“JACK Charles V The Crown” is an engaging and fast-paced 75 minutes of theatre that tells of black and white shame and a quest for redemption.  Veteran Aboriginal actor, Jack Charles, ably supported by three musicians, weaves a complex web of story, history and commentary.

Jack Charles is a fine actor, a master potter (a skill he learned and taught in prison) and a compelling singer. His formidable talents are well used in service to a story spanning from his birth in 1943 to the present. The present is particularly evident in the final stages of the show where he seeks a verdict from the audience, whom he addresses as, “Your Honours”, bringing to mind Humbert Humbert’s addresses to the jury in the novel, “Lolita”.

Removed from his family at a young age, Charles grew up in a Salvation Army boys’ home in Box Hill, Victoria.  He subsequently spent much of his adult life in institutional incarceration. The acclaimed 2008 documentary “Bastardry “, portrayed his decades of heroin addiction and life of crime. Its success changed Charles’ life and “Jack Charles V The Crown” shows audiences a sharp-witted, drug-free elder who is still imprisoned by the abuse he suffered as a child and his criminal record.

At the age of 70, Charles is a powerful and generous performer with a rich voice that draws you deep into his world. He asks: “Why does a black man stick white powder up his arm?” and describes himself as being “part of a failed social experiment”. He playfully interacts with the audience, works white clay into graceful pots and, in all this, is a consummate showman.