By Lucy WilliamsWAMBA Wamba man Brodie Murray, the grandson of notable Balranald identity and Elder Bes Murray, has had a successful year on the stage with his play Billy’s Choice, which will be featured at the Melbourne Fringe Festival.
The WAAPA Aboriginal Performance graduate has teamed up with Australian actress, narrator and director Rachael Maza for the film, which will be available for people to view online.
Billy’s Choice sheds a light on how young people can feel when confronted with big decisions about their future – something Mr Murray is familiar with having moved from his regional hometown of Castlemaine to pursue his career in theatre.
Brodie’s father Ron Murray was a cultural educator who grew up in Balranald with his five sisters, and locals will also know his uncle and aunt Bill and Joy Moore who run a successful bus business.
The late Bes Murray was a stockman at Yanga Station for 45 years.
“I have a connection to Swan Hill through my Wamba Wamba heritage through dad,” Mr Murray said.
“I have a connection to that land and I go up to that country near Swan Hill, Balranald and to the Lake Boga Country.
“It’s definitely been tough (during the pandemic) being away from family for a long time, like my nan and aunty Joy and uncle Bill.”
These themes of homesickness and being away from country are explored in the play Billy’s Choice, which focused in part on Wamba Wamba country near Swan Hill.
Billy’s Choice explores the conflict that can arise as young people seek independence, focusing on the cultural and political contexts of growing up in modern Indigenous Australia, he said.
“Being hours away at boarding school and away from country makes it tough for him [Billy] to be able to connect with his father,” Mr Murray said.
“Themes in the play are around this sense of homesickness and being away from country and family.”
Murray plays the title role while Corey Saylor-Brunskill plays his father John, an Indigenous leader in the Koori Justice sector.
John pushes Billy to pursue studies at university while Billy’s uncle, Wumyah (Dion Williams) counsels Billy to be patient and listen to country to help him think.
Buried family secrets emerge and tensions arise as Billy starts to uncover the truth behind John and Wumyah’s strained relationship.
Mr Murray is just in his 20s but he has already garnered significant praise and experience.
“I have about a year and a half of solid industry experience now and I would say that my biggest achievement in my career has been having my work commissioned at the YIRRAMBOI festival in May earlier this year for my play Soul of Possum,” he said.
“I created it over three years and it was a magical experience, especially at such a massive festival – to have that opportunity to showcase my work was pretty amazing.”
Mr Murray worked on that play with an “exceptional” cast of eight people and also acted in the performance season in North Melbourne in what was a “big step up” for him.
It received very strong reviews, with the commissioned work being supported by the Sidney Myer Fund, City of Melbourne and the Castlemaine State Festival, where Mr Murray is currently artist-in-residence.
Billy’s Choice was written as part of the Yirra Yaarnz play reading series, with dramaturgy by acclaimed playwright Geoff Kelso and presented at Perth’s Blue Room Theatre last year.
With the current Victorian lockdown preventing live performances at Melbourne Fringe this year, Billy’s Choice has been adapted for digital presentation by filmmaker Davide Michielin.
Mr Murray is particularly excited to be working with Aunty Rachel Maza as the director of Billy’s Choice – from whom he said he has learned a lot.BILLY’S CHOICE
Dates: October 7 to 17
Times: View On Demand (30 minutes)
Venue: Digital Fringe
Tickets: Flexible Pricing $15/$10/$5 Mobtix: Free
TO BOOK TICKETS visit melbournefringe.com.au or call (03) 9660 9666
