You and Caroline Dunphy are Co-Artistic Directors of Belloo Creative, which is producing Back to Bilo. Can you tell us a little about the company?

Caroline and I started Belloo Creative in 2013 with a passion for making original, contemporary theatre that shines a light on true stories, like Back to Bilo. We make works of scale with intimacy and heart. We work collaboratively, partnering with local, national and international companies and finding new forms and ways of storytelling.

Caroline Dunphy (left) and Katherine Lyall-Watson. Photo © Vanessa van Dalsen

When did you become involved with Back to Bilo?

I joined Back to Bilo as a playwright in 2021 when Matt Scholten, who had the original idea of creating a verbatim play about the Home to Bilo campaign, invited me onto the project. He’d already conducted more than 30 preliminary interviews with the campaign team, lawyers, journalists and refugee advocates. Since 2021, I’ve transcribed hundreds of hours of interviews, conducted dozens more and made many trips to Biloela [in Central Queensland], including for the joyous moment of the family’s return in 2022.

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