Wheeler Centre author talks - Jane Harrison - The Visitors

Interested in coming along to a talk by a POC author about POC issues? Feel free to join us at this event by the Wheeler Centre, as part of its Spring Fling festival.

https://www.wheelercentre.com/events/jane-harrison-the-visitors/

What's the talk about? ‘I once read that every country has a seminal issue that they grapple with. I believe colonisation is ours.’ Revisit a critical moment in Australia’s history with visionary playwright and author Jane Harrison.

What will happen at this meetup? We'll meet slightly before the event starts, so we can find each other and grab seats together. Then we'll go to a cafe afterwards for anyone who feels like talking about it. Introverts and extraverts are equally welcome - no pressure to talk if you don't want to.

Should I book myself a ticket? Yes! Please make sure to book yourself a ticket if you're coming. RSVPing here will not get you a ticket - it just lets us know you're coming, so we can all find each other on the night. Don't worry, seating is not allocated. Just get yourself a ticket and we'll find seats together on the night. Tickets are $15 full price, but there is also a "free/pay what you wish" option.

Author: Jane Harrison

What to read: The Visitor by Jane Harrison. It's a book as well as a play and an opera. But feel free to come along whether or not you've read the book. Harrison also has a number of other novels and short stories if you're interested.

Longer event description: 'I once read that every country has a seminal issue that they grapple with. I believe colonisation is ours.’

Jane Harrison’s work has captivated audiences globally, earning her international acclaim for plays including Stolen and Rainbow’s End. With an impressive body of work and a deep commitment to promoting and developing First Nations perspectives – including as the Director of the Blak & Bright First Nations Literary Festival – Harrison has established herself as an essential voice in the Australian cultural landscape.

For Spring Fling, Harrison discusses the work of reimagining the past in her first novel for adult readers, The Visitors – a radical retelling of the events of 26 January 1788 from a First Nations perspective. Based on her play of the same name, which first wowed audiences at Sydney Festival in 2020, The Visitors is now a multi-artform phenomenon, appearing as a novel, a production and an opera.

In a wide-ranging and frank conversation with host Daniel James for Melbourne City Reads, Harrison will discuss the story’s journey across artforms and shed new light on this critical moment from Australia’s past.

This event will open with an operatic performance by soprano Shauntai Sheree, a cast member of Victorian Opera’s The Visitors, and Phoebe Briggs, the production’s Head of Music. The Visitors debuts on 18 October at the Playhouse at Arts Centre Melbourne.