A Belloo Creative production
BACK TO BILO
Written by Katherine Lyall-Watson
Directed by Caroline Dunphy
Original Concept by Matt Scholten
A true-life testimony to people power and persistence.
Priya and Nades left war-torn Sri Lanka and found each other in regional Queensland. They married, had two daughters, worked hard and settled into a simple but happy country life.The community welcomed them with open arms — b...
A true-life testimony to people power and persistence.
Priya and Nades left war-torn Sri Lanka and found each other in regional Queensland. They married, had two daughters, worked hard and settled into a simple but happy country life.
The community welcomed them with open arms — but four years later came a knock at the door and they were ripped away in a dawn raid.
Their story could have ended there, but a brave band of Biloela women weren’t giving up on them so easily.
Fighting alongside the young refugee family, they launched a grassroots, people-powered campaign that galvanised hundreds of thousands of ordinary Australians to demand the family be brought back to Bilo. This is the remarkable true account of one family’s ordeal in the nightmare limbo of immigration detention, a story of how love is stronger than fear and of how persistence and togetherness can win against crushing odds.
Back to Bilo is a profoundly moving new play from celebrated local company Belloo Creative (Boy, Lost) and is made with — and from — the heart of regional Queensland.
"A must-see production about the triumph of the human spirit and the power of community."
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Dates3 Sep – 16 Sep 2025
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LocationBille Brown Theatre
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TimesEvenings: Mon – Wed 6.30pm, Thu – Sat 7.30pm
Matinees: Wed 1.00pm, Sat 2.00pm -
Ticket PricingAdult Single Ticketsfrom$70Concession Single Ticketsfrom$6835 & Under Single Ticketsfrom$35
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Night with the Artists
Tue 9 Sep 6.30pm
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Duration70 minutes without interval, subject to change without notice.
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AccessibilityAuslan Interpreted 12 Sep 7.30pmAudio Described 12 Sep 7.30pm & 13 Sep 2.00pm
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Warning
This production includes loud noises, flashing lights, blackouts, haze, and mature content and themes such as war, detention, and children in distress.
Recommended for ages 14+.
This production includes loud noises, flashing lights, blackouts, haze, and mature content and themes such as war, detention, and children in distress.
Recommended for ages 14+.
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Dates3 Sep – 16 Sep 2025
-
LocationBille Brown Theatre
-
TimesEvenings: Mon – Wed 6.30pm, Thu – Sat 7.30pm
Matinees: Wed 1.00pm, Sat 2.00pm -
Ticket PricingAdult Single Ticketsfrom$70Concession Single Ticketsfrom$6835 & Under Single Ticketsfrom$35
-
Night with the Artists
Tue 9 Sep 6.30pm
-
Duration70 minutes without interval, subject to change without notice.
-
AccessibilityAuslan Interpreted 12 Sep 7.30pmAudio Described 12 Sep 7.30pm & 13 Sep 2.00pm
-
Warning
This production includes loud noises, flashing lights, blackouts, haze, and mature content and themes such as war, detention, and children in distress.
Recommended for ages 14+.
This production includes loud noises, flashing lights, blackouts, haze, and mature content and themes such as war, detention, and children in distress.
Recommended for ages 14+.
Photography by Morgan Roberts
Watch the Trailer
Creatives
Writer Katherine Lyall-Watson
Director Caroline Dunphy
Original Concept Matt Scholten
Dramaturg Kathryn Kelly
Designer (Set & Lighting) Govin Ruben
Costume and Props Designer Keerthi Subramanyam
Sound Designer & Composer Guy Webster
Composer Menaka Thomas
Sound Realiser Brady Watkins
Video Designer Mic Gruchy
Videographer (Biloela Video Content) Shaun Charles
Tamil Cultural & Language Consultant Vashini Jayakumar
Tamil Cultural Consultant Sudhesh Somu
Assistant Director Janaki Gerard
Design Associate (Set) Max Bowyer
Foyer Installation Artist Charlotte Haywood
Accent Coach Melissa Agnew
Tamil Language Consultant Dr Gunalan Shanmuganathan
Producer (Belloo) Kristen Maloney
Producer (Performing Lines) Vanessa Wright
Dramaturgical Mentee Jai Bofinger
Production Manager Jason Thelwell
Stage Manager Mikayla Hosking
Assistant Stage Manager Tia-Hanee Cleary
Assistant Stage Manager Teddy Waddingham
Cast
Bronwyn Liz Buchanan
Nades Matt Domingo
Simone Sarah McIntosh
Angela Erika Naddei
Uru Menaka Thomas
Priya Leah Vandenberg
Cover Janaki Gerard
Cover Sudhesh Somu
Our partners
This project has been assisted by the Australian Government’s Major Festivals Initiative, managed by Creative Australia, its arts funding and advisory body, in association with the Confederation of Australian International Arts Festivals Inc commissioned by Brisbane Festival, Darwin Festival, Perth Festival and Queensland Theatre.
Licensed material used in this production has been sourced from the You Have Been Told a Lie podcast. We acknowledge Thinesh Thillainadarajah and Jay Ooi as the creators of the podcast. Used with permission from Shoes Off Productions Pty Ltd. © Shoes Off Productions Pty Ltd, 2023.
