Theatre: The White Divers of Broome

by Hilary Bell

Directed by Kate Cherry

Featuring Caitlin Beresford-Ord, Adriane Daff, Kylie Farmer, Michelle Fornasier, Stuart Halusz, Sean Hawkins, Yutaka Izumihara, Miyuki Lotz, Kenneth Moraleda, Jo Morris, Greg McNeill, Tom O’Sullivan and Ian Toyne  

Heath Ledger Theatre, State Theatre Centre

February 1 - 16, 2012

For the second consecutive year, Kate Cherry’s Black Swan State Theatre Company begins its season, and makes its contribution to the Perth Festival, with a sprawling tale of one of the skeletons in the closet of Australian history.

This is a good thing. For all its faults, at least last year’s Boundary Street shed some light on the strained relationship between Australian civilians and US servicemen during World War II.

Hilary Bell’s The White Divers of Broome does the same for the strange, exotic boom that drove the Kimberley town of Broome from its foundation in 1883 well into the 20^th century.

It’s a cracking story and powerful, instructive history. But whether it makes for great theatre is another question.


Link here to the complete review in The West Australian.