2010 where Donovan won the award for Best Supporting Actress.{{Citation | date = 7 July 2010 | title = Big win for Casey
| periodical = The Cairns Post }} This company also toured to Adelaide and was a part of the Adelaide Festival. In 2011 The lead cast was Donovan, Lisa Maza, Ngaire Pigram and Megan Sarmardin.{{Citation | last = Williams | first = Jacqueline | date = 10 February 2011 | title = Gem of a story behind sparkling musical | periodical = The Canberra Times}}
The show appeared at the Barbican Centre in London for two weeks in March 2011.{{Citation | last = Donoughue | first = Paul | date = 30 October 2011 | title = Women bring their message | periodical = Sunday Mail }}{{Citation | date = 30 July 2011 | title = Casey Donovan's omission from a film version of show The Sapphires | periodical = The Daily Telegraph | url = http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/sydney-confidential/casey-donovans-omission-from-a-film-version-of-show-the-sapphires/story-e6frewz0-1226104545003}} The four leading cast members were Donovan, Maza, Pigram and Sarmardin.{{Citation | last = Gardner | first = Lyn | date = 8 March 2011 | title = Review: Theatre: A sleek shambles as Aboriginal Supremes rock the troops: The Sapphires Barbican, London 2/5 | periodical = The Guardian }} The rest of the cast was Aljin Abella, Jimi Bani, Markus Hamilton and Oliver Wenn.
Peter Farnan of Boom Crash Opera fame was the musical director for the show.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/art-and-design/sparkle-in-any-colour-20041115-gdyzf7.html|title=Sparkle, in any colour|date=15 November 2004|newspaper=The Age|access-date=2 December 2021|archive-date=20 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210420223542/https://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/art-and-design/sparkle-in-any-colour-20041115-gdyzf7.html|url-status=live}}
Film version
{{main|The Sapphires (film)}}
Production of the movie version began in 2011. The leads have gone to Deborah Mailman (from the original production), Jessica Mauboy, Shari Sebbens and Miranda Tapsell. Although Donovan received strong reviews in the 2010 production, and auditioned for the movie version, she was ultimately not chosen to star.
Awards
- 2005 Helpmann Award - Best Play
- 2005 Helpmann Award - Best New Australian Work{{cite web | title = Opera outshines cast of stars at Helpmann Awards | publisher = ABC | date = 9 August 2005 | url = http://www.abc.net.au/news/2005-08-09/opera-outshines-cast-of-stars-at-helpmann-awards/2077120 | access-date = 21 May 2012 | archive-date = 28 October 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161028032245/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2005-08-09/opera-outshines-cast-of-stars-at-helpmann-awards/2077120 | url-status = live }}
References
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{{HelpmannAward Play 2001-2020}}
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Category:Indigenous Australian theatre