Panawathi Girl
| Panawathi Girl | |
|---|---|
| Music | David Milroy |
| Lyrics | David Milroy |
| Book | David Milroy |
| Setting | Chubb Springs, North West Australia; 1969 |
| Productions |
|
| Awards | Performing Arts WA Award for Outstanding New Work – Musical & Opera |
Panawathi Girl is an Australian musical by David Milroy. Set in 1969,[1] the musical concerns a young Aboriginal woman Molly Chubb returning from university studies in Perth to Chubb Springs, her small country hometown in the northwest of Western Australia, to connect with her family and culture.
Productions
An earlier version of the work titled Rodeo Moon was workshopped at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts in 2015.[2][3]
Following a short season in Bunbury, Panawathi Girl was performed at His Majesty's Theatre in Perth from 8–13 February 2022, presented by Yirra Yaakin and the Perth Festival. The cast included Lila McGuire (Molly), Peter Docker (Chubb), Chris Isaacs (Ron), Grace Chow (Beth), Manuao TeAotonga (JoJo), Angelica Lockyer (Pansy), Wimiya Woodley (Billy), Teresa Rose (Ada), Gus Noakes (Knuckles), Luke Hewitt (Gough Whitlam), Geoff Kelso (John Gorton), Nadia Martich and Maitland Schnaars. The production was directed by Eva Grace Mullaley and choreographed by Janine Oxenham, with musical direction by Wayne Freer, set design by Bruce McKinven, costume design by Lynn Ferguson and lighting design by Lucy Birkinshaw.
Reception
Panawathi Girl received very favourable critical reception. The Guardian concluded that "brimming with heart and humour, Panawathi Girl is a wildly entertaining glimpse into an era of great optimism and change, prompting us to consider how far, or how little, we’ve come in the last 50 years".[4] Limelight, in a five-star review, noted that "it occupies the same artistic space as Jimmy Chi’s musicals Bran Nue Dae and Corrugation Road and there is every reason to assume that Panawathi Girl will become a great classic".[2]
The musical received two 2023 Performing Arts WA Awards including Outstanding New Work – Musical & Opera for Milroy and Outstanding Ensemble – Musical & Opera.[5] Its nominations, nine in total, also included Best Production – Musical & Opera and Outstanding Composition or Arranging.[6]
Original cast
| Character | Actor |
|---|---|
| Molly Panawathi | Lila McGuire |
| Gough Whitlam | Luke Hewitt |
| John Gorton | Geoff Kelso |
| Chubb | Peter Docker |
| Pansy | Angelica Lockyer |
| Billy | Wimiya Woodley |
| Ada | Teresa Rose |
| Buckley | Maitland Schnaars |
| Ron | Chris Isaacs |
| Jojo | Manuao TeAotonga |
| Beth | Grace Chow |
| Knuckles | Gus Noakes |
| Unknown | Nadia Martich |
Musical numbers
- "The Land of the Long White Sock" – John Gorton and Gough Whitlam[1]
- "The Fire is Burning" – Molly, Ada, and Pansy[2]
- "Rodeo Moon" – Knuckles[2]
- "Shadow in the Dark"[7]
References
- 1 2 Marshall, Jonathan W. (2022-02-14). "A new musical, Panawathi Girl, is a fantasy of Australia's past – and a critique of Australia's presen". The Conversation. Retrieved 2022-06-30.
- 1 2 3 4 Smith, Stewart (12 February 2022). "Panawathi Girl (Yirra Yaakin Theatre Company, Perth Festival)". Limelight. Limelight Arts Media Pty Ltd. Archived from the original on 13 February 2022. Retrieved 2022-02-13.
- ↑ Hyde, Richard (2015-11-18). "Perth Theatre Reviews: Rodeo Moon - WAAPA (16 November 2015)". Perth Theatre Reviews. Retrieved 2022-02-13.
- ↑ Brennan, Rosamund (2022-02-11). "Panawathi Girl review - hippies, pollies and cowboys converge in Perth's joyous new musical". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 2022-02-13.
- ↑ "Performing Arts WA 2023 Awards Ceremony". Stage Whispers. Archived from the original on 4 November 2023. Retrieved 2023-11-04.
- ↑ "Nominees announced for Performing Arts WA Awards". X-Press Magazine. Vanguard Media Group. September 28, 2023. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
- ↑ Hostalek, Barbara (11 February 2022). "Dream girl emerges from turbulent time". Seesaw. Retrieved 6 July 2026.