Milk and Blood
by Benjamin Nichol
Following the acclaimed and multi-award-winning productions of kerosene and SIRENS, Milk and Blood make up the next two works in Benjamin Nichol’s anthology series exploring love and loneliness across Australia. Written for and performed by Brigid Gallacher (In The Club and Things I Know To Be True at Theatreworks) and Charles Purcell (Apokalypsis at The Substation and The Inheritance at fortyfivedownstairs), Milk and Blood present unflinching examinations into violence and desire, shame and self sabotage, the status of the ageing body, and the power of redemption.
Milk tells the story of Mummy, a young mother whose unconditional love for her incarcerated son, Boy, has led her to staunchly defend his violent sexual crimes. Through monthly visits to Boy, Mummy meditates on redemption, motherhood and accountability. While her faith is tested, her love for him endures.
Blood tells the story of Daddy, an experienced sex worker and professional Dom who has devoted his life to caring for, teaching, and protecting the queer community. After suffering a violent assault from a gang of teenage boys, Daddy develops an unfamiliar attraction to danger that begins to radically redefine his relationship to pleasure, attraction, strength, and masculinity.
Image by Jack Dixon-Gunn
Feedback/Comments
Terrific night of entertainment. Really talented actors
A Powerful performance
Both parts were very good, but I preferred milk. Amazing show overall
Beautiful combination of the eternal mother story with the struggles of a gay man
Excellent, first rate example of new Australian writing anchored by two powerful performances ????????
Powerful performances and powerful story-telling.
Both Milk and Blood were brilliantly performed by each such powerful performances. Really enjoyed both productions.
There is only one aspect of this play that can be judged, the actors, simply brilliant.
Really good performances
Confronting but very good
Outstanding gut wrenching brilliantly told of both stories
Powerful performances by both actors.
Amazing
Great show!
Fantastic acting and loved the storyline. Interesting that the two story is not connected to each other.
Both the actors did an excellent job. Great endurance shown over the non stop 70 mins monologues …might have preferred to have both the stories tied by a connection though
interest play
Great stories
Great content
I enjoy Charles Purcell, amazing actor and strong theatre
Terrific theatre and powerful performances. Highly rec comend getting to see