Three Magpies Perched in a Tree

A beautiful, heartbreaking play of the Indigenous Gothic genre that provides spiritual reprieve through Creation Stories.

Gothic archetypes twist their way through this affecting and confronting theatre trilogy...from the collision of ancient and modern, juxtaposing Dreaming myths with grim testimony from the coalface of our Aboriginal justice and child protection systems. - Cameron Woodhead, The Age

Brought to the stage by award-winning Indigenous writer, director, actor Glenn Shea & narrated by Uncle Jack Charles, legendary actor and activist.

An Aboriginal man from the stolen generation is working in his Aboriginal community as a front-line juvenile justice worker, he comes into contact with many Aboriginal adolescent young people who come into contact with the criminal justice system. This story is about how the issues impact not only the young person but their friends, family, community, the society they live in and ultimately the Aboriginal worker who is trying to support them.

Glenn Shea won the 2023 Green Room Award for Best New Writing for this play. The script received the State Library of Victoria R.E Ross Trust Development Award 2010. It was presented as a reading at the World Theatre Festival 2011 and was Highly Commended for the Victorian Premier’s Literary Award 2023.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander audience members are advised that the performance contains voices of people who have died.