If you watch a show this Fringe with an Australian production, you may well be familiar with the acknowledgement of country. It’s the short speech given at the beginning of shows, which displays respect for the First Nation tribes on whose ancestral land the piece was produced. It is always spoken seriously and with respect, regardless of the type of show which follows it.
It’s nice, grounds each show in a certain, distinctly Australian, sensibility. It is a feeling which shapes Of the Land on Which We Meet’s performance. Through their own unique style of interpretive acrobatics, indigenous Na Djinang circus explores feelings of betrayal, oppression, and community.
The performance takes place in the wake of the historic 2023 referendum, in which more than 60 per cent of Australians voted against constitutionally recognising Indigenous Australians. The feelings this vote sparked are understandably still fresh and shapes the performance.
The act overall is stylish, emotional, and deeply personal. It surprises me with how willing the performers are to engage with the audience. Somehow a show like this seems like it should only be a one-way mirror but the openness and interactivity of the dancers allows for a greater connection to them, and through the movements of their bodies, to the truth at the heart of the performance. It’s a thought-provoking piece of performance art, though for me its themes could be brought together a bit more to produce a harder-hitting final product.
Of the Land on Which We Meet, Assembly Checkpoint, 17:30, until August 25th.
https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/of-the-land-on-which-we-meet
