The Last Anthill of the Wild Wild North.pptx

A slideshow presenting The Last Anthill of the Wild Wild North - a tragi-comedy musical based on the meteoric rise and fall of the larrikin bushman who inspired Crocodile Dundee. The production explores themes of identity, fame, evolving perceptions of Australian identity, and the poignant irony of aspiring to embody a fictionalized version of oneself. Songs from the play can be heard here
https://soundcloud.com/radiokaragarga/funhouse-mirror

https://soundcloud.com/radiokaragarga/hollywood-dream-from-last-anthill-of-the-wild-wild-north

As for the play itself: The play opens in a dreamlike swirl of sound and movement—a lone boy’s melody drifting through a landscape of towering anthills as Holden Lee, an enigmatic actor, arrives, setting the wheels of fate in motion.

At an awards night, Jack Hendricks, a rugged buffalo hunter, stands in the spotlight, clutching the Territorian of the Year trophy. Applause echoes, but in the haze of flashbulbs and swirling voices, he glimpses Holden in the crowd, the man who has turned Jack’s life into fiction.

Jack’s story unfolds—his reckless charm, his fling with Merle, and the three months he survived alone in the Kimberlies, a feat that made him a legend. Holden, desperate for stardom, latches onto this legend, shaping it into a hit film. Jack, lost between admiration and resentment, watches Holden’s version of him take on a life of its own.

Merle and Jack try to harness this success, buying a buffalo farm, but the dream turns sour. The land becomes infested with gamba grass, Jack drifts into drugs, and the walls of his reality begin to collapse. He sees conspiracies everywhere—the government plotting to steal his property, his ex-wife’s Mormon community scheming to take his sons. Merle, clinging to him, finds herself drowning too.

As paranoia takes hold, Jack arms himself and heads for a final confrontation. At a police roadblock, he mistakes reality for illusion, convinced Holden is still watching, still controlling the story. The shots ring out—one officer down, then Jack himself.

The play closes with Holden, on stage as Buffalo Brent, the myth he created, while the real Jack lies dying in the dust. A song swells, a lament for what is lost, as the last anthill crumbles.

1. Lee Frank The Last Anthill of the Wild Wild North Winner NT Literary Awards

2. Jack Hendricks, a larrikin buffalo hunter, unexpectedly becomes the muse for fame-hungry actor Holden Lee. When Holden rockets to international stardom with his portrayal of a fictionalized Jack, Hendricks finds himself confronting a twisted reflection of his true identity.

3. Drawing inspiration from the rise and tragic fall of Rod Ansel, the real-life muse behind Paul Hogan's Crocodile Dundee, "Last Anthill" charts Jack's descent from an adored modern-day Robinson Crusoe to a reviled meth-addled murderer. In a world gripped by the cult of celebrity, the quest for genuine identity has never been more quixotic. "Last Anthill," blending hallucinatory drama and tragicomedy with evocative songs and immersive soundscapes, asks: who do we become when someone else becomes us?"

4. 1954 born SE Queensland , 300ks out of Brisbane 1960s-70s Learns survival skills 1977 Survives a 56-day ordeal in remote WA after a crocodile capsizes his fishing 1978 His Robinson Crusoe like story captivates the world ; Paul Hogan, a famous Australian TV comedian sees Ansell interviewed on TV 1981 Ansell awarded " Territorian of the Year"

5. 1986 Film Crocodile Dundee released, starring Paul Hogan; main character based loosely on Ansell Late 80s Dundee becomes a major global hit; Ansell buys cattle station and lives with his wife and children 1990s Faces financial troubles when the Australian government imposes restrictions on buffalo hunting; loses property Mid-1990s: Starts using methamphetamine and trafficking drugs 1999 Paranoid and delusional on amphetamines Ansell goes on a shooting spree south of Darwin; kills one policeman before being fatally shot

6. We only know ourselves when someone becomes us

7. A rugged, conflicted adventurer Jack becomes increasingly consumed by paranoia and self-destruction, fueled by drugs and a distorted image of heroism. Through the play, his initial charm and confidence unravel tragically as he tries desperately to embody the mythic persona Holden created around him. A charismatic yet superficial actor-director Holden exploits Jack’s real-life adventures to construct a lucrative Hollywood fantasy, oblivious to the personal costs. His character remains detached and cynical, ultimately highlighting the emptiness of celebrity and how easily it manipulates and discards genuine lives. Starting as Jack’s lively and passionate lover, Merle is drawn into his chaotic world by attraction and misplaced loyalty. Her initial strength and confidence are gradually eroded as she becomes complicit in Jack's self-destructive spiral, eventually reaching a breaking point where she sees clearly the dangers of their lifestyle.

8. Jack’s sons, Connor and Jesse , represent his fading connection to family life, embodying both the emotional stakes and moral centre of the play. As Jack increasingly loses himself in the fictional persona of Buffalo Brent, the boys suffer from his neglect, becoming symbols of the cost of his pursuit of celebrity and adventure. Their presence ultimately forces Jack to confront the consequences of his choices, underscoring the tragedy of a man who, in chasing an idealized identity, risks sacrificing genuine relationships and authentic bonds.

9. Jack and Holden's relationship is layered with tension, admiration, and subtle rivalry, particularly evident in the boab tree scene. Holden, though outwardly successful, is insecure in his own identity and secretly craves Jack’s rugged authenticity and masculinity, attempting to absorb and embody these traits by shadowing and subtly imitating Jack, who in turn oscillates between being flattered by this attention and resentful of Holden's commodification of his true experiences.

10. Set design for Jack and Merle’s bush shack. The final kitchen scene poignantly captures the deep emotional fracture between Merle and Jack, revealing how far Jack has strayed from reality and intimacy in pursuit of his fictional identity. Their tense and subdued interaction underscores the devastating personal cost of living within illusions and missed opportunities for genuine connection.

11. The songs and soundscapes in the play evoke the Northern Territory's vast landscapes and shifting moods, providing both emotional resonance and commentary on the characters' inner journeys. Music acts as a narrative device, heightening tensions, underscoring transitions, and reinforcing themes of identity, isolation, and loss. Click the play icon to hear “Hollywood Dream”