Wednesday 6 May 2026
The Studio, Sydney Opera House
Review by Paul Neeson (Arts Wednesday)
First Nations choreographer, Gary Long was in attendance at The Studio (Sydney Opera House) and Sydney’s elite dancerati assembled for his new touring production, The Other Side of Me.
A voice over in the prologue informed us of the true story upon which this tale was based. Two aboriginal boys were stolen from their mother and adopted out to an English family who took them to a hamlet in England to live. However as Gary Lang explains in the interview below, dispelling at the same time any confusion, this production is about only one of the brothers, languishing in jail, internalising and battling with thoughts of his alter self (The Other Side of Me) living a different life on country on the other side of the planet.
What this premise inspired was a creative dance that was at times intimate and loving, and at others violent and confrontational. Dancers Blake Ascott and Alexander Abbot were outstanding in their physicality and athleticism: lifting, turning and on occasions dragging each other forcefully across the stage. Ascott was the boy in jail dealing with his demons. He acted out injecting intravenous drugs in what was perhaps a metaphor for wanting to block out reality, or was it the real reason for his incarceration? It just as likely could have been both. Abbot, by contrast, was a powerful presence on stage, his physical stature and at times a menacing expression was like a fierce aboriginal warrior protecting his mob. Conversely, it was the sensuousness and fluidity of his movement and a heart-rending tenderness that was impossible to ignore – it added both pathos and empathy into an already heady mix of dance, emotion and passion. Every part of his body flowed in smooth continuous lines, like liquid, like kelp washing gently back and forth in the waves. It is no wonder he is Principal Dancer with the Company and Lang’s muse.
Much of the narrative was suggested through the rear video projection (Samuel James) – crossing the ocean, far away landscapes, prison walls and obscure, nebulous graphics. Towards the end, the two dancers moved to the very rear of the stage melding with the rear projection as the images from the projector light fell upon their bodies. They used the screen as a vertical wall that became the ‘floor’ of their dance, one’s feet ‘walking’ up the wall as they were held aloft by the other. A clever way to bring all the elements of the production together.
The sound design (Arian Pearson) and music (Samuel Pankhurst) evoked their own narrative of changing and evolving moods and emotions, ranging from jarring counterpoints to gentle washes. While rhythm played a large part in the score, at times the soothing beds of sound were what was called for. Harsh electronic hums were contrasted with acoustic guitar, violin, piano and traditional song sung in language. Janet Munyarryun spoke language texts at the beginning of the show – “run, run they’re coming to get you, they’re taking you away” – and again at the end – “I followed the sun and the moon looking for you my child”. This was the voice of the mother whose children were stolen, and thanks to Gary Lang for providing the translation.
The Other Side of Me is a powerful work that tells a sorry tale of stolen children; a tale that, whether we like it or not, has become part of our shared history. The archival photos projected at the end were a stark reminder that this is not a myth but harsh reality. Every dancer in the audience knows the truth can be told by the body through dance, so as they stood as one for a well-deserved ovation they couldn’t have given a greater compliment.
Season runs at the Sydney Opera House 6-9 May.
You can listen to a recent interview with Gary Lang below:
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