The 7 Stages of Grieving
A Yirra Yaakin Theatre Company production
Full $35 + $3.50 Booking Fee
Concession $30+ $3.50 Booking Fee
Under 18 $25+ $3.50 Booking Fee
Groups 6+ $30+ $3.50 Booking Fee
+ BREC Access
Cultural Warning: Contains coarse language and adult themes. This performance depicts cultural genocide, racial abuse and trauma, and police brutality. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are advised this performance contains the names and voices of people who have passed away.
Age Recommendation: 15+
A powerful story of love, strength and survival.
THE 7 STAGES OF GRIEVING is a powerful exploration of grief, resistance, and the ongoing impact of colonisation on Aboriginal people across Australia.
A lone Aboriginal woman stands centre stage. Through a series of monologues, movement sequences and visual metaphors, she takes the audience on a deeply personal and political journey, through loss, injustice, remembrance, and survival.
From the stolen generations to protest marches, funeral rites to silent mourning, she gives voice to the stories of her ancestors, her family, her people. Sometimes angry, sometimes humorous, always honest, this woman becomes a vessel for collective memory. Her story is one of sorrow, but also one of incredible strength. As she moves through the seven stages of grief, Dreaming, Invasion, Genocide, Protection, Assimilation, Self-Determination and Reconciliation, the audience is invited to witness not only what has been taken, but what remains: resilience, culture, and an unbroken connection to Country.
Written by Wesley Enoch and Deborah Mailman, The 7 Stages of Grieving is a landmark work of contemporary Australian theatre. A call for truth-telling. A celebration of survival. A chance to listen.
The play is directed by Bobbi Henry (Whadjuk), Yirra Yaakin’s Associate Artistic Director, and performed in a series of 23 vignettes by WAAPA graduate Shontane Farmer (Noongar / Yamatji).
Artist Credits
Playwrights Wesley Enoch and Deborah Mailman
Director Bobbi Henry
Cast Shontane Farmer
Set & Costume Designer Charlotte Meagher
AV Designer Emma Fishwick
Composer & Sound Designer Rebecca Riggs-Bennett
Lighting Designer Kristie Smith
Movement Director Janine Oxenham
Audio Visual Consultant Steve Berrick
Stage Manager Scott McArdle
Tour Manager Troy Williams
Community Engagement Coordinator Teressa Michael
SONG CREDITS:
“Koora Koora Moort” by Ian Wilkes, used with permission and “Boodjar” by Maatakitj, used with permission.
About the Company
Yirra Yaakin Theatre Company was established in 1993 on Whadjuk Noongar Boodja. It is one of the longest standing and largest Aboriginal performing arts companies in Australia.
Yirra Yaakin produces award-winning theatre that tells First Nations’ stories, fosters the next generation of emerging storytellers and celebrates and nurtures Aboriginal culture. Yirra Yaakin has commissioned and premiered over 60 new theatre works that have reached 13 countries in five continents. It has worked with and nurtured prestigious Aboriginal writers including David Milroy, Sally Morgan, Derek Nannup, Mitch Torres and Dallas Winmar, among many others.
Under the artistic direction of Maitland Schnaars (Nyaki-Nyaki), the company is forging strong bidi across our moorditj landscape through metro, regional, and national touring productions, artist development, and vibrant community programs.
Tickets & Venue Info
If you experience any difficulties booking tickets, please contact our Box Office Team on 1300 661 272 – Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 10am to 4pm.
ACCESSIBILITY For accessible bookings please contact our Box Office Team on 1300 661 272.
The safety of our patrons, staff, and community remains our priority, and we’re working hard to ensure your safety while visiting BREC.
We continue to encourage online bookings and contactless payments at the bar.
BREC ACCESS
A doorway to the arts that’s always open!
We want everyone to have the opportunity to see this show at BREC.
So here’s our offer. Through BREC Access we are making some seats available for those who need a good night out but who can’t manage full price at the moment and we invite those who can to ‘pay it forward’ and choose a higher price.
$10.00 OPEN – I need a good night out but the cost of living is starting to bite!
$25.00 ENTER – I need a good night out but can pay a bit more
$70.00 FLING – I want to pay it forward and fling open the doors for someone else
* Limited BREC Access Tickets available
“The 7 Stages of Grieving is an inspiring story of hope and resilience in the face of adversity. It’s very exciting to have an all-female team of amazing creatives, who encourage and support each other in all aspects of the creative process.”
– Bobbi Henry
“Yirra Yaakin is a powerhouse company with a long history of supporting new talent and new stories. It is an honour they have chosen The 7 Stages of Grieving this year to stage this 30-year anniversary of a show that helped launch both mine and Deborah Mailman’s careers. I love that so many powerful artists have taken on the show over the 30 years and made it their own almost as a rite of passage – Wayne Blair, Leah Purcell, Shari Sebbens, Ursula Yovich, Elaine Crombie, Chenoa Deemal, Lisa Flanagan, and now Bobbi Henry brings her immense skill and power to this new production. She is a truly deadly artist and powerful storyteller.”
– Wesley Enoch
“Wesley Enoch and Deborah Mailman’s 1995 play blends fury, humour and fabulous embellishments with a call to action.”
– The Guardian