By JESSE GRAHAM
A SPOKEN-word performance about the final days of the Tasmanian Tiger will grace stages in Healesville and Upwey in April, exploring present and past themes of extinction and gender equality in Australia.
They Saw a Thylacine is a play that tells two stories – one, of a Thylacine (Tasmanian Tiger) tracker, played by Sarah Hamilton; the other, about a zoo-keeper’s daughter, played by Justine Campbell.
The show is set in 1936, shortly before the world’s last known Tasmanian Tiger, a female named Benjamin, died in captivity at Beaumaris Zoo.
Ms Hamilton said Ms Campbell’s character is based on Alison Reid, who was trained by her father to run the zoo, but the board of management would not allow her to take over her father’s post, due to her being a woman.
“That actually had a big impact on the last Thylacine,” Ms Hamilton said.
“They said to her, ‘We won’t pay you to run the zoo, but you can keep living in the curator’s cottage,’ which was just outside of the zoo, ‘And in return, you have to give us your services whenever required’.”
But Reid never received keys to the zoo, and though she could hear Benjamin calling at night, she was unable to help the animal, which died of exposure on a cold night.
Meanwhile, Ms Hamilton said her character, Beatie, who is trying to find and capture a live Thylacine to sell to the zoo, is based on stories told by Tasmanians while the play was being researched.
She said the play explored extinction and gender equality – issues still important to this day, with the former being a focus of the work at Healesville Sanctuary.
“I think this story is all too contemporary, because we have so many species on the brink of extinction at the moment,” Ms Hamilton said.
“They (Healesville Sanctuary) have a great breeding program for the Tassie devils, but the devils are all but gone in the wild now.
“We wear clothes that are contemporary in the show – we don’t wear period pieces … we keep it in the here-and-now, because the issues are very relevant.”
Though the show contains other characters, every part is performed by Ms Hamilton and Ms Campbell, in a spoken-word format.
They Saw a Thylacine will be performed at Upwey’s Burrinja Cultural Centre on Thursday 14 April, and at Healesville’s Memo Hall on Friday 15 April.
Tickets are $36, or $32 for concession holders, with a $28 ticket price for groups of more than six.
For tickets and information, visit ach.yarraranges.vic.gov.au
The Mail has two double passes to the Healesville show to give away to readers. To be in the running, visit Facebook.com/MailNewsGroup and like, share and comment on the relevant post.
