Confronting, powerful, provocative, real.
Belvoir St Theatre could not have started 2025 better. Its opening production, Jacky, is a compelling exploration of loss of culture, loss of identity, and the shocking subtle racism Indigenous Australians face. Equal parts funny and devastating, it leaves one wondering whether full reconciliation will ever be possible.
Jacky is about the world of its title character, a young Indigenous man from ‘up North’ now working in Melbourne. Despite Jacky’s jobs ranging drastically – from office internships to cultural performances to occasional LGBT sex work – he’s found his feet in the big city. Yet, the arrival of his younger brother Keith (Danny Howard) and decision to take on older client Glenn (Greg Stone) force Jacky to question how much of his culture he has sacrificed to be successful.
Declan Furber Gillick‘s script is fantastic. The writing brings the characters to life and gives the play its energy. It tells the story gradually, making it hard to guess where the narrative is going next. Though this means some scenes feel long, as though building up to the next big moment, it allows Jacky‘s themes to be explored in significant detail.
Guy Simon plays Jacky cleverly. His initial portrayal of the character is as an everyman, the unfortunate victim of circumstances outside his control. This is sharply contrasted by the time the play ends, with Jacky’s own contribution to his struggles clear. In doing so Simon presents a character that continually develops. He hides Jacky’s faults well and reveals them at perfect moments. Though this leaves the audience guessing whether Jacky is a hero or not, Simon’s performance is unquestionably skilful.
The same is true for the rest of the cast. Danny Howard presents a similarly clever Keith, transforming him from a young slacker enjoying city life to someone with a deep understanding of his roots and identity. It is the best debut Belvoir has seen in a while. Greg Stone as Glenn is comic and despicable; comic in how he timidly approaches his relationship with Jacky, his first ever call boy, and despicable in how racist he can be. Mandy McElhinney as Glenn’s ex-wife Linda is a toned-down version of Glenn. Her racism is disguised as a lack of awareness that is at times deliberate and at times unintentional. Though she is not given as much to do as other characters, McElhinny plays Linda with a relatability that makes one question just how culturally aware they actually are.
Production supports the on stage action well. Direction from Mark Wilson keeps the play fast with quick scene transitions and clever stagecraft. Intimacy coordination by Amy Cater, most obviously demonstrated during the sexual scenes between Jacky and Glenn, supports the storytelling perfectly. Tight use of other production elements keeps the focus on the cast and their performances.
Ultimately, Jacky shows that modern life is complex. This is especially so for the Indigenous community, who must reconcile their sense of culture with the stereotypes they are explicitly and implicitly subject to. But such complexity is also experienced by the people around them, and the racism they knowingly and unknowingly display. Which begs the question – how far has Australia really gone in addressing these realities, and what will it take to do this?
