Belloo Creative is an all-female, award-winning Australian theatre company that produces original contemporary works for stage and film.
belloo creative and critical stages present
ROVERS
Celebrate the grit and daring of Australian women.
By Katherine Lyall-Watson
with roxanne mcdonald & barbara lowing
CO-CREATED & Directed by Caroline Dunphy
Trailer for Belloo Creative’s 2018 production of Rovers.
SYNOPSIS
Woven from true stories and wild machinations, this rigorous and poetic work resonates with audiences of all ages.
Rovers is a contemporary comedy-drama and a nimble two-hander that has audiences laughing, crying and celebrating the grit and daring of women trailblazers.
Intrepid performers Roxanne McDonald and Barbara Lowing get behind the wheel and navigate the audience into risky terrain, journeying through the heart line of their lives and into the hilarious misadventures of the women who made them who they are today.
Come on this epic adventure with two of your best-loved actors in the rough and tumble of multiple stories and characters.
TOURING
Rovers premiered at NORPA in 2018 and toured with Critical Stages in 2021 and is available to tour in 2022 and 2023. Contact Critical Stages for more information.
credits - 2018 Production
Writer | Katherine Lyall-Watson with Roxanne McDonald and Barbara Lowing
Director | Caroline Dunphy
Starring | Roxanne McDonald and Barbara Lowing
Vocal Artist | Kirk Page
Composer & Sound Designer | Dane Alexander
Lighting Designer | Christine Felmingham
Set Designer | Jonathan Shankey & Caroline Dunphy
Costume Design | Oscar Hannah Clark
Cultural Consultant | Nadine McDonald-Dowd
Dramaturg | Kathryn Kelly
Producer | Danielle Shankey
Sound Design Intern | Isabella Hall
Videography & Performance | Joel Kishinevsky & Michael Tuahine
Technical Manager & Projection Designer | Jeremy Gordon
Production Manager | Peter Cossar
Community Engagement | Emily Coleman
Marketing | Cinnamon Smith
credits - 2021 TOUR
Writer | Katherine Lyall-Watson
Director | Caroline Dunphy
Starring | Roxanne McDonald and Barbara Lowing
Dramaturg | Kathryn Kelly
Stage Manager | Stephen Rowan
Lighting Designer | Christine Felmingham
Assistant Stage Manager & Funeral Director | Peter Cossar
Cultural Consultant & Community Engagement | Paula Nazarski
Special thanks to Aunty Colleen Wall & Critical Stages.
making rovers
We created Rovers to showcase the exceptional talents of Barbara Lowing and Roxanne McDonald.
Roxy and Barb have been working in theatre and film nationally and internationally for over 30 years and have wanted to do another show together for the last 20.
Some sections of Rovers are taken verbatim from interviews with Barb and Roxy, some have been written from imagination, and some are created from research into Australia’s bushranging women.
Roxy and Barb helped shape the text into their own voices.
We are deeply grateful to Roxy, Barb, Kirk Page and Nadine McDonald-Dowd for their involvement in the early drafts of Rovers.
SUPPORTERS & ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Rovers was developed with the support of NORPA and premiered at NORPA on 17 August 2018.
Rovers performed at Brisbane Festival from 11 September to 15 September 2018 at The Block, Theatre Republic.
Belloo Creative is supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland.
Rovers is proudly supported by Creative Sparks. The Creative Sparks Fund is a partnership between the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council to support local arts and culture in Brisbane.
This project is supported by YWCA Queensland.
Kathryn Kelly’s role supported by Queensland University of Technology.
This project was supported by Queensland Theatre through the provision of in-kind venues.
Rovers Tour has been made possible with assistance from the Arts Queensland Playing Queensland Fund and Critical Stages.
“This is theatre at its best.”
““I remain gobsmacked, with lingering scenes, words and music still rattling around my brain. I want to witness it all over again!”
”
““Thank you for bringing the stories of these women to the stage I didn’t know I needed it until I saw it””
““under Caroline Dunphy’s direction, the hour-long share of outback tales of trailblazing women flies by as audience imaginations are invigorated and inspired””
““sincere and completely charming””
““Barbara Lowing and Roxanne McDonald are resplendent in Rovers””
““I just wanted to say what a joy it was to start my day with the ‘Rovers’ video – with two extraordinary humans – and, of course, all the other extraordinary humans who made it!! Thank you!! Can’t wait for the show to be in our place!!”
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