Detention

A new stage production igniting conversation, change and truth-telling.

Detention tells the compelling tale of two young people from disparate worlds finding each other amidst a figurative minefield: Sima, a Hazara refugee fleeing a detention centre when her visa has been rejected, and Dan, a marginalised boy raised in a caravan park in regional Australia. Their shared quest for a sense of home and safety binds them together.

Based on the novel by Tristan Bancks, this production explores the refugee experience, centring on themes of displacement, belonging, and shared humanity.

Developed in collaboration with Hazara artists and young people, Detention seeks to ignite conversations, using theatre as a catalyst for truth-telling and change.

Commissioned by Monkey Baa Theatre Company, co-written by Callan Purcell and Kobra Sayyadi, directed by Randa Sayed, and created in collaboration with the Hazara community – Detention is an edge-of-your seat theatrical experience.

Are you a teacher bringing students to this performance?

Subject links: English, Literature, Literacy, Histories & Cultures, Humanities & Social Sciences, Arts (Drama, Visual Arts), Cultural Understanding and Language.

View the Curriculum Links Document.

Student workshops will be available alongside this performance, please register your interest with the Box Office.

CAST & CREATIVE TEAM:
A Monkey Baa Theatre Company production
Co-Adaptors: Callan Purcell and Kobra Sayyadi
Director: Randa Sayed
Composer & Sound Designer: James Brown
Production Designer: Keerthi Subramanyam
Lighting Designer: Kate Baldwin
Performers: Zeynab Noori, Matt Dorahy, Angie Diaz, Challito Browne, Andrew Attieh

Monkey Baa Theatre Company is a national Australian theatre company dedicated to creating productions for young audiences aged 3–15 years. For over 27 years, it has empowered young people through inspirational live creative experiences. From bustling cities to the smallest towns, its productions are full of heart, humour, and a whole lot of fun.