A true-life testimony to people power and persistence

Priya and Nades left war-torn Sri Lanka and found each other in regional Queensland. They married, had two daughters, worked hard and settled into a simple but happy country life.

The community welcomed them with open arms — but four years later came a knock at the door and they were ripped away in a dawn raid.

Their story could have ended there, but a brave band of Biloela women weren’t giving up on them so easily.

Fighting alongside the young refugee family, they launched a grassroots, people-powered campaign that galvanised hundreds of thousands of ordinary Australians to demand the family be brought back to Bilo. This is the remarkable true account of one family’s ordeal in the nightmare limbo of immigration detention, a story of how love is stronger than fear and of how persistence and togetherness can win against crushing odds.

Back to Bilo is a profoundly moving new play from celebrated local company Belloo Creative (Boy, Lost) and is made with — and from — the heart of regional Queensland.

"A must-see production about the triumph of the human spirit and the power of community." — Cathy Hunt, Women of the World Festival

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Creatives

Nades and Priya, July 2023. Photo by Shaun Charles.

“Matt Scholten has been working for over two and a half years on a theatre project that tells the true story of my family and my home community of Biloela. Matt has the permission and support of my family and the people of Biloela who have supported us and helped us receive permanent visas to remain in Australia. I have fully supported Matt and Katherine’s work so far and hope that they will be able to keep working on the project and wish them every success.” - Priya Nadesalingam

Creative Developments 2024

February to March 2024

From February 19 to 28, Belloo and the creative team spent eight inspiring days in the studio at Shake & Stir Theatre, collaborating with talented artists including Leah Vandenberg, Matt Domingo, Janaki Gerard, Zoe Houghton, Hsiao-Ling Tang, Michael Tuahine, Jessica Veurman, Guy Webster, Esther Elder, and Kathryn Kelly. After this intensive studio period, we traveled to Biloela, joined by Peter Cossar, Shaun Charles, and the project’s originator, Matt Scholten. From February 29 to March 3, we hosted a well-received gathering in Biloela, culminating in a rehearsed reading at the Anzac Club on March 2.

In Biloela, we had the honour of sharing our work-in-progress with Priya, Nades, Simone, Angela, Bronwyn, and the Bring Priya, Nades, and Their Girls Home to Biloela community. We are profoundly grateful for the warm welcome and the insightful conversations that emerged.

May to June 2024

HAVEN: HOME TO BILO (working title) had its third public reading at Queensland Theatre and the Biloela WOW Festival.

Following a two-day rehearsal at Queensland Theatre, we traveled to Biloela, where HAVEN: HOME TO BILO (working title) proudly opened the WOW Festival on May 31.

2024 Development Cast
Leah Vandenberg (South Asian – Priya & ensemble)
Matt Domingo (Sri Lankan – Nades & ensemble)
Janaki Gerard (Sri Lankan – Vashini & ensemble)
Zoe Houghton (Bronwyn & ensemble)
Hsiao-Ling Tang (Angela & ensemble)
Jessica Veurman (Simone & ensemble)
Michael Tuahini (Politicians & ensemble)

Photos from the March 2024 rehearsed reading in Biloela.

December 2024
This final development of the year has been all about design. Our incredible team of designers—Guy Webster, Govin Ruben, Mic Gruchy, and Keerthi Subramanyam—along with Director Caroline Dunphy, Assistant Director Janaki Gerard and Writer, explored how to transform this powerful story from page to stage.

Back to Bilo integrates multiple forms of media, melding original score and video design with live performance, a transformative set, costumes, and props to immerse audiences in the heart of the family's story.

Images by Jade Ellis Photography.

regional development 2023

The rehearsed reading of the first draft of HAVEN: HOME TO BILO (working title) took place at the Biloela ANZAC Memorial Club on the 20 of July, 2023, for an invited audience of Home to Bilo campaigners and the Nadesalingam family. This was followed by an excerpt of the play shared at the Flourish Festival in Gladstone on the 22 of July, 2023.

The cast for this development were Stephen Geronimos, Zoe Houghton, Monica Kumar, Steven Rooke, Hsiao-Ling Tang & Jessica Veurman.

Dramaturg Kathryn Kelly; Video Artist Shaun Charles; Tamil Cultural Advisor and Translator Vashini Riswan.

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Photo Credits: Shaun Charles, Caroline Dunphy, Matt Scholten & Chelsea August.

Creative development 2022

Brisbane City Council's Creative Sparks program funded a creative development in 2022. We were thrilled to have Simone Cameron from the Home to Bilo campaign team join us in the development room and to have Priya Nadesalingam and Bronwyn Dendle join us via Zoom.

The cast for the 2022 creative development were Kerith Atkinson, Barbara Lowing, Michael Mandalios, Steven Rooke & Jessica Veurman.

SUPPORTERS & ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This project has been assisted by the Australian Government’s Major Festivals Initiative, managed by the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body, in association with the Confederation of Australian International Arts Festivals Inc commissioned by Brisbane Festival, Darwin Festival, Perth Festival and Queensland Theatre.

The WOW Festival play reading in Biloela was supported by WOW Australia and Brisbane Festival.

The 2024 regional development and showing was supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland and Queensland Theatre.

The 2023 trip to Biloela and Gladstone was made possible thanks to a Festivals Australia Grant from the Australian Government.

The 2022 development was supported by Brisbane City Council’s Creative Sparks program, a partnership between the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council to support local arts and culture in Brisbane.

In 2022, Katherine Lyall-Watson and Matt Scholten were also supported by the Australian Plays Transform Duologue Program.

BACK TO BILO