Tag: Queensland Theatre Company

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Conversation with the audience: Sven Swenson (Interview 4)

Photo: Leesa Connelly

I’ve known Sven Swenson and admired his work since 1996, the year his first play Vertigo and the Virginia workshopped for Queensland Theatre Company.  Since then Sven’s completed 15 plays, but he notes there are 33 others “in various stages of disrepair.”  His latest work, The Bitterling premieres next week as the opening production of the inaugural La Boite Indie program; ‘opening’ and ‘inaugural’ – a lot of firsts, and a lot of expectations.  He’s writer and director.

He tells me, “We know we are the indie guinea-pigs, we’re all keenly aware of this.  There is constant dialogue between the participants and La Boite, who are extremely supportive and available.  They have a genuine and profound desire to see good indie theatre develop.”  He goes on, “There’s a real air of excitement right now, and it’s helping us to create at our best.”

I’m glad to catch up with Sven, one of Brisbane’s most prolific and also proudly parochial writers.  I want to know more about the inaugural winner (2002) for Road to the She Devil’s Salon and then finalist (2008) of the prestigious Queensland Premier’s Drama Award.  His play Beautiful Souls was produced Off-Broadway (2007) and also in Los Angeles.  Among other things we talk about beginnings, influences, how he works, and the local theatre scene. He has a few surprises for me along the way. Continue reading “Conversation with the audience: Sven Swenson (Interview 4)”

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This Week in Queensland Theatre: March 8-14

Image via Wikipedia

For show times check company websites

The big wet continues in the south-east and west of the state. Wonder how, if at all, this has affected box-office figures for companies.

There’s one week to go for Hamlet for La Boite and The Little Dog Laughed for Queensland Theatre Company; both close on Saturday. Avenue Q at QPAC has had an extension to its season.

Click the date on Greenroom’s home page calendar to go to more details on each event.

Opening:

Flicking the Flint by Kate Lee !Metro Arts Independents (Brisbane) – Tuesday

Macbeth by William Shakespeare Jute Theatre (Cairns) – Thursday

Continuing:

Avenue Q the Australian touring production at QPAC (Brisbane)

Hamlet by William Shakespeare dir David Berthold at the Roundhouse (Brisbane)  Check the updated Greenroom reviews index.

The Little Dog Laughed by Douglas Carter Beane dir Michael Gow at the Cremorne Theatre, QPAC  Check the updated Greenroom reviews index.

Other:

Staging Lives: in conversation with Michael Gow, Will Eno, and David Williamson. State Library of Queensland – Tuesday.

See QSE’s training program which continues throughout the month (Brisbane)

It’s QPAC’s 25th Birthday this year.  While you’re on the South Bank in Brisbane head into the Tony Gould Gallery for the QPAC 25 Exhibition.

… and check out the recently-opened Edge space further upstream – near the fabulous GOMA.

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Michael Gow to leave Queensland Theatre Company

After more than 10 years at the helm, Michael Gow, the Artistic Director of Queensland Theatre Company has declined a further contract with the Company, and is leaving to pursue freelance writing and directing.  The announcement was made jointly today in a media release by Mr Gow and Dr Kate Foy, Chairman of the Board.

Michael Gow has noted how much he enjoys running the Company, and that he was honoured and excited by the offer of a further contract.  However, he added ‘after an intense period of reflection,’ and ‘a growing need to get back to myself as a writer,’ he had ‘sadly declined’ to continue in the state theatre company’s top job.

Kate Foy noted the Board’s natural disappointment at Michael’s decision, but that it understood and supported his decision completely.  ‘The Board has been delighted with Michael’s performance during the past ten years; he’s been a fine leader, and a hard-working and visionary Artistic Director.’  She noted Mr Gow’s programming boldness and the many initiatives he has brought to the Company during his period as AD.  She went on

The Company’s writing development and education programs are not always as visible to the general public as is its mainstage work, but the success of these significant developmental initiatives under Michael Gow, as well as his other achievements, has meant that his tenure as Artistic Director will undoubtedly be seen as one of enduring importance in the development and maturation of Queensland’s theatre.

Mr Gow will program the major part of the 2011 season, and continue his relationship with the company as a freelance artist.

Dr Foy noted that the Company will be looking to appoint a new Artistic Director by the middle of the year.  It will be an open recruitment process, and is anticipated to take up to five months.

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This Week in Queensland Theatre: February 15-21

Cover of "Hamlet"
Cover of Hamlet

For further details check company websites

The National Play Festival is in town with a huge range of readings, workshops and presentations.  You can get the details on their terrific website.   Hamlet and The Little Dog Laughed continue for La Boite and Queensland Theatre Company respectively.  Blog discussions on both productions can be found by following the links to posts in Greenroom’s live feed column on the home page.  Incidentally, you might be interested in this poster which just popped up out of nowhere; it’s from the the 2000 film production of Hamlet in which Ethan Hawke appeared as our film-student hero.

Opening:

The National Play Festival

Continuing:

Hamlet by William Shakespeare dir David Berthold at the Roundhouse

The Little Dog Laughed by Douglas Carter Beane dir Michael Gow at the Cremorne Theatre, QPAC


Other:

Commissioning W/rights Industry Panel at !Metro Arts Studio (6.3opm Tuesday) followed by a free performance of  Chasing the Lollyman by Mark Sheppard dir Liz Skitch Debase TC

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40 Years On: Queensland Theatre Company’s Repertoire

This week Groundling blog produced two posts which compared the annual repertoire of the state theatre company’s inaugural decade and the one just past. This fairly simple bit of quantitative research was inspired/prompted by similar research and a current debate in the US following the publication of a new book Outrageous Fortune.   The book claims the US institutional theatre is, by and large, not producing new works by American playwrights. 

Queensland Theatre Company celebrates its 40th birthday in 2010, so a stocktake seemed appropriate.  Rather than look over the Company’s 40 seasons Groundling took the bookend repertoires and did a breakdown of the historical and geographical origin of the plays selected for the decade of the 1970s and that of the 2000s.

You can read both posts here:

And the outcome in chart form shows how this company has always had the production of contemporary and brand new plays top of its repertoire.

Chart of Comparative Repertoire QTC 1970s & 2000s

Groundling has suggested that other Queensland companies might care to do the same stocktake of their work to provide a fuller picture of the kinds of theatre we think we are producing in the state.

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