Watersong marks significant milestones

Watersong marks significant milestones: TheatreiNQ’s first all-First Nations cast and Indigenous playwright debut

Shannon Jensen, with daughters and also cast members Harrie Dean, 11, and Alex Dean, 9, has written, co-directed and is performing in the world premiere of Watersong at TheatreiNQ from November 22 through to November 30. Picture: Evan Morgan

The world premiere of Watersong will a watermark for a number of firsts for TheatreiNQ when it opens later this month at the ClubHouse in Hyde Park.

Watersong is first play by Indigenous writer Shannon Jenson, it is the first for TheatreiNQ with an all First Nations cast and is it is the first time the company has put on a First Nations production.

The play is being co-directed by Jenson who is being mentored by co-director and TheatreiNQ’s artistic director Terri Brabon who said Watersong was also the first play out of the company’s Playground Writers Festival launched three years ago.

“We’re hoping to find many more plays that are written by people in the region. But this is the first cab of the rank, and we’re really excited.

“Shannon’s a really incredible playwright, and she writes very poetic stories and that appeal to everyone. They’re like Shannon - very emotional and they’re also very funny.”

Jenson said her play, set in North Queensland, lent itself towards the dramatic end but did include comedic elements.

“It’s a saga of a family that’s a little bit torn apart, and how they come together. How generations can try not to give too much away, how generations can kind of come together when they need to.

It’s just a beautiful story about family.”

Brabon said she was excited to be working with Jensen, whom she has known for several years on the production.

Shannon Jensen, with daughters and also cast members Harrie Dean, 11, and Alex Dean, 9. Picture: Evan Morgan

“I knew Shannon first as an actress, and she’s a very good actress as well but we’ve been working together for a bit before I realized Shannon wrote.

“I believe Shannon has an incredible future as a writer as well, so for TheatreiNQ to be the first the ones that first produce one of her works is fantastic, because it’s Shannon’;s first too to ever have been produced.

“It’s an honour for us to be the first ones to produce Shannon’s work.”

The artistic director said TheatreiNQ would love to nurture more original work for the stage

including more First Nations productions.

“We’re very invested in finding new plays written by more Queenslanders and nurturing local writers.

“We can’t produce every play that we nurture, but for them to be able to get to a point where their play’s ready to be put on by anybody - we’re very keen on that.

“In order to produce work by First Nations you have to be very respectful in that space. With this show, Shannon and I are co-directing, I don’t feel the capacity to sort of make all the decisions.

“So Shannon’s very much hands on in this production, and she’s learning to direct and we’re also very hopeful that in the future this might be something that Shannon does by herself.

“But it’s all about just creating a safe and respectful workplace that we can produce work like this.”

Jensen said that although not autobiographical, Watersong had elements of her life story.

“It’s not autobiographical it is just a combination of the characters are made up with a combination of stories that I’ve taken from my life.

“But the story itself, there are autobiographical elements in it, but the entirety of the story isn’t.

“The idea came to me when we were out on country once with the kids, and we were sitting by the water, and it wasn’t even my country that we’re on.

“I just remember sitting there wondering about the water and connections to it, and the First Peoples from that land.

“Then this idea came to me to create these characters. You always take pieces from your own life.

Shannon Jensen has written, co-directed and is performing in the world premiere of Watersong at TheatreiNQ from November 22 through to November 30. Picture: Evan Morgan

“The main two characters are named after family members and things that have happened throughout the story.

“Some things are real and some things are not so, and no one will know that - except for me.”

Having written Watersong, the creative well is truly running over for Jensen as she is bubbling with many more ideas.

“I have four plays on the go so, so the writing won’t stop. The process (with Watersong) has beenintimidating.

“I think it’s very hard being a writer, being an actor, and then co directing with Terri.

“It’ss very difficult to take something that’s really close to your heart and then try and direct it.

“So I’m finding it a bit stressful.

“This is the first time that I’ve ever directed so I thank God Terri’s there, because I don’t know where we should be sitting at a certain time and it’s good to have Terri’s reassurance to say, ‘no, this is how it should be’.

“It’s been not easy, but the hell of a lot of fun.”

She said audiences would relate to the central story in Watersong.

“It’s just a beautiful story and I think regardless of that it’s a First Nations story, I think it’s a story that ultimately is a story about women.

“So I think that regardless of your background as a woman, you would connect to this story.

“These characters, they’re strong women, but they’re flawed women and I think that everyone probably could see something of themselves or their families in these characters.”

Watersong runs at the ClubHouse from Friday November 22 to Saturday November 30 and to book go to theatreinq.com/watersong-2024

Originally published as Watersong marks significant milestones