Roger by Tom Molyneux

September 5, 1842. An Aboriginal man from Mount Rouse is hanged at the Old Melbourne Gaol. Figara Alkepurata, called simply “Roger” by the white settlers, stood convicted of murder.

The victim, Patrick Codd, was known to be sexually abusing Aboriginal women in the district. Roger’s case was heard at the Supreme Court of Victoria, though the law forbade him from giving evidence in court. And considering that Roger’s brother was almost identical in appearance, his guilt remains shrouded in confusion. With insufficient translation to properly understand the proceedings, and the prejudice of early Victorian society, Roger never stood a chance of a fair trial.

This sad but important tale of the early injustices of colonial Australia is the starting point for the next creative development by Gunditjmara theatre-maker Tom Molyneux and long-time collaborator James Jackson