Award-winning visual artist, spoken word poet, and charismatic storyteller wani toaishara brings his gripping one-person show garçon to Northcote Town Hall Arts Centre, as part of Darebin Arts Speakeasy’s celebrated season of boundary-pushing performances from 16 – 20 July 2025.
Recognised for his cross-disciplinary work exploring Black life, dislocation, and Indigeneity, garçon offers an intimate and poignant journey through the streets and communities that shaped wani’s boyhood in Auckland, New Zealand.
garçon is a coming-of-age tale that immerses audiences in the vibrant yet challenging world of wani’s childhood. From classroom antics and basketball games to the milk bars and garage hangouts of Ranui and Massey, the performance paints a vivid picture of young boys navigating the pressures of a world intent on turning them into men. Through his lyrical and raw storytelling, wani weaves moments of violence, precarity, and sexual assault with humour, friendship, and resilience. The result is a striking portrayal of black and brown boyhood, brought to life by one of Australia’s most compelling storytellers.
Directed by acclaimed Congolese multidisciplinary artist Gideon Wilonja, the show brings a fresh perspective to the stage. Known for his ability to blur the lines between masculine and feminine aesthetics, Wilonja’s work centres Black and queer voices, creating a nuanced and bold production that challenges mainstream narratives.
wani toaishara’s artistic career spans multiple mediums including photography, installation, and film, and his work has been recognised nationally and internationally. Among his many accolades, he was the 2019 Australian Poetry Slam champion and has won multiple prestigious art prizes, including the 2021 Darebin Art Prize. garçon continues this trajectory, celebrating Black life while also interrogating the complex social dynamics of urban spaces through wani’s personal history.
Audiences can expect a performance that is not only profound and deeply moving but also playful, offering a window into wani’s world that feels both familiar and distant.
