Hecate is the first adaptation of a complete Shakespeare play in one Aboriginal language of Australia. Performed entirely in Noongar language, this retelling of a well-known yarn about a Scottish king is a landmark work of both theatre and language restoration. Impacted by colonialism and suppressed until the 1970s, the Noongar language of the southwest of Western Australia is endangered, yet it thrives here in this work, adapted by Kylie Bracknell, performed by a full Noongar cast, and presented at Perth Festival, 2020. Shakespeare on the Noongar Stage contains the complete play, accompanied by a glossary and three chapters outlining the process of developing and creating a professional stage production with a cast who became both language learners and performers, and where song was at the heart of their success. This dazzling project is brought to life in an accessible book designed to inspire language recovery and restoration in Australia during the United Nations International Decade of Indigenous Languages (2022–2032).

About the Authors: Clint Bracknell is a Noongar song-maker and Professor of Music at the University of Western Australia investigating connections between song, language, landscapes, and improving Indigenous community access to cultural heritage collections. Cosmos Magazine named him one of 50+ Indigenous People Changing the World. Clint releases music under the name Maatakitj. Kylie Bracknell is an actor, director, and writer responsible for ground-breaking productions including Hecate, which The Australian lauded in its ‘Best of 2020’ year-in-review, and the Noongar dub of Bruce Lee’s film ‘Fist of Fury’ retitled ‘Fist of Fury Noongar Daa’. Kylie has over two decades experience working in Australia’s creative industries and is a 2020 recipient of Australia’s prestigious Sydney Myer Performing Arts Award. ISBN: 978-0-6452480-8-1 Cover image: Photograph by Dana Weeks