don’t ask what the bird look like

Judges' comments

A girl returns to Country seeking connection but finds a surly and estranged father and tone-deaf partner who, amusingly, makes it hard to tune into her place and people. In time, she discovers the river, which channels more than she was expecting. But a bird beckons her in a direction that may threaten that which she holds dear.

This is a work of poetic beauty that is clear, precise and clever. Hannah Belanszky’s lightness of touch enables her to gently guide her audience into a recognition of mob and Country through her sensitive approach to imagery and almost musical ear for dialogue. Belanszky’s nuanced characterisation enables her to explore the ongoing impacts of trauma in subtle ways that are ripe for interpretation. There is an elegance and charm to this play, which presents an astounding depth of subtext.