‘Tiny little shoot. Tiny little white shoot. All hairy and fragile. Strong though. Strong enough to crack the earth even. It’s a miracle, Dodge.’

Sam Shepard is one of the great poets of twentieth century theatre. His sensual and muscular language places him in the great tradition of American frontier writers, which stretches from Melville to Whitman to Steinbeck, Faulkner and on.

As Australia confronted its own hidden truths, Sam Shepard’s classic work was a timely reminder of the bitter harvest of a family, poisoned by rancour and a crushing lack of honestly, held in thrall to a crime carefully concealed in the past. Vince’s homecoming to a rural family and landscape long emptied of hope and fertility forced violent reckoning between a pitiless past and the possibilities for redemption.

After playing in the world of six-year-old Theo in The Small Poppies, Max Cullen returned to the Upstairs stage as the malignant patriarch Dodge.

And in the wake of Gale Edwards’ own Australian homecoming, Belvoir was delighted to welcome her back. Gale had long been obsessed with the idea of directing Buried Child, one of the truly great works of American Theatre.

Cast

Max Cullen
Judi Farr
Damon Herriman
John Higgins
Steve Le Marquand
Kate Mulvany
Ken Radley

Team

By Sam Shepard
Director Gale Edwards
Set Designer Brian Thomson
Costume Designer Julie Lynch
Lighting Designer Mark Howett
Composer & Sound Designer Paul Charlier
Assistant Director Christopher Hurrell