The epic rock ‘n’ roll theatre show, Big Name, No Blankets celebrates the phenomenal journey and impact of Sammy Tjapanangka Butcher, one of the founding members of the icon of Australian music, Warumpi Band.
When we caught up with the team behind the production, Anyupa Butcher, the charismatic daughter of legendary Warumpi Band founder Sammy Tjapanangka Butcher, and theatre icon Dr Rachael Maza AM, had just come off a gruelling rehearsal week ahead of Melbourne’s Rising Festival, where it was met with rave reviews. Butcher, Maza, and the brilliant script by Andrea James, as well the exceptional cast and crew, create layers of emotion for the audience that need to be experienced to be understood. Irresistible was lucky enough to catch the production at the Sydney Festival in January 2024, and it was one of the best shows we have ever seen – a not-uncommon reaction.
We sat down with Butcher and Maza to discuss the phenomenal show and how they capture emotions and experiences so eloquently.
Can you tell us the story of how the show came to be and how you came to do the work together?
Butcher: I was working at Ilbijerri Theatre Company as an Associate Producer. I was so inspired by the work that Ilbijerri were doing, and I was sharing my dad’s story in the early days with Rachael. We wanted to make sure this story was developed on Country, not in Melbourne, or in an office, but that we actually got to take this story home, and go to see my Dad and learn. We wanted everybody to know all of the sites from his childhood, and all of the places in the story are in the script. We’ve taken a lot of time to sit on Country and for my Dad to really speak from his heart. I feel like the show captures that beautifully.
What would you like the audience to take away from the show that they may not necessarily know?
Butcher: I’ll speak for myself as I grew up with the Warumpi band, and it is the anthemic music of Country. It is sung from the black perspective, from First Peoples who have been here for the longest time, on the land and in language, and it is celebrating that. So, for me, the biggest thing is that this is a celebration of the Country that we live in. What my dad stands for, everything he stands for, is that this is a story about hope. Hope, in terms of who we are as a country, my father’s and black brothers being able to walk side by side, and celebrating the black history of this country. They were touring and travelling the world, you know, a couple of decades ago, but their music is as poignant and as relevant as ever.
Maza: We need, especially after the last few years that we’ve had, for everybody to actually just enjoy and be full of all of the love that’s coming off that stage. That’s what theatre is able to bring, because music obviously stands on its own two legs and is incredibly powerful. Sometimes, when you’re listening to music or you’re busy on the dance floor, you’re not really listening to lyrics properly. Because of the theatrical scenes that are built with the context around the songs, it’s really allowed audiences to sit more deeply with songs and listen to what the lyrics are saying. And I’m proud of how well we’ve done that.
Butcher: And can I just add on to that. Internalize that joy. One thing that was really important for me as bush people is that mostly our stories aren’t really told from us, but a representation of us. So it was a really big drive to include our language and our culture, as, you know, normal people that live in remote communities, we actually do have joy and fun and celebration in our homes and on our homelands. A lot of the time we’re scrutinized in the media, and it is a real beat up on or it’s very negative.
What else would you like to share about the show’s inception?
Butcher: It’s about desert people, but with my father’s legacy. The band went and toured all around Australia, and made connections with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from across the country, and brought them together. It was a real coming together of our stories through music, and we’ve captured that beautifully with my Grandmother. You can see her as a strong mother figure, raising her sons in the bush, and just the pure love she had for her children. And it was really important for me to show love, healing, and hope, from a bush perspective that speaks to all First Nations people.
Tell us more about how you capture so many emotions so elegantly.
Butcher: One thing that I always talk about is the emotions that we feel as First Nations people, when it comes to the impacts of colonisation. There’s a whole spectrum of emotions from anger, grief, sadness, and it is so complex. And that’s why I think that it’s hard for non- Indigenous people to really understand, because it is so complex, that spectrum that we innately carry, and I really wanted to capture that. I feel like we’ve done that really well with the show.
Maza: It’s something to do with the music, isn’t it? It’s the way the music basically underscores the entire production. And with that music, you can actually talk about something quite serious and quite deep. And yet, the music keeps it quite buoyant, and moves onward. So, it always feels like it is moving forward in a really positive way. Moving in a way where we’re not scared to talk about the hard stuff as well. But we keep it going towards the ultimate aim of the work, which is one of hope. Hope and positivity. This is a black story. But actually, the themes that we’re exploring are human themes. Longing for home and country and to be with your family; that’s not a cultural thing, it’s a very human thing.
