Spread the word about The Secret River EVERY now and then a truly memorable piece of theatre comes along that captivates and touches in such a beautiful way that the story continues to seep into the conscience long after the final curtain has fallen. Presented by Sydney Theatre Company in association with Perth Festival, Neil Armfield's magically haunting adaptation of Kate Grenville's novel The Secret River delves deep into our national history to produce a troubling tale of the interaction between white settlers and Aboriginals along the Hawkesbury River in New South Wales. It is the story of two families torn apart by land and culture. We have William Thornhill (Nathaniel Dean) and his wife Sal (Anita Hegh) and their two boys, exiled from England, bright with enthusiasm for new opportunities in this new frontier. Then there are the Dharug people, whose land the Thornhills have staked as their own. And so the scene is set for a story which touches on curiosity and friendship but which so devastatingly turns so quickly into one of tragedy and heart break. The story's narrator is Ursula Yovich, who plays Dhirrumbin, the aboriginal woman living with sympathetic settler Tom Blackwood (Colin Moody). It is a brilliant performance by the 22-strong cast with special mention to Jeremy Sims' portrayal of redneck Smasher Sullivan whose beliefs so violently conflict with those of Thomas Blackwood (Moody). Composer Iain Grandage has created a robust soundtrack which he bravely - and at times cheekily - plays live on stage. There is simple lighting design, the costumes are a mismatch of modern clothing roughed up to appear well worn. Somehow this imagery works perfectly to transport the audience back to the time of white settlement. Stephen Curtis's set, which again seems so simple - a ghost gum backdrop and real-life gum leave branches - goes a long way in creating the magic. In this piece of moving theatre it is the multitude of carefully created layers combined which have created something special. The Secret River is a sensory assault, triggering a wave of emotion. It is theatre at its finest and should not be missed. The Secret River, Perth Festival, His Majesty's Theatre, until March 2.