First Seen: Milk by Dylan Van Den Berg

“Better off being a dead seal than a black woman, that’s what I reckon.”

Spanning two centuries and the onslaught of colonisation, Milk tracks a conversation between three Aboriginal ancestors on the verge of life-changing moments; an old woman is dying, clutching the stone that should have killed her sealer husband; a middle aged woman curls her hair in preparation for another date; a young man grapples with the past before delivering the speech of a lifetime. Stranded together on an island, they attempt to reconcile with the past – and the future – to find out where they belong. Do we own the stories of our ancestors? And does the passage of time undermine a connection to Country? Milk is a story of longing, connection and the ghosts of the past.

THE PLAYWRIGHT
Dylan Van Den Berg

Dylan is a Canberra-based actor and playwright. His writing for performance includes Blue: a misery play (2017 First Seen/Hive program) and The Camel (The Old Fitz, 2019). This year, he was selected to participate in Playwriting Australia’s masterclass with Patricia Cornelius. As an actor, Dylan has appeared at The Street in several new works, including In Loco Parentis by Helen Machalias (2013), Where I End and You Begin by Cathy Petocz (2014), and a number of rehearsed readings. Dylan graduated from the ANU with a Bachelor of Arts (Drama) and trained in improvisation at the State University of New York and Upright Citizens Brigade. He is a descendant of the Palawa people of Tasmania and is thrilled to be a part of First Seen once again.

Cast: Katie Beckett, Lisa Madden, and Dylan Van Den Berg

Director/Dramaturg: David Atfield

Cultural Consultant: Gaye Doolan

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About First Seen

Ever wondered about the steps a writer takes to develop works for the theatre? Or how new plays and performance works are chosen for upcoming seasons?

The ever popular FIRST SEEN: new works-in-progress offers Canberra audiences the opportunity to be part of our creative process helping The Street  progress performance works to production-ready stage. First Seen offers a unique insight into development and is a vital part of our planning for future years as we seek to bring original and diverse Canberra stories to the stage.

Each writer has a dedicated workshop offering time, space, support, and expertise.  Canberra audiences (that's you) are given the opportunity to participate in the development process through the public showings where we open up the floor for a conversation with playwright, director, dramaturg and the actors. By sharing your thoughts with the creative teams you help assist us progress the works to production and get a sneak peek into Canberra’s ingenious artistic community.

FIRST SEEN is a major investment in new ACT work and is supported by the ACT Government through artsACT.