By Christopher Thomas
With vision, precision and emotional depth, La Boite’s latest offering, Whitefella Yella Tree, sets a new standard for contemporary theatre. It’s a relatively new work, which premiered to acclaim at Griffin Theatre Company in 2022. The piece is written by Dylan Van Den Berg (Palawa), a multi-award-winning writer, whose work engages strongly with Indigenous identity, queer identity, colonisation and healing.
This Brisbane 2025 production is presented by Griffin with Sydney Theatre Company in conjunction with La Boite. The piece is set in the early 19th century, focusing on the story of two Aboriginal teenagers, Ty (River Mob) and Neddy (Mountain Mob), who meet under a lemon tree “once in a blue moon”, and fall in love under the shadow of colonisation.
The La Boite Roundhouse Theatre provides a wonderfully intimate setting (large stage with three sides of the seating utilised) and despite the size of the stage, the two characters manage to fill without any dead space. The set is a mix of incredibly simple and intricate both at the same time. The stark wooden floor with a fire pit mimics the stark Australian landscape, while the lemon tree is possibly the most intricate piece of set I have ever witnessed, with a clear command as the actors frequently stand before it.
To give some context to the setting of this play: across many Aboriginal Nations, long-distance diplomacy worked through designated messengers. Neutral ground for talk wasn’t random: hosts created it through welcome/safe-passage ceremonies. Practices vary by region, but the pattern is consistent: recognised messengers, tokens of authority, and ceremony to make a place safe to meet. The play’s secret meeting spot echoes these Aboriginal ways of creating a protected space for relationship and negotiation. With the lemon myrtle being an important part of indigenous culture, it’s a very fitting centrepiece for this setting.
We are introduced to the meeting place with Ty (Joseph Althouse) quickly joined by Neddy (Danny Howard). The pair initially playfully exchange and gradually reveal their feelings for each other, amidst the colonisation of the land by the British “whitefella”.
Both characters have their own challenges and struggles which progress throughout the piece, providing multiple tense exchanges while they navigate their new romance. Althouse portrays a gorgeously awkward and sometimes unsure Ty, who’s deep love for his mob is displayed frequently with his love for river life, and the desire to keep his family’s stories
and songs alive by rushing to remember them before the eventual colonisation. He is gentle and caring, with a patience that is driven to breaking point which brings a tension that cuts like a knife.
Howard plays the enthusiastic and playful Neddy, who leaps around the stage with endless vigour and excitement with impulsivity, that leads him to eventually lose focus and devotion to his heritage and finds himself happy in the comforts of his newfound acquaintances.
The play takes us from light comic moments to deep heartfelt exchanges, through to shattering climaxes as the audience is taken through the full spectrum of emotions. It’s an enriching experience to witness.
This is a superb piece of contemporary theatre that deserves to be seen and celebrated.
WHAT: Whitefella Yella Tree (https://laboite.com.au/shows/whitefella-yella-tree)
WHEN: Oct 23 to Nov 8
WHERE: Roundhouse Theatre Kelvin Grove
TICKETS: You can buy tickets to Whitefella Yella Tree here.
https://tickets.laboite.com.au/overview/whitefella-yella-tree-2025
