Where We Once Belonged

“My self belongs not to me, because 'I' is always 'we'”

Belonging is a funny thing. If we belong to an idea, a place or even another person, does that idea, place or person own us? And does who or what we belong to, or who and what belongs to us, define our identity?

Alofa is a Samoan, a Christian, a bastard, a schoolgirl. She seems to belong to lots of things, but nothing seems to belong to her. Her world is shared, from her toothbrush to her bike; and her ideas are spoon – or force – fed. But beneath all the hard rules, that world is also complicated and contradictory. And about to get more chaotic…

Playwright Dave Armstrong brings Sia Figiel’s award winning book Where We Once Belonged to life – with standout performances from a cast of 14 young talents.

Warmed with humour and goose bump harmonies, Where We Once Belonged explores the complex and at times brutal concepts of colonisation, religion and family. The play asks what it means to belong to an ideology or place, and illustrates how these strong ties can provide both a source of strength and a burden.

The well-established island-life setting offers the audience a picturesque escape, while the 1970s backdrop also provides nostalgia. Familiar references to pop culture connect a global audience to this far away place, anchoring us to shared memories and playing with our own sense of belonging.

A beautifully portrayed story of a woman in the making amid a culture under threat, well balanced with both dark and light moments, Where We Once Belonged leaves the audience with some lingering questions (even if the those strong accents can be heard to decipher!) Do we have a choice to what we belong? How much of who we are is determined by what we decide?

Belonging can be a funny thing.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Where We Once Belonged
by Armstrong Creative & PIPA (NZL)
World Theatre Festival 2012

Brisbane Powerhouse
15–18 February 2012