Vandemonian Lags

VANDEMONIAN LAGS: NEW SONGS FROM THE PRISON WITHOUT WALLS 

The acclaimed theatrical piece that presents an extraordinary musical journey based on dramatic true stories from Tasmania’s convict past is coming to Bendigo.

It stars Mick Thomas, Tim Rogers, Claire Anne Taylor, Brian Nankervis, Jeff Lang, Ben Salter, Sal Kimber, Darren Hanlon, Shelley Short and Van Walker, backed by an all-star band featuring Weddings Parties Anything’s Jen Anderson, Mark Wallace, and Michael Barclay with Craig Pilkington. It was a centrepiece of the inaugural DARK MOFO festival in Hobart in 2013, last played at Port Fairy Folk Festival in 2019 and is the subject of a concert album and feature film. 

“On the mainland, those who hailed from the island Colony were known as “Vandiemonians” or “Vandemonians”. The second moniker referenced the place where they had (usually) served time but, as Bruce Moore notes, it also “blended with the word demon”. Caitlin Mahar, 2007 

The discovery of gold in Victoria in 1851 gave rise to an amazing exodus from Van Diemen’s Land. Convicts and ex-convicts crossed Bass Strait in their thousands. Many of the ‘Vandemonians’ fell to crime and quickly they became hated and feared on the goldfields. In 1852 the Victorian Government passed the Convicts Prevention Act with the express aim of preventing any further introduction of the prison population to the booming colony. Needless to say, the act was a complete failure. 

 “Vandemonian Lags has broken the shackles of the convict stain and liberated the stories of our convict ancestors!” Ross Latham - Tasmanian State Archivist   

• Musical Director: Mick Thomas  
• Songs by Mick Thomas, Ben Salter, Van Walker, Liz Stringer, Darren Hanlon, Jeff Lang 
• Narrated by Tim Rogers and Brian Nankervis  
• Produced by Steve Thomas and Catherine Pettman  
• Directed by Ian Pidd 

WWW.VANDEMONIANLAGS.COM.AU 

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