Moving show recounts 20 years of involvement in Afghanistan
TO COMMEMORATE the third anniversary of the fall of Kabul in Afghanistan and the subsequent evacuation on August 15, 2021, musician Fred Smith is touring his poignant stage show, Sparrows of Kabul with the moving show taking to the stage at the Coolum Civic Centre on Saturday August 24.
Fred Smith is seen by many as the unofficial storyteller of Australia’s involvement in Afghanistan. The lyrics to his song ‘Sapper’s Lullaby’ are engraved in marble at the Australian plot in the centuries-old British War Cemetery in Kabul.
Sparrows of Kabul has been described as “a beautiful retelling of Australia’s Afghanistan experience…”, “utterly beguiling” and “a must-see”.
In 2020, Smith went back to Afghanistan and when Kabul fell under Taliban control, he worked from Kabul International Airport (KIA) on Australia’s mission to evacuate passport and visa holders.
His experiences at the human logjams at the gates of the airport are expressed in his new single, “Gates of KIA”.
“Seeing the desperation with my own eyes struck me to the core,” Smith said.
Smith’s unique show comes from years of actual hands-on experience in the region. He was the first Australian diplomat to be sent to work alongside Australian soldiers in Uruzgan Province in 2009 and the last to leave in 2013. He served alongside members from Queensland bases 1RAR (Townsville), 6RAR (Enogerra Barracks) and 2SER.
Since returning, Smith has created the new show “Sparrows of Kabul” which is an intertwining of his new songs and stories with his “Dust of Uruzgan” stage show which he toured to 80 theatres between 2014-18. The new show offers a vivid personal account of Australia’s 20-year involvement in Afghanistan and marks the culmination of what, for Smith, has been a remarkably sustained piece of storytelling on Australia’s longest war.
“Despite the many challenges during the evacuation mission, the Australian team managed to get 4,100 people out, most of whom are now living in Australia. Their girls and boys are going to school and having swimming lessons. We’ve changed people’s lives,” Smith said.
Performance Dates – August 2024
- SunPAC, Sunnybank Saturday, August 17, 7.30pm
- Maleny Community Centre Thursday, August 22, 7pm
- Majestic Theatre, Pomona Friday, August 23, 7pm
- Coolum Civic Centre Saturday, August 24, 7pm
- Eudlo Hall Sunday, August 25, 4pm
Full Event Details: redchair.com.au
The Sparrows of Kabul tour is presented by local performing arts company Red Chair with the support of the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland.