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Indigenous soul: The Sapphires' journey from stage to screen

2018; Issue: 89 Linguagem: Inglês

1449-857X

Zoë Wallin,

Island Studies and Pacific Affairs

The energy is palpable. When the four members of 1960s Aboriginal Australian girl group The Sapphires step onto the stage of a Saigon nightclub in front of a crowd of expectant marines, they know the stakes: an unconvincing show will cost them their Vietnam gig and put them back on a plane to Australia. Before this, the four women - Gail (Deborah Mailman), Julie (Jessica Mauboy), Cynthia (Miranda Tapsell) and Kay (Shari Sebbens) - have been told that they need to clean up their act for the show. Manager Dave Lovelace (Chris O'Dowd) has ushered them to various Vietnamese street vendors to purchase the sparkly new dresses that add the gloss necessary to meet international expectations. It's no surprise that The Sapphires pull it off, winning over their American audience with an intimate, soulful rendition of Dave Crawford's 'What a Man'.