The famous Sapphires, an Aboriginal girl band of the 1960s that sang for the troops in Viet Nam, has been brought back to life by “First Nations Theatre” at the Queensland Theatre Company.
Tony Briggs’ aunt, Naomi Mayers, was a Sapphire. So was her sister, Beverly Briggs, and their cousin, his mum, Laurel Robinson. Later, Naomi Peeler joined the group. Tony wrote the story to celebrate “their strength, their beauty, their humour, and the way they hold everything together”. This musical celebrates Aboriginal women, not just his family, but all Aboriginal women, their sassiness, their generosity, their strength and their unwillingness to accept bad behaviour.
And it does. The “Sapphires” are now Ruby Henaway (Cynthia McCrae), Aurora Liddle-Christie (Kay McCrae), Tehya Makani (Julie McCrae), and Taeg Twist (Gail McCrae). Cast as the original group, their voices lift the roof.
Yet the “Sapphires” is much more than a fabulous musical. It braids together the Viet Nam war, the group’s travel to places where some American soldiers are sexy as hell and others terrifying, and where bombs and gunfire are alive.
The inclusion of 1960s television in the multimedia is strangely comforting. Richard Roberts, who designed both the set and costumes, “evokes the qualities of a television studio” that doubles for a concert stage in the warring jungle. I loved the costumes. Each set of clothes was very “out there” 1960s. It’s easy to forget how much clothes “made the woman” back then. Short skirts, matching earrings and bling all sat in the Sapphires’ wardrobe.
I was awed by the group’s synchronised dancing, which meticulously mirrored not only each other, but also the original Sapphires, we see overlaid on the transparent screen. Yolande Brown, the choreographer, must have felt very proud last night, watching the 2026 Sapphires do their thing, cohesing in a famous girl band.
The fictional “talent scout” Dave Lovelace (Jack Bannister) starts the adventure. Cameron Leonard (Robby) plays the sexy American airman. Garret Lyon (Jimmy/Dance Captain) grounds the show, introducing the fantasy while, as Jimmy, brings the girls home to real relationships and real families. Chris Nguyen (Joe) is that entrepreneurial Vietnamese kid making a buck out of the chaos all around him. He brings the human impact of war, scrounging a buck for his family that may already have been wiped off the face of the earth.
A four-piece band supports the fabulous singers. James Feagal’s afro dominates. Dimple Bani was on drums. Eli Badger played base, and a mysterious Aboriginal man played guitar and clapsticks.
And the Billie Brown theatre was the perfect venue, allowing the cast to mix with the audience, making the performance personal.
It’s a celebratory night out. Go ready to clap and sing along to a beautifully choreographed production of great musicians. And go willing to rearrange your assumptions about what Aboriginal culture encompasses.
At Billie Brown until 24th May 2026. Book here: https://queenslandtheatre.com.au/plays/the-sapphires
Highly recommended.
Kerry McGovern
Photos by David Kelly
