Is That You, Ruthie?: The play

Is That You, Ruthie?: The play

by Leah Purcell
Epub (Kobo), Epub (Adobe)
Publication Date: 11/03/2025

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In the 1930's, a family seeking refuge from the Depression arrived at Queensland's oppressive Cherbourg Aboriginal Mission. Unbeknownst to them, they were stepping into a life dictated by 'The Act'. The eldest daughter, Ruby (Buthalangi), and her baby, Ruth (Munya), were placed in the Women's Dormitory – a system that would forever change their lives. When Ruth was just four and a half years old, she was removed entirely from her mother's care, only to be forced into domestic service years later. Yet, despite the harsh realities of institutional life, the Dommo Girls forged connections that became a source of strength, joy and a lifelong friendship that helped them survive.

Based on the David Unaipon Award-winning memoir Is That You, Ruthie?, Leah Purcell's playscript is a poignant exploration of the journeys a mother and daughter take to find their way back to each other. Capturing Hegarty's signature humour and courage, this masterful adaptation is a rich tapestry of truth-telling that delves into the complex aftermath of the government's removal policy.

ISBN:
9780702272516
9780702272516
Category:
Indigenous peoples
Format:
Epub (Kobo), Epub (Adobe)
Publication Date:
11-03-2025
Language:
English
Publisher:
University of Queensland Press
Leah Purcell

Leah Purcell is a multi award-winning playwright, actor, director, screenwriter and filmmaker. Indigenous and First Nation themes, characters and issues lie at the heart of all her work.

The Drover's Wife was first a play written by and starring Purcell, performed in 2017. It won the Victorian and New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards for Best Play, Best Book and the Prize for Literature; the Australian Writer's Guild Award for Best Play and Major Work; the David Williamson Prize for Excellence in Writing for Australian Theatre; the Helpmann Award for Best Play and Best New Australian Work; and the Sydney-UNESCO City of Film Award.

Leah Purcell is currently at work on the feature film adaptation of The Drover's Wife, as writer, director and lead actor. She is a proud Goa-Gunggari-Wakka Wakka Murri woman from Queensland.

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