NGURRUMILMARRMIRIYU.
(translation - Wrong Skin)

Elcho Island off the North-East coast of Arnhem Land may be one of the world's remotest places. But this has not stopped this small community taking the world by storm.

Recently Yolngu artist Gurrumul Yunupingu turned first his guitar, and then the musical world upside down, with his dreamlike Yolngu ballads. Then Elcho's unique 'Chooky Dancers', via a three minute clip on YouTube, managed to reach one and a half million people with their hilarious rendition of Zorba the Greek Yolngu Style, fusing Aboriginal dance, hip hop and comedy. Born on the broken asphalt of the Galiwinku Saturday night disco, the world roared its approval.

Now Elcho Island and The Chooky Dancers join hands with multi-award winning director Nigel Jamieson (Sydney Olympic Opening Ceremony, Red Square). Together they fuse traditional culture, dance, film and comedy with influences drawn from mobile phone technology to the unforgettable Saturday night discos, Taiwanese martial art videos and Bollywood.

A Romeo and Juliet like story of forbidden love, skin and clan the work explores with abandoned energy the pressures faced by remote Indigenous communities, determined to maintain their identity and culture, while finding a place for their children in the contemporary world.

This promises to be an important and joyous moment in Australian theatre.

In memory of Frank.

To make a Carbon Credit Donation and help manage the Adelaide Festival's carbon footprint, click here