At What Cost

Dates 17 July – 1 August 2026

Written by Nathan Maynard (Trawlwoolway)

Directed by Maitland Schnaars (Nyaki-Nyaki

**** ½ “Brilliant spring-loaded script.” Limelight

Dates 17 July – 1 August

Venue Main Auditorium, Subiaco Arts Centre

Duration Approx. 105 min (no interval)

Content warning: Genocide, Aboriginal trauma, names of deceased Indigenous people, adult themes, suicide, and strong provocative language.

Age Recommendation 16+

WA Premiere

Cast and Creatives

Writer Nathan Maynard (Trawlwoolway)

Director Maitland Schnaars (Nyaki-Nyaki)

Cast Jessie Ward (Balladong/Yuet)

Set & Costume Designer Matt McVeigh

Lighting Designer Matthew Erren

 

Identity has a price. Who Pays?

Boyd has been walking a tightrope for years – balancing his duty to land and people.

He has a baby on the way and an ancestor to bring home. But something’s shifting. He can feel it – like a change in the wind.

Every year, more people show up claiming to be Palawa. Some he knows. Most he doesn’t. Where have they been all this time? Are they genuine? Or just ticking a box?

Who gets to decide? And what happens when identity is up for debate?

Set in Putalina (Oyster Cove), a Tasmanian Aboriginal site of deep cultural and historical significance, Nathan Maynard’s bold, unflinching play asks urgent questions about identity and ownership. To move forward, Boyd and his community must confront the past. But the island’s history is tangled and the truth might be more than anyone is ready to face.

Yirra Yaakin is proud to present the WA Premiere of this sell-out hit from Sydney’s Belvoir St Theatre’s 2022 and 2023 seasons.

**** ½ “Brilliant spring-loaded script.” Limelight

“A very powerful human drama.” The Australian

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