“The struggles immigrants face are still very real.” ‘The Shifting Heart’ is such a classic in Australian theatre that it has been compared to Ray Lawler’s ‘Summer of the Seventeenth Doll’.
The play speaks to the heart of the ever changing multi-cultural landscape that has become the fabric of contemporary (mostly metropolitan) Australia. ’The Shifting Heart’ is a production brought to us from Liverpool Performing Arts Ensemble and stars Jonathan Hartley, Angela Pezzano, Charlotte Rinaldi and Alex Berecry as Gino Bianchi.
The play, written by Richard Beynon in 1957 was filmed by British television in 1962. The performance is an insight to the psychology of racism and its victims and still resonates strongly with modern audiences. The play traces the story of marriage between two cultures which also exposes the racism that is experienced as a result of this union. It is a drama from Australia’s past, representing the difficulty that migrants find when marrying out of their cultural background. This is a story which continues to ring true for migrants today.
The universal theme of a persecuted minority is shown in the sufferings of an immigrant family settling in a resentful suburb. Star of the play, Charlotte Martina Rinaldi shares her insights into her role. Charlotte plays the role of Maria Bianchi who is the family daughter and “is the only member of her family to speak her mind; she is not afraid to talk about the abuse and discrimination her family is experiencing”. Charlotte, who emigrated from Bologna and whose father is Pugliese, “had to learn English and navigate through a whole new different culture”.
Charlotte goes on to say that “Maria represents the immigrant experience, making her a compelling and relatable figure for many of us. Torn between preserving her italian heritage and adapting to the Australian way of life, Maria’s character embodies the theme of cultural identity”, to which I strongly relate to. In her everyday life, Maria faces bigotry and racism, testing her resilience.” When asked about the thematic representations within the play, Charlotte stated “‘The Shifting Heart’ talks about an Immigrant Italian Family, the Bianchi’s,as they attempt to create a new life in Collingwood in the 1950s.” She follows by introducing that “the key themes of the play are multiculturalism, family, love, prejudice, cultural identity, community and belongingness. This play offers a unique insight into the psychology of racism and its victims.”
Charlotte’s profound insights delve into audience expectations. “The audience will find the play a deeply engaging and emotionally charged theatrical experience. They will see a typical Italian family, bonded together, lovingly and loudly caring for eachother. They will also see the hardship that a marriage between two separate cultures can experience. And they will also see the devastating effects of bigotry and discrimination present in their community, their neighbours and the police officials with which they will have to deal.
The play serves as a social commentary challenging the audience to reflect on present day issues.” Whilst the play was originally written and set in 1950s Australia, many of the themes of racism and cultural deference to Anglo Saxon Australia still prevail today. I asked Charlotte, as someone who has experienced the journey of an Italian immigrant in a contemporary sense, how the play might relate to the current day.
“As an immigrant in the modern day, I can say it’s not easy to feel like you belong to a different country. Adjusting to a new culture, customs, and way of life can be both exciting and challenging but it takes time to adapt to Australian norms and practices. People’s reactions to hearing a different accent are often conflicting: On the one hand they are interested in discovering different cultures, but on the other hand they feel some distrust. Not to mention the healthy dosage of Italian stereotypes Italians experience with almost every interaction. Bianchi’s experience is very relatable, although I believe society’s response to immigrants has improved a lot since then.”
The play asks questions of all of us as Charlotte alludes to, “Although ‘The Shifting Heart’ talks about an Italian Family, it could have been about any other culture, as all immigrants have a similar experience. I hope the audience can look at the Bianchis and see their friends, families and coworkers. I hope they can find interest in the life of an immigrant and ask themselves what they can do to help. Because although the play is set in the past, and we have indeed come a long way, the struggles immigrants face are still very real.” ‘The Shifting Heart’ plays at Casula Powerhouse from Wednesday 20th September to Friday 22nd September and is not to be missed. Bookings can be made through www.casulapowerhouse.com or by telephoning 8711 7123.
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