Queensland Theatre presents Robyn Archer: An Australian Songbook to audiences this winter season and there is no better time to grab a drink and settle yourself in for a night of theater in the Billie Brown Studio. A Queensland Theatre performance like no other you get a little bit of everything thrown in from political commentary, blues music, folk tales and parody.

For those of you who have followed Robyn’s journey you will be glad to see her songbook made especially for her home country and for those of you who have never heard this remarkable woman perform you are in for a real treat. From paying respects to the traditional owners of the land and singing sacred songs, with permission from elders, to folk tales of the Australian bushland and re-enacting Julia Gillard’s famous speech on misogyny, this performance had nearly every aspect of Australian culture to entertain you for more than two hours. The value you get from only one ticket!

Robyn Archer’s superb vocal performance is only enhanced by her band members, who double as backing vocalists, ​​George Butrumlis on piano accordion, Cameron Goodall on guitar (wait until the banjo comes out) and Enio Pozzebon on keys. Although COVID-19 has impacted the artistic landscape in a number of ways, it has given us the opportunity to witness a performance that may not have come to fruition otherwise. 

Robyn Archer: An Australian Songbook is jam packed with high value content that has historical significance in Australian culture and politics. Robyn’s vocal performance is one of a kind, as she inflects each lyric with her own personality, charming the audience members with her infectious charisma on stage. Not only is this performance a reflection of what it means to be an Australian in the 21st century but a kaleidoscope of our national identity. Robyn Archer: An Australian Songbook is a nuanced examination of all things Aussie while recognising and paying respects to the traditional owners of the land.

Joanna Letic