The 80th anniversary of the sinking of the HMAS Sydney II commemorated in performance

The HMAS Sydney II in Perth [Photograph from WA Museum]

For those who enjoy theatrical performances based on historic events you might like to head along to the latest Theatre 180 production Sydney II: Lost and Found.

The play has been developed by this Western Australian theatre company to commemorate the 80th anniversary this year of the devastating World War II sea battle between the HMAS Sydney and the German auxiliary cruiser HSK Kormoran off the coast of Geraldton on 19 November 1941.

After a series of successful wartime battles, by 1941 the Sydney was being used to escort troopships to South East Asia following an Indian Ocean route. It was during one of these voyages that the Sydney was approached by the Kormoran which had been disguised as a Dutch merchant vessel but was in fact fully armed and ready to attack. The battle ended with the sinking of both ships, and although the majority of the crew from the Kormoran survived, tragically all of the Sydney’s 645 crew were lost. As Australia’s greatest naval disaster, it would be over 60 years before the wreckage of both the Sydney and the Kormoran were found in 2008. The Theatre 180 play draws upon the real life stories of love and loss, of fear and courage, of the resolution and persistence of those who never gave up hope, and the dedication of the “Finding Sydney Foundation” team in its decade’s long search that eventually led to the discovery of the wrecks.

This historic drama has been created using a multi-disciplinary artform that integrates stage and screen, with audiences experiencing the immediacy of live performance combined with the visual impact of film including historic footage, and performed in cinema venues rather than traditional theatre venues. Written by Jenny Davis and directed by Stuart Halusz, Sydney II: Lost and Found has been produced with the assistance of the Western Australian Museum/Boola Bardipthrough and funding through the Restart Investment to Sustain and Expand (RISE) Fund – an Australian Government initiative.

The season commences in August and runs until November, touring many cinema venues across Perth and regional areas including Rockingham, Albany, Busselton, Kalgoorlie, Midland, Warwick and with the final performances to be held in Geraldton in November, fittingly to coincide with the anniversary of this devastating event at its historic location.

SYDNEY II: Lost and Found – Theatre 180