The turn of the century represents a period in which Australia generally has been preoccupied with the pursuit of a singular defining national identity narrative. Since September 11, Australia’s engagement in the war on terror has led to a visceral fragmentation of national identity. This has come in many forms, yet at its most basic appears as a questions about the balance between the pursuit of our national security and the sanctity of our human rights. Public narrative through theatre and performance enables us as a culture to be reflective and reflexive in a kind of civic dialogue. In this essay I set out to examine the faces of the contemporary national identity in Australia in the early 21st century through the dialogue surrounding two distinctly different theatre events: Honour Bound (2006) and Reconciliation! What’s the Story! (2002).
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | Theatre and Performance in Small Nations |
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Publication status | Accepted/In press - 1 Jan 2010 |
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- australia
- identity
- performance