Stolen (Sydney Theatre Co) ★★★★½

Written by Jane Harrison. Sydney Theatre Company. 6 Jun – 6 Jul, 2024.

Jane Harrison’s 1998 play Stolen feels as cutting and vibrant as ever under the direction of Ian Michael. In 2024, it serves as a bitter reminder of Australia’s great sin, and an indictment of modern day Australia who denied indigenous Australians a voice in Parliament just recently..

Five children, Jimmy, Ruby, Shirley, Sandy, and Anne, taken from their families in a coordinated government scheme, tell their stories. Filled with tragedy, joy and pain, the cruelty inflicted on the Stolen Generation is laid bare.

The first thing you notice about Stolen is its sense of scale and space. The Wharf 1 Theatre stands almost bare, but that space is dominated by a gigantic metal bed frame, suitcases and an oversized filing cabinet. Renée Mulder’s set design is poetic in its simplicity. The five children at the core of this story are small and innocent in a world they can’t yet grapple with. James Brown’s score turns up the emotion when needed, sitting in balance with the rest of the elements. Trent Suidgeest’s lighting uses shadows to menace the children. It is a sparse but effective presentation.

Ian Michael’s production balances the awkwardness of adults playing children with finesse thanks to the great performances by the cast. It’s refreshing to see Megan Wilding be given a meaty role that utilises both her comedic and dramatic chops. Stephanie Somerville’s Anne, a light skinned girl, finds herself rejected by both societies. Kartanya Maynard’s Ruby is subjected to the worst of humanity. Mathew Cooper’s Sandy has the resilience to survive and grow through it all.

In the end, it is Jarron Andy’s Jimmy who emerges as the show’s stand out. A vivacious child determined to reconnect with his mother, his journey is all too familiar and devastating. 

Harrison’s text has a timelessness to it that refuses to let us push these events into the past. Heartbreaking scenes of a mother writing letters to her son, which are never delivered, are more devastating for their lack of mawkish sentimentality. Even when the characters are happy, the wounds are close to the surface. The closing moments balance scenes of joy and distress (this isn’t a misery-fest by any means, but you won’t walk out cheerful & chatty).

Deeply affecting, it is simply impossible to watch Stolen without a sense of sadness and rage brewing within you. While the tragedies are leavened with humour and some beautiful staging, the serious reality can not be missed.