black and white photo, Australian desert landscape with colourised yellow wrecked car in foreground  

The Haunted

1985

Please note this gallery may include names and images of Aboriginal Australians who have died.

Development of The Haunted commenced in June 1985, when Handspan Theatre travelled to the Central Australian Desert for a cultural exchange residency with the Anangu community at Anantja Outstation. For two weeks Handspan and the Pitjantjatjara Anangu met to share stories and experiences.

The company returned to Melbourne to create The Haunted, which premiered in Melbourne for the 1985 Next Wave Festival and played at the Breakout Festival in Alice Springs.


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Short documentary by Kestrel Films, following Handspan Theatre into the central Australian desert to research The Haunted in 1985

Scenes from The Haunted at the Universal Theatre, Fitzroy, Next Wave Festival 1985.

Central desert country
The Haunted development team
Discussion with Ngangyintja
The Story of the Seven Sisters
Developing the characters
Extended character development
Making music with the kids
Traditional headwear
Back in the studio
Niece and the dead kangaroo
A nervous campfire gathering
Helmut finding the light
Niece's nightmare
Brian and the fence
Helmut taking down the fence
Erica
Brian
Niece, Brian and Helmut