It is hard to believe that this year is nearly over. We started the year in Mandurah, with the first performance of our UK co-commission, Fake It ‘Til You Make It, and are ending the year with three boundary pushing and genuinely risk taking local works; THE BACCHAE, Dracula and Ricercar.
I love that one newspaper recently described THE BACCHAE as the most divisive and talked about work of the Melbourne Festival. The fact that people are talking after they have seen a show is exciting for me. I hope the works we stage are provocative, genuinely challenging and exciting. I want the conversation to continue after the audience leaves our foyer. If it doesn’t then we are failing in what we do. THE BACCHAE generated such extreme and real emotion in its audience – I saw audience members in tears, others completely energised, empowered and excited, others angry, others confused… for many it took time for them to understand their feelings. It was a complex work; and I thought a brilliant work, and a wonderful collaboration betweenFraught Outfit, St Martins, Theatre Works andMelbourne Festival.
I love seeing artists push themselves. And Little Ones Theatre’s Dracula, currently playing, is a thrilling example of an ensemble who continue to work together and rigorously develop their practice as they create bold new theatrical experiences for their audiences. This time they’ve taken all the words off stage and are presenting Dracula in the style of a silent film. Audiences have been rapturous in their response to this work; a very sexy, playful and delightful homage to the Prince of Darkness.
I want to thank everyone who emailed and messaged me after the announcement that I will leave Theatre Works in March next year. I was just blown away by the thanks and well-wishes I received. Simply overwhelming. The team and I have done some great work over the last few years and Theatre Works is in a great position for a new leader to come and continue its journey as a vital organisation for independent artists.
See you at Dracula!
Dan x
DRACULA | only 8 shows left!
What the critics are saying on DRACULA…
‘Dracula is one part Artuad, one part Annie Sprinkle… It’s an insanely detailed and gloriously sensual piece of theatre’
– Chris Boyd, The Australian
‘A sexy and droll vampire romp’
– Cameron Woodhead, The Age
‘A triumph of theatrical design and visual storytelling’ – Maggie Journal
‘The Little Ones winning streak of creating unique theatre experiences continues here’
– Theatre Press
*ONLY 8 SHOWS LEFT! Don’t miss out!*
DRACULA Season Details
Dates: 29 October – 14 November 2015
Time: Wednesday – Saturday, 8.00pm
Tickets: $35 Full / $25 Conc, Under 30yrs / $20 Groups of 8 + (plus booking fees)
Meet the artists | Question & Answer Session
Thursday 5 November, post-show from 9.30pm
Coming Soon | Ricercar
Present Tense Ensemble
World Premiere
On a clear night, passengers fly into darkness aboard a 737. Where they are going remains unclear… Ricercar is an operatic event after the music of JS Bach; a history of the world of sound told through the lens of theatre.
Immersive theatre virtuosi, Present Tense Ensemble (Margaret Fulton: Queen of the Dessert; Chants des Catacombes; FOMO) partner with the energy and electricity of independent music duo The Twoks (Triple J Unearthed; Dark MOFO) to present a rendering of the cosmic world of sound and music.
Ricercar Season Details
Date: 24 November – 12 December
Time: Tuesday – Saturday, 7.30pm
Preview: Tuesday 24, Thursday 26, Saturday 28, Sunday 29
All tickets $20
Tickets: $35 Full / $25 Conc, Under 30yrs, Groups 8+ (plus booking fee)
SAVE THE DATE | BRIEFS Fundraiser
Having taken the world by storm – London, Edinburgh, Berlin and more – BRIEFS have arrived here in Melbourne for a limited season.
BRIEFS is a jaw-dropping, eye-popping evening of extravagant birdbath boylesque, too-close-for-comfort yo-yo tricks, valiant aerial acrobatics, irreverent interludes and show-stopping drag artistes.
And just for Theatre Works, BRIEFS are hosting an exclusive late night show on Saturday 21 November at the Athenaeum Theatre. Pop this date in your diary, and get a group of friends together.
★★★★★ ‘Masters of the art of boylesque… freakish, funny and beautiful’ – The Scotsman, Edinburgh
★★★★★ ‘No one else does enormous, gloriously perverted fun quite like this’ – Time Out, London
Stay tuned to our Facebook for ticket details coming soon!
Victorian Actors Benevolent Trust | Forum Fundraiser Event
Saturday 7 November
3pm at Theatre Works
Want to take control of your career? Don’t wait for the phone to ring!
This VABT forum fundraiser event will attempt to demystify how to get your own work on and up.
An excellent panel of very diverse and experienced industry professionals including – Dan Clarke, Aunty Donna, Susie Dee, Wayne Hope and Sioban Duke – will tell it how it is. Come along and hear the panel share their insights and tips.
VABT Forum Fundraiser
Date: Saturday 7 November
Time: 3.00pm
Tickets: $30 (plus booking fee)
All proceeds from the forum will go to VABT – Helping actors and crew in need and providing emergency financial assistance to those in the entertainment industry who through poor health or ill fortune, find themselves with nowhere else to turn.
*Come along and support this great cause!*
Chookas to Elbow Room
Chookas to Elbow Room as they gear up to present The Motion Of Light In Water at La Boite Theatre Company in Brisbane this week.
Taking its inspiration from the life and work of Samuel R. Delaney and Marilyn Hacker, two of the boldest and most imaginative American writers of the 1960s, The Motion Of Light In Water is a truly fantastic celebration of how we dream the future into being.
The Motion Of Light In Water was first presented at Theatre Works as part of Selected Works 2014. It features as part of La Boite’s Indie Season with the support of QPAC and commissionied by HotHouse Theatre.
For all our Brissy based artists and supporters make sure you head along!
The Motion Of Light In Water
La Boite | Indie Season
Date: 04-21 November
Times vary, visit website for details
14 Acland St, St Kilda
Bookings: 03 9534 3388
Office: 03 9534 4879
W: theatreworks.org.au
E: Send us an email
