Steven Heathcote recalls portraying Ned Kelly, 2005

Transcript of interview

I think that this was a real experiment with ballet and with dance theatre to try and encapsulate an iconic Australian story in the form of dance. There were people who really did enjoy it. They really deeply felt the emotion that ran through the production. And then on the other side of that scale, there were people who thought that it probably didn't deserve the time of day that it was given. I guess there's divided opinion on the character of Ned Kelly himself, as to whether he was a saint or a sinner. There are people who believe that he is an iconic part of Australian history, and there are those that simply believe that he was another criminal. I guess when I was playing the role of Ned Kelly, I put myself in his shoes. So if I was doing what he was doing, I would have thought that I was a hero. I would have thought that I was on the side of the right. So I would imagine that's how he would have felt. He was taking away from those who had a lot, and probably distributing a little of it to those who had little, and most of it would have been family members I'd imagine. There is dispute as to, you know, how much of a 'Robin Hood' he was. But it was certainly an interesting experience, trying to get under the man's skin, and to try and portray him.