
Andrew Bovell - Song of First Desire
Wednesday, October 14, 2026 · 6:00 PMUpstairs at Gleebooks · Glebe
Description
6pm for 6.30pm Wednesday 14th October In present-day Madrid, Camelia retreats into her past under the neglectful eyes of her middle-aged children. When they hire a Colombian migrant as her carer, his presence threatens a family unit already at breaking point. In 1968, under Franco’s regime, Margarita fears for her son Juan. Forced to confront her past to save his future, her choices have ramifications that will echo through the generations. In Song of First Desire, Andrew Bovell marries the savage poetry of familial relationships with the brutal realities of a country still coming to terms with its history. When forgetting the crimes of the past is enshrined in the law, what does it take for a family to reckon with generations of secrets? This edition includes a Spanish language version of the play translated by Jorge Muriel. ‘A complex work from a masterful writer’—ArtsHub ‘Epic in its transgenerational scope and the profundity of its questions’—Sydney Morning Herald Andrew is an award-winning internationally recognized writer for the stage and screen. His many plays include: After Dinner, Speaking in Tongues, Things I Know to Be True, When the Rain Stops Falling, Who’s Afraid of the Working Class, Anthem and an adaptation of Kate Grenville’s novel The Secret River. His screen credits include In The Shadow Of Iris, A Most Wanted Man, Edge Of Darkness, Blessed, The Book Of Revelation, Lantana and Head On. Andrew currently has a mini-series in development with See-Saw Films and Made Up Stories.