Tickets for Lusi Austin's landmark play Intertwined went on sale this week, with the production staff getting closer to telling the powerful story ahead of official commemorations of the Cowra POW Breakout's 80th Anniversary in August, 2024.
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Ms Austin says the play gets to ask "how did that happen?" with the production exploring the differences - and similiarites - between three different cultures amidst the circumstances of a global conflict, and finding humanity.
"Stories like Mrs Weir, who fed Japanese escapees scones and tea on her porch the morning after the breakout -- these are the kinds of scenes we've all heard about but it's never been put on stage."
The play also explores the parallels of the POW camp and the wartime conditions at Erambie Aboriginal Mission.
"The idea of that isn't to make anyone feel bad, or point fingers or have people feel judged," Ms Austin said "It's about having an open conversation about authentic history".
"We had soldiers on one side of town; prisoners of war.
"They had had their movements managed, curfews.
"But that's exactly what was happening on the other side of town and only because they were Aboriginal, not for any laws they'd broken.
"They had a manager on site, and they couldn't go to Cowra unless they had permission and a good reason."
Lusi says the play, told through three characters, will examine the represented experiences of the groups brought together in the conflict and asks "Can that increase my level of empathy that I have for Aboriginal people as with Japanese people?"
The production has gathered support from local trades, the arts community and is funded largely through a Kickstarter campaign.
Lusi says a local carpenter, Josh Newling managed to assemble the sets over a weekend, with production staff, musicians and actors all being drawn from the region.
All she said, are essential to the play coming together.
"I'm really hopeful it'll be well received, the community support has been absolutely outstanding," Ms Austin said.
She says that the Australia-Japan relationship has its spiritual home in Cowra.
"There is this great respect between the Japanese people and the people of Cowra.
"They come to remember, they come to show respect to each other. I think it shows there is room for us to go from enmity to respect and empathy.
"That's the bottom line in Intertwined, to show our shared humanity."
Aunty Ester Cutmore will be opening the play on its first night, with the band assembled for the play backing the performance throughout.
Intertwined is being performed from July 26 to the 28 at Cowra Civic Centre.
For further information and tickets please visit www.lusiaustin.com/lemonteatheatre
