Stuff the British Stole: An evening with Marc Fennell

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What do a mechanical tiger that roars, a royal dog named Looty and a bullet-scarred Aboriginal shield have in common?

They’re all at the centre of extraordinary stories about power, theft, identity and the lasting impact of empire.

Join award-winning journalist, filmmaker and broadcaster Marc Fennell for a captivating evening at the State Library of Western Australia as he brings to life the fascinating stories behind some of the world's most controversial objects.

Based on his acclaimed book, hit ABC/CBC television series and hugely popular podcast, Stuff the British Stole takes audiences on a globe-spanning adventure through museums, battlefields and hidden archives. Along the way, Marc uncovers the surprising, shocking and sometimes funny histories of objects that have sparked fierce debates about ownership, culture and who gets to tell the story of the past.

From the pyramids of Egypt to the galleries of the British Museum, every artefact reveals a bigger story—one that challenges what we think we know about history and asks who has the right to claim it.

Known for his trademark wit, curiosity and razor-sharp storytelling, Marc makes complex historical questions accessible, engaging and entertaining. Thought-provoking, eye-opening and often unexpectedly funny, Stuff the British Stole invites us to look at history through a new lens and consider why these stories still matter today.

Whether you're a history buff, a podcast fan, or simply love a great story, this promises to be a lively and unforgettable evening filled with surprising discoveries, big ideas and spirited conversation.

Marc will be interviewed by Victoria Midwinter Pitt.

Presented in partnership with Planet Books. 

Presenters
 

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Marc Fennell

Marc Fennell is a Walkley Award-winning journalist, AACTA-nominated filmmaker and one of Australia's most engaging storytellers. He is the creator of Stuff the British Stole (ABC/CBC) and host of SBS's Mastermind.

Marc has reported on major stories around the world, interviewed some of the globe's biggest names, and created acclaimed documentary and podcast series including It Burns, Nut Jobs, House of Skulls and This Is Not A Game. A former triple j film reviewer and author of three books, he is also a co-founder of Media Diversity Australia. He lives in Sydney with his two children.

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Victoria Midwinter Pitt

Victoria is an award-winning playwright, theatre director and documentary filmmaker. She trained in directing at London’s Royal Central School of Speech and Drama.  Her first play All the Things I would NEVER Tell You in 8 Songs & 12 Pictures, based on her own accidentally hilarious coming-out story, opened Spain’s Alternativa Festival and toured Australia. Her most recent play I’M WITH HER, a response to #metoo based on conversations with eight extraordinary Australian women, focuses on the dark female arts of resistance and counter-attack. I’M WITH HER has been performed at major arts festivals across Australia on the play’s signature model - by diverse casts of women who are leaders in their communities. Victoria’s documentary film practice (Frontier; Rampant; Surviving Mumbai; Leaky Boat and Afghanistan - Inside Australia’s War) has been in complex historical moments told directly by the people who have lived through them. Her films have screened at the UN and across the world’s major film festivals and broadcasters and been nominated for two Emmy Awards and won Australia’s major documentary awards including Walkley, AACTA, SPAA, and the NSW Premier’s History Prize .  All Victoria’s work rests on the power and revelation of first-hand story-telling, and a diamond-hard belief in the intelligence of her audience.