Whitefella, Yella Tree has gained critical acclaim for its queer Indigenous Australian storytelling. In the poignant role of Ty, Joseph Althouse plays one of two young men who fall in love amidst the foreboding colonialisation of Australia.
Tell us about your character, Ty.
Joseph Althouse: Ty is fifteen and a messenger for his tribe, the River Mob. He exchanges information with Neddy (Danny Howard), another boy doing the same for the Mountain Mob. There’s no explicit information in the text about Ty having a mother and father, so I created my own backstory. He does talk about his auntie, and I feel he comes from a matriarchal clan, with his auntie filling in as his mother. He’s entrusted with being the story person for his tribe along the river, but with colonisation happening around them, it becomes a priority, and he needs to cram his brain with stories that would otherwise take a lifetime to learn.
Joseph Althouse and Danny Howard in Whitefella, Yella Tree
What do you draw on to bring Ty to life?
I think of all the mob who feel that deep responsibility to story and country. The significance of story is that it teaches deep life lessons. The Dreaming plays a big role in connecting us to the people who lived thousands of years ago, while explaining how we’re all the same and are privileged to live on this beautiful country.
Dylan Van Den Berg’s story explores various themes and parallels, including the bitterness of the white man’s lemon tree. But it also explains how homosexuality was originally embraced in traditional Aboriginal culture. Did this surprise you?
It’s something I always knew. Our traditional ways of life were very different. There was an obligation in the tribe to have children, but your companion was your companion. Whoever gave you that feeling of love and safety was your person, and it was recognised broadly by all tribes as a legitimate form of love. For me, it’s special to honour that in this show.
Joseph Althouse and Danny Howard in Whitefella, Yella Tree
“By the time I was eighteen, my nanna asked straight out if I was gay.”
As an Indigenous man, what was your own cultural upbringing like?
I was raised in Darwin, and my mother’s side of the family had been impacted by the stolen generation, so living in the shadow of that legacy wasn’t easy, but we had lots of love. My grandmother was one of eight and raised her sister’s kids. So, I grew up in a halfway generation with all of my aunties and uncles, who were my age. My mum’s a psychologist and worked hard to provide for us, while my grandmother would take us to basketball training. My dad is Tiwi, but I don’t have a strong relationship with him. My Nanna would take me to her card-ring games, and I’d hear dialects like Nyangumarta and Tiwi, so I really grew up around it all.
What about in terms of being gay?
My family always knew I was a little bit queer, and I was lucky that they embraced freedom. For instance, they let me play with my aunty’s Barbie dolls. By the time I was eighteen, my nanna asked straight out if I was gay, and I said, “Yeah”. So, I didn’t really have a major coming out. It was more like being dragged out of the closet. At the time, I felt a bit duped, but looking back, I can see it was an act of love. My nanna saw that I was struggling to share that side of myself with her.
Joseph Althouse and Danny Howard in Whitefella, Yella Tree
Where did you study acting?
I studied at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) straight after high school. I appreciated the quality of the training that I received. My year included Yerin Ha, who’s in the new season of Bridgerton. We also had Chika Ikogwe from Heartbreak High and Tuuli Narkle, who’s also Aboriginal, on NCIS: Sydney. We’re all great mates and kept very busy!
You’ve been nominated for an ARIA award. Congratulations!
Thank you. It’s for Original Cast Album – for the whole cast of The Lucky Country. Vidya Makan is responsible for the music and lyrics. It’s exciting – maybe I can be an ARIA award-winning musical theatre queen!
“Being gay was recognised by all tribes as a legitimate form of love. For me, it’s special to honour that in this show.”
Do you feel that indigenous stories and the talent that comes with them are finally making their mark in Australian theatre?
Yes, I think we’re in a very special time. We’re connected to a legacy of great talent in both the theatre and on screen. I think of people like Deborah Mailman (Total Control) and Wesley Enoch (The Sunshine Club), who are giants in our community. These people are trailblazers for all of us mob to come along and add a bit of our own trail on the side. It’s quite special that we belong to a legacy of stories, which we’ve been telling on this continent for tens of thousands of years. Story is the centre of our experiences.
Joseph Althouse
What has been the audience’s reaction to the play?
They have been quite overwhelmed. Last night, a lady came up to me to say how emotional it made her. I think it’s very important that non-Indigenous audiences can also experience that catharsis. We’re not carrying this all by ourselves, but all together. We need to have the places to process it, and Whitefella, Yella Tree does that.
Whitefella, Yella Tree plays at La Boite Theatre, Brisbane
For further info: laboite.com.au
Follow Joseph on Instagram @joseph_althouse
