Whatever side of the fence you sit with the upcoming referendum, a Gwynneville theatre director is inviting all sides to dinner this Saturday.
Adam O'Brien, founder of the Dire Theatre Company, wants to bring together 'no' campaigners and 'yes' supporters - and those who are stuck in the middle - for a civilised discussion over dinner at The Forge theatre.
He understands words may get heated but insists it's not a debate, just a chance to talk in a safe space, and if people want to yell he'll be there to listen.
"This is not going to escalate into fist fights because we won't let it ... if you want to come and yell, come and yell, and we will listen," O'Brien said.
"We want conversation, that's all we want ... I'm just advocating that we be ears for once instead of mouths."
He said all aspects of what the referendum and its consequences would be "spilled out on the floor", as a way for people to better understand it.
But O'Brien doesn't want to be known as just another "white guy" crusading for First Nations people.
"When I first met my partner we were dating and she waited two years to tell me that she was First Nations [because she thought I'd break up with her]," the now proud father of two Yuin boys said.
"I would just hope that we start listening to the people who've requested this from us and really understand the history behind it."
If people wish to stay, the dinner will be followed by a rehearsed reading of an original play Our Neighbourhood, which was the company's first professional performance, originally staged in 2015.
The play follows a group of Australian animals as they come to terms with colonisation 200 years ago, but O'Brien said it presented "a non-biased observation" from the view of those outside of human politics - animals.
He originally wrote the play as an education tool to highlight different people's perspectives on colonisation and try and stamp out racism.
Tickets are only $12.50 for the dinner to cover the cost of food, which can be purchased through: https://www.trybooking.com/CLUCL.
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Desiree Savage
I write about arts and entertainment, plus other bits and pieces in between at the Illawarra Mercury.
I write about arts and entertainment, plus other bits and pieces in between at the Illawarra Mercury.
