"The play made me angry that we 'protect' children but deny them love and their right to self-worth; and then jail them when they fail to cope as adults, denying them their freedom instead of helping them to regain the freedom we all deserve - from the violence, sexual abuse, emotional manipulation, financial pressure which we do too little to restrain."
This comment in reviewing Tell her that I love her..., performed by Somebody's Daughter Theatre at Tuggeranong Arts Centre in October 1999, remains true of director Maud Clark's recent work for Tuggeranong Community Arts: a five weeks' project funded by the Community Cultural Development Fund of the Australia Council.
Bringing together some 20 young people from Inanna's Well Being Group, the Karalika Therapeutic Community and Dickson College's Alternative Program with TCA workshop directors Garry Fry and Eulea Kiraly, Community Arts Officer Louise Haigh and Gallery Coordinator Susie Edwards, Clark worked with Somebody's Daughter Musical Director Greg Sneddon and Odyssey House Visual Art Consultant Maria Fillipow on an integrated arts development workshop with several objectives.
While the TCA staff were learning new techniques for engaging young people in the process of discovering and expressing their understanding of love, in all its positives and negatives, the young participants, many of whom have had difficulty fitting in with social norms, were finding new levels of self-confidence, learning to work successfully in a new group, and creating a work-in-progress last Tuesday to show in visual, musical and theatrical forms how "Love is an onion" - many layered, rich in texture and shape, bringing tears to the eyes. Poems and mimed images in the Gallery space were followed by movement and music in the Dance Studio, and song and text-based scenes in the Theatre.
Eulea Kiraly will take some members of the group, and others who may join, further in what Clark refers to as "opening a window", and next year plans to use the Somebody's Daughter approach to work with teenage boys involved in bullying. Clark explains that the work is not specifically therapy, but aims at leading young people to find a passion to follow - maybe in theatre, art or music, or indeed in surfing - the theme of one scene developed from one boy's writing in this group. Clark calls this "crossing the bridge to understanding why".
Helping to allay young people's anger and frustration is important community arts work: TCA is based at the Tuggeranong Arts Centre, but works with people across the city. Contact TCA General Manager Ms Evol McLeod if you are interested in, or would like to take part in this kind of project. Ring 6293 1443.
©Frank McKone, Canberra
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