The Brown Blouse
by Monica Stevens (mBabaram)
“Strange visions. Mmmh, not me. Who? I dreamed of these two beings. Rainbow was there and that colourful other one. Travelling from the North. Felt like it. Was like a gathering. Maybe us, a getting together. Strange times. (Shivers and looks back at Thamali sleeping.) Things are moving quickly. Maybe those kids. Too many people around. I am worried for them. Maybe not them. All things can change. I got a strong feeling about this dream. But there is no good time for this to happen. Being together. Them to be together. But I saw both. We’ll see.”
Description
The Brown Blouse is a story of love, endurance, and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of life’s extreme challenges.
Set amidst the tumult of the Cape York goldrush in late 1800s Far North Queensland, Thamali, a spirited young Aboriginal woman, grapples with the realities of life in a world turned chaotic by fortune seekers, lawlessness, and greed. As she faces threats to her safety in the harsh conditions of the goldfields, she encounters Yun Hei, a determined young Chinese man who becomes her unlikely ally.
Through the teachings of marital arts Yun Hei empowers Thamali to defend herself, fostering a deep bond that transcends their cultural differences. Their relationship evolves into an extraordinary and poignant union, blossoming into a profound connection amidst adversity. Together, Thamali and Yun Hei navigate the challenges of their time, forging a legacy that celebrates the resilience and enduring spirit of love in a fractured society.
2025 – Creative Development (Cairns/Gimuy)
Writer: Monica Stevens
Co-writer: Anna Yen
Dramaturg: Phoebe Grainer
Animation Ideation Designer: Leigh Harris
Composer: Tristan Barton
Actor 1: Jamaylya Ballangarry-Kerrins
Actor 2: Warren Clements
Actor 3: Sheyan Walker
Actor 4: Anna Yen
Actor 5: Logan So
Actor 6: Julian Wong
Director: Raymond Blanco
Stage Manager: Iya Ware
Set & Props Designer: Hayley Gillespie
Costume Designer: Lakeisha Hazel
Lighting Designer: Eben Love
This love story has been inspired by the author’s maternal great-grandmother, sole survivor of a massacre in Cape York Peninsula who later partners with a Chinese man. The play explores a rarely acknowledged chapter of Queensland history. At the time, personal relationships between Aboriginal and Chinese people happened, yet such narratives remain entirely absent from Australian history and the theatre canon. The Brown Blouse brings this hidden history to the stage, offering a story of love, protection, and cultural exchange in the face of systemic violence.
Set against the volatile backdrop of the Cape York goldrush, the story follows Thamali, a
young Aboriginal woman fighting for survival amid violence and upheaval. Her alliance with
Yun Hei, a Chinese migrant trained in martial arts, becomes both protection and resistance.
Their cross-cultural love story offers audiences suspense, intimacy and trust, positioning
resilience and solidarity as powerful responses to division.
The Brown Blouse offers audiences a rare opportunity to engage with hidden chapters of
Queensland history through an emotionally charged, character-driven story. Viewers will
recognise contemporary conversations around truth-telling, cultural identity, intergenerational
memory, and the strength of Aboriginal women, reframed within a compelling historical narrative. The work invites audiences to reflect on how the past continues to shape relationships, belonging and community in the present.
The Brown Blouse is a historical drama set during the Cape York goldrush as violence and
greed reshape Far North Queensland. Thamali, a young Aboriginal woman and Yun Hei, a Chinese migrant form an alliance, and this becomes both protection and a quiet rebellion.
Their bond defies community forces seeking to divide them. This story, inspired by playwright Monica Stevens’ family history, reclaims a hidden chapter of Queensland history: it is a story of people under suppressive restrictions, resilience, cultural connection, and it is a story of love.
The first Creative Development was funded by the Regional Arts Fund.
This production contains images of and references to deceased persons.
The Creative Team that worked on the first Creative Development (2025) of The Brown Blouse:
Top L-R: Sofia Abbey, Kathryn Kelly, Monica Stevens, Anna Yen, Matthew Raleigh, Logan So
Bottom L-R: Kimberley Greaves, Amy Jones, Caroline Dunphy
Not pictured: Jamaylya Ballangarry-Kerrins
