THEATRE: BIG NAME, NO BLANKETS – Perth, 27 Feb 2025

Shane | 3 March 2025 | Reply

THEATRE: BIG NAME, NO BLANKETS – Perth, 27 Feb 2025
Regal Theatre, Perth, Western Australia
Reviewed by Shane Pinnegar

After a musical Welcome to Country by Elder Nan Roma, co-director Anyupa Butcher introduces her father, Sammy Butcher, founding member of The Warumpi Band, whose story this is.

And what a story! Three brothers in the bush start a band for fun which takes them around the world, releasing three albums to great acclaim, including two Bonafide Aussie classics in Blackfella, Whitefella and My Island Home.

Sammy Butcher is played by Baykali Ganambarr, and he is present in every scene providing the narrative from Sammy’s perspective. His performance is faultless, charismatic and affable, entertaining and amusing, he never misses a beat.

Ganambarr is joined in the Warumpi Band onstage by Jackson Peele as Neil Murray, Jack Hickey as Sammy’s brother Gordon, Corey Saylor-Brunskill as their brother Brian, and Taj Pigram as frontman George Burarrwanga, who is quite the dynamic, high energy rocker and leads the musical action, revving the crowd up through the many Warumpi Band songs featured. If the acting doesn’t work out, Pigram could easily start a band and fit right in. The cast is completed by Cassandra Williams playing a variety of small but important roles including the Butcher’s mum and sister Suzina, who later married George.

As the band perform the songs front of stage, they are actually played by another band behind them, in full sight though lit more subtly. It’s an interesting choice to have made – rather than cast accomplished musicians they effectively have two bands on stage, though the actors all mime their guitars well, and drummer Hickey and Pigram drum and sing respectively whilst more of the Butcher clan – lead guitarist Jason and drummer & keyboard player Jeremiah – perform live with musical director and guitarist Gary Watling and bassist Malcolm Beveridge.

The story is told enthusiastically, with humour and heart, and complemented by some stunning backdrops from outback terrain to a sky full of stars and an enormous, striking full moon which rises over the action.

We arrived expecting musical theatre, but the show is more akin to a live concert with a narrative – there’s certainly no watering down of the music, Glee style. This band rocks and the crowd mostly lap it up, cheering every song loudly.

Blackfella, Whitefella gets almost everybody on their feet clapping and singing, it’s powerful message resonating strongly here, and the entire show never flinches from other important messages: the connection to family and to country, Indigenous rights, equality, the importance of stories – ours and those of those around us and those who came before us – and more.

Murray’s wonderful My Island Home – which was performed by Christine Anu at the 2000 Sydney Olympics in front of an audience of millions – is delivered in language to close the show before an encore performance of Blackfella, Whitefella, and a surprise singalong of Happy Birthday for Sammy, who is in attendance on his big day.

It’s no exaggeration to suggest that No Name, No Blankets is a triumph, a wonderful show which casts an illuminating light on a band of supreme importance to our country, but who are sadly underrated and lesser known than they deserve. Perth Festival have done us a great service in bringing it to town, and all involved should be extremely proud of their work bringing this story to life.