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Synopsis
Drew Ellis has taken a sabbatical from his beautiful wife and comfortable legal career to go bush.
Carrying the professional arrogance that middle class advantage buys, Drew ventures from the cloistered legal circles of the city of Perth to do a stint in the outback – a worthy addition to the CV of a lawyer seeking higher office.
Drew is charming, confident, capable, and now completely out of his depth. He finds himself in the chaotic and challenging world of the Kimberley Circuit Court that takes a magistrate and an entourage of court officers and lawyers on a regular, five-day 2000 kilometre round-trip to dispense justice to the hot, dusty and remote communities of North Western Australia.
This is no easy trip, but the expectations on Drew are high, for despite his white upbringing and fine white wife, Drew Ellis is black.
As a city slicker he can be excused for not knowing about cattle duffing, street drinking and payback, but what does he know about his own Aboriginal heritage and the culture of his Aboriginal clients? Not that there’s any shortage of people to point this out to him. Isn’t the prickly Sam meant to be his assistant, not his enemy? And what’s the story with the patronising Magistrate? At least he can find solace in his burgeoning friendship with Bella, the fiery Clerk of Courts.
It’s a steep learning curve for Drew. Yet to earn the trust of either the black or white communities, he quickly comes to realise that one law for two cultures does not always equal a fair go.
More importantly, Drew begins to learn about himself, and with the begrudging help of Sam, he begins a journey of self-discovery, allowing him to finally acknowledge his heritage and the family he never knew. But at what cost? The physical distance from his wife contrasts with Drew’s developing closeness toward Bella, and the comfort he begins to find in his new surroundings.
At the end of this sweaty, dusty journey into the absurdity, poignancy and banality of Australian outback justice called The Circuit, Drew Ellis must make a choice – a choice that will affect the rest of his life.
Drew Ellis has taken a sabbatical from his beautiful wife and comfortable legal career to go bush.
Carrying the professional arrogance that middle class advantage buys, Drew ventures from the cloistered legal circles of the city of Perth to do a stint in the outback – a worthy addition to the CV of a lawyer seeking higher office.
Drew is charming, confident, capable, and now completely out of his depth. He finds himself in the chaotic and challenging world of the Kimberley Circuit Court that takes a magistrate and an entourage of court officers and lawyers on a regular, five-day 2000 kilometre round-trip to dispense justice to the hot, dusty and remote communities of North Western Australia.
This is no easy trip, but the expectations on Drew are high, for despite his white upbringing and fine white wife, Drew Ellis is black.
As a city slicker he can be excused for not knowing about cattle duffing, street drinking and payback, but what does he know about his own Aboriginal heritage and the culture of his Aboriginal clients? Not that there’s any shortage of people to point this out to him. Isn’t the prickly Sam meant to be his assistant, not his enemy? And what’s the story with the patronising Magistrate? At least he can find solace in his burgeoning friendship with Bella, the fiery Clerk of Courts.
It’s a steep learning curve for Drew. Yet to earn the trust of either the black or white communities, he quickly comes to realise that one law for two cultures does not always equal a fair go.
More importantly, Drew begins to learn about himself, and with the begrudging help of Sam, he begins a journey of self-discovery, allowing him to finally acknowledge his heritage and the family he never knew. But at what cost? The physical distance from his wife contrasts with Drew’s developing closeness toward Bella, and the comfort he begins to find in his new surroundings.
At the end of this sweaty, dusty journey into the absurdity, poignancy and banality of Australian outback justice called The Circuit, Drew Ellis must make a choice – a choice that will affect the rest of his life.
ABOUT THE SHOW
NEXT WEEK'S SHOW
THE CIRCUIT is now available on DVD at Dymocks, JB Hi-Fi, video retailers and the SBS Shop. The DVD also includes a bonus CD of the soundtrack. A book of the screenplay is also available at Dymocks and the SBS Shop.