Whitefella Yella Tree is the latest production in Sydney Theatre Company’s season and is particularly special given that it is a collaboration with Griffin Theatre Company, who have also produced some exceptional work this year. This production premiered at Griffin in 2022 and has been adapted to a larger stage and a larger audience as part of STC’s season and the performers were greeted with a packed house at the beautiful Wharf 1 Theatre on the night of the review (Thursday 25th September).

The production centres around two First Nations boys, Ty (Joseph Althouse) and Neddy (Danny Howard), who quickly begin to fall in love. While the story starts off as a cute love story as the two young boys discover their sexuality and their feelings for each other, the production quickly takes a turn as Neddy tries to find his sister, who has been kidnapped as a result of the atrocities of the Stolen Generations. As Neddy becomes increasingly a part of White society, this creates a divide between him and Ty which has devastating consequences for their relationship. 

The strength of this production lies in its storyline and in the work of the actors on stage. Althouse and Howard complement each other beautifully on stage, working symbiotically off each other’s energy. Althouse is more reserved while Howard has a youthful exuberance which works well as a contrast, making their division at the end of the production even more poignant. The storyline is also extremely powerful in its insights into colonialism and dispossession, deftly dealing with the historical context surrounding the production and weaving it into the narrative. 

While the storyline of the play is very strong and poignant, the pacing means that the performance loses a bit of steam towards its end. The set up of the love story is very long which means that, while beautiful, it becomes a little repetitive. 

The central focus of the set is a large tree and designer Mason Browne does a great job of foregrounding this centrepiece whilst also developing out the set around it. It is definitely a minimalist set, but it works well in this production as it ensures that the focus remains on the two performers. 

Overall, this is an incredibly strong work with beautiful writing and acting which shines light on a story that is quintessentially Australian and one that needs to be told. Credit must go to everyone involved for this superb production, especially to Althouse and Howard who are truly fantastic on the stage. While some pacing issues set the production back a little, this is still a wonderful performance and a stunning addition to the Australian theatre canon. 

Rating: ★★★★

Whitefella Yella Tree plays at the Wharf 1 Theatre until 18^th October 2025. For more information, click here.

All photo credits: Prudence Upton