The Other Side of Me: Stolen Generation Dance at Sydney Opera House

Gary Lang's dance production 'The Other Side of Me' is staged at the Sydney Opera House until 9 May. The work, first presented in Darwin in 2023, fictionalizes the experiences of two brothers from the Northern Territory who were removed from their family in the 1960s as part of the Stolen Generation and adopted by English parents. The performance follows one brother, played by Alexander Abbot, as an incarcerated adult in the UK unable to return home due to his criminal record. A second dancer, Blake Escott (Dhunghutti and Worimi), represents Country, the brother, and colonial indoctrination. The soundscape includes clapsticks, acoustic guitar, Indigenous voices, techno, and violins. At the climax, Abbot's spirit returns home accompanied by Manikay sung by Banula Marika. Lang, a Larrakia man, participates in Q&As after each performance, noting that First Nations people were considered 'flora and fauna' until the 1967 referendum. Historical images at the end underscore the ongoing impact of the Stolen Generation.