Playwright Sandra Thibodeaux interrogates Australia's controversial treatment of asylum seekers, as well as the people smugglers who ferry them across the treacherous seas, in a fantastical dark comedy at La Mama Theatre as part of the Asia TOPA festival.
Combining music, video and Indonesian shadow puppetry, The Age of Bones tells the story of Ikan, a young boy who finds himself locked up in an Australian jail after he is roped into working on a people smuggling boat. But the bulk of the action takes place in an underwater courthouse, complete with shark lawyers and an octopus judge. The magical setting should add a touch of surreal humour to a troubling tale of actual injustice, inspired by the experiences of around 60 underage Indonesian boys who spent years in prison after being falsely identified as adults.