In Their Own Words will arrive at Sydney venues in 2026, with Rachael Beck bringing stories of Australian women to life through music and storytelling.
At the beautiful Pavilion Performing Arts Centre in Sutherland on Friday May 22nd, acclaimed performer Rachael Beck delivered a deeply moving and compelling presentation of In Their Own Words. An emotionally rich and artistically sophisticated evening blending music, storytelling, movement, humour, and humanity with remarkable grace. Supported by the brilliant piano accompaniment of Bev Kennedy, the performance resonated profoundly with the audience, including stage and screen acting legends Genevieve Lemon and Tina Bursill, with Bursill later describing the work as “strong and inspiring.” It was an apt summation of an unforgettable evening of theatre.
Rachael Beck, Bev Kennedy, and I first met aboard the Bravo Cruise of the Performing Arts to Noumea and New Caledonia in October 2025, where we were all performing artists. During the voyage, Beck shared a small segment of In Their Own Words, while she was performing on the main stage, and even then, it was immediately apparent this was going to become an important and emotionally resonant work. Since that moment, I had genuinely been looking forward to experiencing the full production.
In Their Own Words celebrates the stories, voices, resilience, and achievements of remarkable Australian women including Ita Buttrose, Tanya Plibersek, Aboriginal academic and activist Marcia Langton, Carlotta, Kate Ceberano, Dami Im, Kate Miller-Heidke, Missy Higgins, Fiona Wood, Ronni Kahn, Louise Sauvage, Sarah Wilson, and Kelley Abbey. Through these women’s experiences, the production explores themes of triumph over adversity, reinvention, perseverance, courage, identity, motherhood, vulnerability, and hope.
Some stories explored public success achieved against enormous personal odds, while others revealed private struggles hidden beneath fame, leadership, creativity, or achievement. From experiences of cultural barriers, discrimination, disability, self-doubt, motherhood, loss, and reinvention, to moments of extraordinary courage and determination, the production revealed the humanity behind the public figures. Beck approached each woman’s story with compassion, emotional intelligence, and deep respect for their individuality.
Beck and collaborator James Millar have created something emotionally layered and universal. This is an uplifting, raw, and revealing piece that inspires audiences to reflect upon their own inner strength and capacity for resilience. Beck also courageously shares elements of her personal story throughout the evening, bringing an added layer of intimacy and authenticity to the production. Particularly touching were her heartfelt reflections on her beloved role as a mother of teenage girls, grounding the broader themes of the work in something deeply personal and relatable.
Beck is a consummate and seasoned professional whose extraordinary career began with her first role in Cats at just fifteen years of age. Since then, she has continued to share her immense talents across theatre, television, music, and live performance for decades, and that depth of experience is evident in every moment she spends on stage.
From the moment Beck appeared, barefoot, there was an undeniable intentionality to every creative choice. Her stagecraft throughout the evening was noticeably thoughtful, deliberate, and emotionally intelligent. Minimal yet powerful props were used with precision, while subtle costume and styling transitions quietly mirrored the emotional arc of the performance. Hair initially tied back in a ponytail later fell loose. Shawls and jackets shifted character and tone, and her bare feet eventually gave way to striking red high heels. These visual transformations became understated yet deeply symbolic expressions of vulnerability, strength, liberation, and self-discovery.
What makes Beck such a captivating performer is her ability to utilise every facet of her artistry. She does not merely sing or narrate stories, she fully inhabits them through song, monologue, dance, movement, humour, and even a moment at the piano alongside Kennedy. The transitions between disciplines felt seamless and organic, creating a work that unfolds cinematically while maintaining an intimate emotional core.
A major contributor to the evening’s success was the exquisite work of Bev Kennedy at the piano. Kennedy’s accompaniment acted as an emotional landscape beneath Beck’s storytelling. Her playing was nuanced, elegant, responsive, and often breathtakingly beautiful. Particularly memorable was Kennedy sharing a story about playing piano for the Pope and reflecting on her early years, when a perceptive nun recognised her extraordinary musical gift while she was still a child. Despite the strict discipline of those formative years, Kennedy has gone on to become one of Australia’s most revered and respected pianists and accompanists, and her mastery was evident throughout the evening.
Despite the emotional depth of the material, In Their Own Words is also surprisingly light, funny, and wonderfully revealing. Beck has the rare ability to make an audience feel personally held within the performance. In many ways, it feels as though she puts her arms around the audience and carries them on an adventure that is inspirational, heartbreaking, and ultimately uplifting.
Thought-provoking, beautifully crafted, and emotionally resonant, In Their Own Words was a triumph at The Pavilion in Sutherland, the kind of theatre that lingers long after the final applause, which it certainly has for me.
Reviewed by: Simone Waddell