Filipino-Australian Theatre Work "TANAN" Explores Identity at Melbourne Fringe

A new Filipino-Australian theatre piece, "TANAN: Step In. Find Out.," by Divergent Theatre Collective, will debut at the 2026 Melbourne Fringe Festival, exploring Filipino identity and storytelling through a unique Tinikling Framework. The work invites audiences into its creative development process, fostering dialogue with artists from Melbourne and Manila.

Subscribe to newsletter

The new Filipino-Australian theatre work, "TANAN: Step In. Find Out.," is set to engage audiences at the 2026 Melbourne Fringe Festival, running from September 29 to October 18. This production by the Melbourne-based Divergent Theatre Collective delves into Filipino identity and narrative creation, offering a unique insight into the artistic process. The work is distinct in presenting fragments of live performance, objects, language, and imagery rather than a finished play, fostering an open conversation between artists and the audience following each showing.

At the core of "TANAN" is the "Tinikling Framework," a creative methodology developed by Filipino-Australian theatre maker Roman Berry, who is the artistic director of Divergent Theatre Collective. This framework draws inspiration from the rhythmic movements and near-misses of the traditional Filipino bamboo pole dance, Tinikling, alongside physical memory and shared storytelling, as highlighted in previous works by Berry's collective, such as "NA-IBA: The Other" (Melbourne Fringe) and "LUPAD" (Victorian Pride Centre), which also utilized this methodology.

Roman Berry, with over three decades of professional theatre experience across Australia, the UK, and the Philippines, leads this project. He is joined by collaborators Mayen Estanero and Nash Estanero, with additional contributions from Wenah Nagales and Edwin Cabrera in Manila, underscoring the work's transnational reach. The post-showing discussions will allow attendees to learn more about the Tinikling Framework and the collaborative process between artists in Melbourne and Manila.

"TANAN" marks the initial phase of "TRANSLATE," an ambitious creative research project designed to bridge Filipino and Australian artists working in stage, page, and screen. For the Filipino-Australian creative community, this initiative further enriches platforms for exploring migrant and cultural identities through art created from within the community itself, fostering cultural exchange and artistic development between the two nations.