Melbourne Festival in Southbank

Each year the Melbourne Festival brings together some of the world’s best theatre, music and dance artists.

During the program, audiences converge on Southbank, where many of Australia’s best theatre venues call home.

This year’s pan-cultural program offered many Southbank residents a chance to catch a show – only a stone’s throw from their front door.

I managed to get to see quite a bit of the festival but one of my highlights was by the Back to Back Theatre Company which hails all the way from Geelong! Ganesh Versus the Third Reich, directed by Bruce Gladwin was a play about the Indian deity who travelled through Nazi Germany to reclaim the swastika – an ancient Hindu symbol.

Not without controversy, the production saw some of Melbourne’s Hindu community voice concern with the promotional material and early descriptions – some even protesting outside the Malthouse Theatre, claiming the depiction of Lord Ganesh was offensive.

In a statement, Back to Back Theatre and The Melbourne Festival expressed great regret at the inadvertent harm or offence at the perceived depiction of Lord Ganesh in the play. Furthermore, one statement of support from Hindu Mahamandaleshwar Swami Shankarananda said, “When we consider the play, Ganesh Versus The Third Reich, we should not become humourless fundamentalists. Ganesh is lovable. I’m convinced that the figure of Lord Ganesh is treated respectfully and the play itself is a plea for tolerance and humanity.”

Back to Back Theatre Company includes people with intellectual disabilities who take part in all aspects of the production. Through the Ganesh story, they examine how individuals who are perceived to be outsiders, can comment and respond to, and be more strongly integrated into a pluralistic society. The company is highly-regarded in Australia and tours extensively around the world.

I thought the show was both a challenging and brilliant piece of theatre because as Ganesh embarks on his journey a second narrative is revealed as the actors themselves feel the weighty responsibility of story-tellers and question the ethics of cultural appropriation.

This play within a play looks at the how the actors themselves must overcome obstacles in their own lives. By highlighting these issues around cultural appropriation, the show asks who has the authority to tell stories, and how they can be told. Ultimately, the status of Ganesh is represented positively and his status never threatened.

The Malthouse Theatre is one of Australia’s leading contemporary theatre spaces. It presents new and adventurous works by some of Australia’s brightest talent. Living in Southbank puts seeing a show on your “must do” list throughout the year. Coming up on November 11 is award-winning cabaret star Meow Meow’s new show, Little March Girl, directed by Malthouse artistic director Marion Potts.

Originally built in 1892 as a brewery and malting works, The Malthouse was donated by Carlton and United Breweries for the creation and presentation of contemporary Australian theatre in 1990.

The CUB Malthouse complex now houses three theatres, a cafe and a bar at 113 Sturt Street, Southbank, 3006

www.malthousetheatre.com.au

Kevin McGreal is a Southbank resident and playwright/director.