This week on Let’s Talk – Arts, Rachael catches up with the intergenerational powerhouse duo behind Don’t Ask What the Bird Look Like: Hannah Belanszky & Roxanne McDonald. Described as “a gently funny, almost gothic tale about land, family and reconnection”, Don’t Ask What the Bird Look Like is Belanszky’s debut mainstage play. It has just wrapped up a very successful season on stage at the Queensland Theatre Company here in Meanjin. Written by Hannah and directed by veteran performer and artist Aunty Rox, the show is a masterclass in complex and restrained storytelling about the intergenerational legacies of loss, and the importance of finding ways to reconnect.
In this rich and careful conversation, Rachael catches up with Hannah and Roxanne to talk about their respective creative practices, the somewhat drawn-out process of finally getting the play on-stage in Meeanjin, and the process of coming together to bring this extraordinary story to life.