Following seasons at Sydney Theatre Company and Brisbane’s La Boite Theatre, the acclaimed stage drama Whitefella Yella Tree by Dylan Van Den Berg will make its highly anticipated Victorian premiere with University of Melbourne Arts and Culture (UMAC) this November.
Dubbed as “a new Australian classic” by the Sydney Morning Herald, Whitefella Yella Tree explores love, Country, and Blak queerness through an equally heart-warming and heartbreaking story that continues to resonate deeply with audiences across Australia since its debut at Griffin Theatre Company in 2022.
Once in a blue moon, in the middle of nowhere, two young Aboriginal men meet under a lemon tree. What begins as a rough start grows into a fragile friendship, then into a heady romance. But without knowing it, Ty and Neddy are poised on the brink of a world about to change forever.
Written by multi-award-winning playwright Dylan Van Den Berg, the production stars Joseph Althouse (The Visitors) and Danny Howard (Jacky), and is brought to life by co-directors Declan Greene and Amy Sole. Celebrated by critics as “a gorgeous, smart piece of writing” (The Guardian), this evocative work blends humour and tenderness with a poignant exploration of love and identity.
Speaking about the show premiering in Melbourne, Dylan said “I never dreamed two lovestruck boys under a lemon tree would have such long legs! I’m over the moon to see Whitefella Yella Tree return to the stage, once again under the sharp and generous direction of Amy Sole and Declan Greene. And I’m equally excited for audiences to meet our dreamy new cast, Joseph Althouse and Danny Howard, who bring heart, heat and cheek to these boys. This story means a great deal to me, and I’m so proud to see it take root again.
Whitefella Yella Tree will run for just four performances with UMAC from 13–15 November 2025.
Tickets are on sale now at www.umac.melbourne or via Ticketmaster.
Image: Prudence Upton
