An epic rock ‘n’ roll theatre show, Big Name, No Blankets celebrates the phenomenal journey and impact of Sammy Tjapanangka Butcher, one of the founding members of Australian music icons Warumpi Band.
Anyupa Butcher, the charismatic daughter of legendary Warumpi Band founder Sammy Tjapanangka Butcher, has just come off a gruelling rehearsal week ahead of the show’s launch at Melbourne’s Rising. Butcher, along with theatre icon Dr Rachael Maza and the brilliant script by Andrea James, creates layers of emotion for the audience that need to be experienced to be understood. I was lucky enough to see the production at the Sydney Festival in January, and it was one of the best shows I have ever seen – a not-uncommon reaction to the show.
B&T sat down with Butcher and Maza to discuss the phenomenal show and how they capture emotions and experiences so eloquently.
B&T: Can you tell us the story of how the show came to be and how you came to do the work together?
Butcher: I was working at Ilbijerri Theatre Company as an Associate Producer. I was so inspired by the work that Ilbijerri were doing and I was sharing my dad’s story in the early days with Rachael. We wanted to make sure this story was developed on country, not in Melbourne, or in an office but that we actually take this story home, and go to see my dad and learn. We wanted everybody to know all of the sites of their childhood, and all of the places in the story are in the script. We’ve taken a lot of time to sit on country and for my dad to really speak from his heart. I feel like the show captures that beautifully.
B&T: What would you like the audience to take away from the show that they may not necessarily know?
Butcher: I’ll speak for myself as I grew up with the Warumpi band, and it is the anthemic music of this country. It is sung from the black perspective, from First peoples of this country who have been here for the longest time in language and it is celebrating that. So, for me, the biggest thing is that this is a celebration of the country that we live in. The biggest thing, what my dad stands for, everything he stands for, is that this is a story about hope. Hope, in terms of who we are as a country, my father’s and black brothers being able to walk side by side, and celebrating the black history of this country. They were touring and travelling the world, you know, a couple of decades ago, but their music is as poignant and as relevant as ever.
Maza: We need, especially after the last few years that we’ve had, for everybody to actually just enjoy and be full of all of the love that’s coming off that stage. What theatre is able to bring -because music obviously stands on its own two legs and is incredibly powerful. Sometimes, when you’re listening to music or you’re busy dancing on the floor, you’re not really listening to the lyrics properly. Because of the theatrical scenes that are built with the context around the songs, it’s really allowed audiences to sit more deeply with the songs and listen to what the lyrics are saying. And I’m proud of how well we’ve done that
This is a black story. But actually, the themes that we’re exploring are human themes. Longing for home and country and to be with your family—that’s not a cultural thing; it’s a very human thing.
Butcher: And can I just add on to that. Internalize that joy. One thing that was really important for me as bush people is that our stories aren’t really told from us but a representation of us. So it was a real big drive to include our language and our culture, as, you know, normal people that live in remote communities, and we actually do have joy and fun and celebration in our homes and on our homelands because a lot of the time we’re scrutinized in the media, and it is a real beat up on or very negative.
B&T: What else would you like to share about how the show’s inception?
Butcher: It’s about desert people, but in my father’s legacy, they went and toured all around Australia, and they made connections with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from across the country and brought us together. It was a real coming together of our stories through music, and we’ve captured that beautifully with my Grandmother, and you can see her as a strong mother figure, raising her sons in the bush and just a pure love that she had for her children. And it was really important for me to show love, healing and hope from a bush perspective that speaks to all First Nations people.
B&T: Tell us more about how you capture so many emotions so elegantly.
Butcher: One thing that I always talk about is this spectrum of emotions that we feel as First Nations people when it comes to the impacts of colonisation. There’s a whole spectrum of emotions from anger, grief, you know, sadness, and it is so complex. And that’s why I think that it’s hard for non Indigenous people to really understand, because it is so complex, that spectrum that we innately carry, and I really wanted to capture this spectrum. I feel like we’ve done that really well with the show.
Maza: It’s something to do with the music, isn’t it? It’s the way the music basically underscores the entire production. And by that music, you can actually talk about something quite serious and quite deep. And yet, the music keeps it quite buoyant and moves onward. So, it always feels like it is moving forward in a really positive way. Moving in a way where we’re not scared to talk about the hard stuff as well. But we keep it going towards the ultimate aim of the work, which is one about hope. Hope and positivity. This is a black story. But actually, the themes that we’re exploring are completely human themes. Longing for home and country and to be with your family. that’s not a that’s not a cultural thing, its a very human thing.
Big Name, No Blankets is playing at Melbourne Rising from the Fri 31 May — 2 June at Melbourne Town Hall
