THEATRE: THE BALLAD OF BACKBONE JOE
The Suitcase Royale yank their inspiration from unusual magic hats. As a band, their music hails from the swamps and tinpan alleys of USA, with shades of bluegrass Australiana. As a theatre trio, they shamelessly plunder the cultural junkyard with rag and bone zeal. For The Ballad of Backbone Joe they’ve turned to an obscure local tradition; tent boxing. “It’s quite a dangerous pastime,” says Joseph O’Farrell. O’Farrell’s father – a Harley Davidson lover and hence avid traveller of our country’s backwaters – told him about it. “The old saying is, a round for a pound,” says O’Farrell. “It’s big business – people bring their own trunks and mitts!” Or rather, used to. The so-called sport was banned in all states of recent years. From that simple ingredient, an unlikely tale was cooked up: one of a dead broad in a blood-red dress, in a two-bit town of the roaring pre-war days. In true Suitcase style, this will be slapped together with film, narrative, a few banana-peel moments and plenty of banjo. It’s not the first time the show has toured Sydney. “We’ve tried every show for the first time in Sydney, actually,” says O’Farrell. “Sydney is probably my favourite place … The crowds are so up for it.” According to O’Farrell, we have a taste for devised, collaborative theatre, and we’re not afraid to support it. “People give Sydney a bit of a hard time, but I think it’s at the forefront of theatre-making at the moment.” Sounds like the Melbourne corner isn’t going down without a fight though.
Sep 21-Oct 2, Sydney Theatre Company, Hickson Rd, Walsh Bay, $25-30, 9250 1777, sydneytheatre.com.au
