Overview
William Thornhill arrives in New South Wales a convict
from the slums of London. Upon earning his pardon he discovers that this new
world offers something he didn't dare dream of: a place to call his own.
But as he plants a crop and lays claim to the soil on the banks of
the Hawkesbury River, he finds that this land is not his to take. Its ancient
custodians are the Dharug people.
A deeply moving and unflinching journey into Australia's dark
history, Andrew Bovell's adaptation of Kate Grenville's acclaimed novel The Secret River was first performed by the
Sydney Theatre Company in 2013.
The play had its UK premiere in August 2019, as part of the
Edinburgh International Festival, before transferring to the National Theatre,
London.