Slingsby Theatre Company Bids Farewell with a Final Masterpiece
In a poignant finale to two decades of artistic innovation, Adelaide's Slingsby Theatre Company is preparing to stage its last ever production, A Concise Compendium of Wonder. This decision comes after the company faced its third rejection for multi-year federal funding from Creative Australia in 2023, despite receiving state support. Artistic director Andy Packer reflects on the journey, stating, "We realised we'd come to the end," after years of entrepreneurial efforts to sustain the company.
A Trilogy of Hope and Climate Consciousness
Nestled in the Adelaide Botanic Gardens, a unique circular wooden structure named the "Wandering Hall of Possibility" serves as the intimate theatre for this final show. The trilogy adapts fairytales from the Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Andersen, and Oscar Wilde into three standalone pieces that can also be experienced as a triptych. Each story, spread across millennia from medieval Europe to a moon colony in 3099, is performed by the same three actors, with the theatre transforming for each narrative.
Commissioned from leading Australian authors Ceridwen Dovey, Ursula Dubosarsky, and Jennifer Mills, the works address contemporary themes of nature and climate anxiety, inspired by feedback from school workshops where children expressed fears about the future. Mills's The Childhood of the World follows children navigating famine, Dubosarsky's The Giant's Garden explores banishment from a beloved space, and Dovey's The Tree of Light features a lunar elder storytelling before the moon's last tree.
Embracing Darkness with Optimism
Slingsby has long been renowned for creating immersive theatrical experiences that blend magic with mature themes like death, loss, and grief, speaking directly to young audiences as collaborators. Packer emphasizes, "I want to take the audience into the darkness, but I don't want to leave them there. I want to lead the audience back to a sense of hope." This ethos is reflected in the trilogy's hopeful conclusions, aiming to empower viewers with resilience and kindness.
The company's commitment to sustainability extends beyond the narrative; tours for A Concise Compendium of Wonder will use only land or sea transport, and the purpose-built theatre will be repurposed for other companies or festivals before recycling materials. Packer admits to sadness over this final chapter but expresses pride in the decision to conclude on a high note, investing all remaining resources into this production.
Reflections on Arts Funding and Legacy
Packer calls for increased government arts funding while urging artists to evaluate their personal investments in unpaid or underpaid work. He questions whether companies are stuck in a "hamster wheel," highlighting the challenges of financial sustainability in the arts. After premiering in Adelaide until 15 March, the trilogy will tour to Whyalla on the Eyre Peninsula for three weeks before Slingsby officially closes its doors.
Founded in 2007, Slingsby Theatre Company has toured globally, captivating audiences with shows like Emil and the Detectives in an abandoned theme park and Man Covets Bird on a grass-covered floor. As they prepare for their final bow, Packer focuses on the present, saying, "Let's go out in a beautiful fashion," ensuring their legacy ends with wonder and inspiration for future generations.
