The Bogong's Song
Bangarra Dance Theatre
Wednesday 8 October, 2025
In Bangarra Dance Theatre’s The Bogong’s Song, the stage becomes a living storybook. Director, co-writer and choreographer Yolande Brown, together with co-writer Chenoa Deemal, has created an immersive, luminous work that draws young audiences gently into the Dreaming, a world of wonder, wisdom and laughter. At just 55 minutes, it is perfectly timed for restless minds, yet rich enough in imagery and spirit to captivate adults too.
Two performers, Benjin Maza and Tjilala Brown-Roberts, play siblings who drift into a shared dream. Guided by the tiny but powerful Bogong moth, they embark on a journey through Country that celebrates connection, resilience and respect for even the smallest beings. The story unfolds through movement, song, puppetry and shadows, each element weaving seamlessly into the next.
The production is a triumph of visual design. Richard Roberts’s set, with its shifting planes, soft foliage and luminous projections by Justin Harrison, creates a sense of magic and depth. Ben Hughes’s lighting is masterfully used, conjuring twilight, moonlight and the shimmer of flight. The puppetry, shaped by Vanessa Ellis, honours First Nations storytelling traditions while sparking a sense of play and discovery.
When the dancers move together, the piece truly comes alive. Maza and Brown-Roberts share a natural, joyful chemistry, and their physical storytelling carries genuine emotional weight. Their ensemble moments, pulsing and fluid, is emblematic Bangarra’s extraordinary choreographic lineage. It is in these passages of shared rhythm that The Bogong’s Song feels most grounded and full of spirit, and it would have been great to see more of this throughout the performance.
The story, while beautiful and sincere, carries perhaps one idea too many. At times, it feels a little overfilled for such a compact running time, and some of the deeper or more emotional themes may be just a touch beyond the reach of the youngest audience members. Even so, the production never loses its heart. The children, invited to join in call and response or respond to the characters’ playful asides, remain engaged from start to finish, while adults are rewarded with moments of quiet reflection and the occasional joke.
Brendon Boney’s music, paired with Brown’s songwriting, is atmospheric and warm, grounding the magical imagery in a pulse that feels both contemporary and ancient. The interplay of live voice, recorded sound and movement creates a sensory richness that lingers long after the final blackout.
The Bogong’s Song succeeds not only as a theatrical experience but as a cultural offering, crafted with integrity and care. It invites its young audiences to look, listen and feel, and to understand that Country holds stories waiting to be heard.
An enchanting and gently humorous introduction to theatre and dance that speaks to children without ever speaking down to them.
-Olivia Weeks