A new Australian theatre production is encouraging audiences to reconsider one of the country's most significant historical figures. Featured on ABC Radio National's Awaye!, Bennelong in London explores the life of Woollarawarre Bennelong, a senior Wangal man of the Eora Nation, through a fresh Indigenous perspective that challenges many long-held assumptions about Australia's colonial past.
Written by acclaimed Aboriginal playwright Jane Harrison, the production focuses on Bennelong's time in Britain after he travelled there with Governor Arthur Phillip in the early 1790s. Rather than portraying Bennelong simply as an intermediary between First Nations people and British settlers, the play presents him as a complex individual navigating two vastly different worlds while attempting to protect his people and identity.
Historically, Bennelong has often been described through colonial records that portrayed him either as a diplomatic success story or as a tragic figure caught between cultures. Harrison's work instead asks audiences to question who has traditionally controlled Australia's historical narratives and whose voices have been overlooked. By placing Bennelong at the centre of his own story, the play invites viewers to understand his decisions, relationships and experiences from an Aboriginal perspective.
The production explores Bennelong's experiences in London, where he encountered British society at a time when Australia was only beginning to be colonised. It examines how he was viewed by British elites, how he responded to unfamiliar customs and how those experiences influenced his return to Country. Rather than presenting history as a simple conflict between two cultures, the play highlights the personal challenges faced by individuals living through extraordinary historical change.
During the Awaye! interview, the discussion highlights the importance of Indigenous storytelling in reshaping public understanding of Australia's past. Harrison explains that theatre offers an opportunity to fill historical gaps left by official records, allowing audiences to engage emotionally with people whose voices were rarely preserved in written documents. Through dramatic storytelling, the production encourages reflection on identity, belonging and cultural survival.
The play is being presented by the Sydney Theatre Company, continuing the company's commitment to showcasing contemporary First Nations stories alongside historical works. Critics and historians have noted increasing public interest in productions that reinterpret Australia's colonial history through Indigenous perspectives, helping broaden conversations about reconciliation, truth-telling and shared history.
Bennelong in London also raises broader questions about how historical figures should be remembered. Instead of reducing Bennelong to a symbol, the production portrays him as a leader, diplomat, husband and community member whose life cannot be understood through colonial records alone. By humanising one of Australia's earliest documented Aboriginal leaders, the play seeks to deepen public appreciation of First Nations history and the enduring resilience of Aboriginal cultures.
As Australia continues to engage in conversations about truth-telling and historical understanding, productions such as Bennelong in London demonstrate the important role of the arts in presenting alternative perspectives and encouraging audiences to reflect on the country's shared past.
