Markus Hamence is in the Jungle Room with Aaron Pedersen.
Aaron is in a NEW theatre piece currently touring Australia and about to hit Adelaide with State Theatre South Australia. Aaron and Markus chat all about Dear Son.
A message of love, hope and healing.
Along with his own vivid and poignant prose and poetry, author and editor Thomas Mayo, co-author of The Voice to Parliament Handbook and Kaurareg, Kalkalgal and Erubamle Torres Strait Islander man, invited 12 contributors to write a letter to their son, father or nephew, bringing together a range of perspectives that offered a celebration of First Nations manhood.
Featuring letters from Stan Grant, Troy Cassar-Daley, John Liddle, Charlie King, Joe Williams, Yessie Mosby, Joel Bayliss, Daniel James, Jack Latimore, Daniel Morrison, Tim Sculthorpe and Blak Douglas, what resulted was a gentle, honest and loving book for families from anywhere in the world.
In 2025, renowned First Nations theatre makers, Isaac Drandic (At What Cost?) and John Harvey (Heart is a Wasteland) will adapt these letters into a world premiere theatre work, and starring leading First Nations actors including Jimi Bani and Trevor Jamieson, that will open your eyes and your heart.
Through story, through music, Dear Son will be a groundbreaking theatrical event that will honour the rich traditions and wisdoms of fathers passed down through generations, while also exploring the challenges faced by First Nations men today and the importance of family, the power of culture and the enduring strength of the human spirit.
As Thomas writes to his father: “We were the first builders, craftsmen, storytellers, artists, fishermen, hunters, scientists, inventors, explorers, farmers, engineers, warriors, and healers… We are still all these things and so much more. We are a continuum of proud Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men – the fathers of the longest surviving culture on earth. And now, Dad, as your hard exterior becomes brittle with age, I feel you. As dusk reaches your eyes – eyes that were too bright to look upon in my youth – I see you. I understand you, Dad. I love you. I will always be your dear son.”
“Being open, talking up, yarning… This book is about dispelling the stereotype around what masculinity is for First Nations men” – Tara June Winch, author
Dear Son
26 July – 16 August 2025
Odeon Theatre, Norwood, SA
Tickets: https://statetheatrecompany.com.au/shows/dear-son/
