The Swallows
Written and Directed
by Sandra Fiona Long
THEATRE
Clues beckon. Constant yearning. And lately my shoulder blades have been hurting. Almost like they want to sprout wings…
A genre bending, poetic vocal theatre work, created by Sandra Fiona Long with a team crossing forms and generations. From an intricate sound universe constructed of voice, strings and objects created live by renowned actor Helen Morse, sublime vocalist/performer Ria Soemardjo and accomplished cellist Helen Mountfort (My Friend the Chocolate Cake, Not Drowning Waving), the story of Aunty emerges. Empowered by connection with nature through her daily walks, she is ready to fly from the pressures of her built up environment, childhood memories and old patterns. But the landscape, altered and damaged by her ancestors, demands attention. And the calling of forgotten creeks running deep below in pipes is loud. Eventually it will take over.
Designed by contemporary artist and installation maker Joanne Mott and lighting designer Shane Grant, within a transforming environmental world, this work dives deep into the impact of our changing landscapes, colonisation, and loss of our waterways on our humanity, and the potential we all have to fly free, while the landscape gets its own back.
Creative Team
Writer/Director
Sandra Fiona Long
Performer/Co-Creators
Ria Soemardjo, Helen Morse, Helen Mountfort
Composition/Sound Design
Ria Soemardjo and Helen Mountfort
Designer
Joanne Mott
Lighting designer
Shane Grant
Script Development Collaborator
Helen Morse
Production manager/creative logistics
Cole McKenna
Assistant stage manager/Operator
Aaron Carey-Long
Video documentation & edit
Takeshi Kondo
Producer
Kath Papas Productions
with Kath Papas and Taka Takiguchi
Image by Darren Gill
Performance History
6 -16 June 2024
AUSTRALIA PREMIERE
At La Mama HQ
Melbourne Australia
REVIEWS
⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Rich sensory theatrical experience”
– Theatre Now
“An arc that goes from wonder and sensation to quiet despair and then to the return of hope”
– Stage Whispers
“Wry, understated text, tuned, & with multifaceted light”
– Tony Reck
“Truly spectacular. Transforming. Inspirational. Immersive.”
– Chris McNulty
“Evocative and dreamy atmospheres made vivid through set designs from Jo Mott and enthralling lead performance from Helen Morse weaving multiple human and more-than-human characters under, and up into, Melbourne’s suburban skies.”
– John Power
“Just saw this and was absolutely blown away. A truly incredible show.”
– Audience member
Production History
The Swallows is borne of many years of shared practice between Sandra Fiona Long and collaborators, creating performance works where poetic text, sound, vocals and visual design create an immersive sensorial world. Sandra and Ria Soemardjo have made many vocal and text based works together in Australia and Indonesia, collaborating with Kath Papas Productions, including “Of Frogs“ at Darebin Speakeasy and “Hades Fading“ in Bandung and Asia TOPA. Sandra and Joanne Mott have created theatre and installation together for decades, regularly conducting art workshops together. Helen Morse first worked with Sandra’s text “Duets for Lovers and Dreamers“ in 2010 and they have had a mentoring relationship since then, through new work development.
Support & Acknowledgement
Supported by the City of Melbourne Arts Grants
The Swallows was first developed in 2022 with support from Besen Family Foundation