1998

Making it New

Murray Bramwell reports on what’s been doing in theatre in Adelaide

It is now more than a year since the Day of the Long Knives. Well, it seemed like that when, in mid-October 1997, it was announced that the Australia Council was withdrawing triennial funding for a number of Adelaide’s long established theatre companies. Carouselle, the talented puppet group was one, Junction Theatre another, Magpie2, the newly badged youth wing of State Theatre got clipped after only one year’s operation and, perhaps most  disturbing, the highly regarded Red Shed Company closed its heavy old roller door after ten year’s effort.

It is true that Junction and the Red Shed had not been producing their best work – although Junction had presented a new play by Stephen Sewell and the Red Shed was continuing to expand its fruitful and very significant association with Daniel Keene. But whatever the arguments, as these double jeopardies work, the withdrawal of Council funds then triggered a tailing off of State support as well, meaning that a slew of experienced and recognised companies were folding – and soon.

To be fair, these closures prompted a determined effort by Arts SA to encourage, from the ashes, a phoenix  or two. Funds were earmarked and expressions of interest called for, to enable the rapid establishment of a new company to lead the second tier revival.

By July last year it was announced that the cigar would go to Brink Productions, a self-managing ensemble, whose first work for the 1994 Adelaide Fringe,Wounds to the Face , directed by Benedict Andrews, established a continuing association with the works of English playwright Howard Barker. Andrews led Magpie2 for its brief and interesting one year season and former Red Shed director, Tim Maddock, has directed subsequent Brink seasons of Barker’s (Uncle) Vanya in late 1996 andThe Europeans in November last year. Both productions had very good outings at Belvoir Street, as did Benedict Andrews’ 1998 Fringe production of Jez Butterworth’s lock, stock and smoking Brit crime thriller, Mojo.

Brink’s work has been notable for its depth of preparation and the intelligence and flair with which difficult texts such as Barker’s are made accessible to the younger demographic to whom the company is pitched. Not everything has been a winner, though. Tim Maddock and Victoria Hill’s redrafting of The Misanthrope giddily missed its mark and made for a jittery opening to their high profile season when it opened in September. The Europeans more than put them back on track, however, and, as we go to press, Brink has announced a joint venture for the 2000 Adelaide Festival for The Ecstatic Bible, a new twelve hour millennium epic from Barker and his London company, The Wrestling School.

The continuity of funding for Brink- and the group’s adept administrative and publicity skills – is the most promising indication that Adelaide is managing to maintain signature work of high calibre which can also travel successfully to the Eastern seaboard.

Another company which has enjoyed success is Vitalstatistix, now subtitled National Women’s Theatre. A standout production of the new work, My Vicious Angel by Christine Evans, opened in July. Well crafted and beautifuly directed by Rosalba Clemente it was one of the highlights of the year. Another new solo piece, Spooltime by Alana Valentine, featuring a performance from the highly versatile Clemente played in November.

1998 was the first year of a revamped State Theatre under the direction of Rodney Fisher. After a ravishing revival of his production of Master Class and a likeable production of Williamson’s The Department, the company’s work proved disappointing. A production of the Scottish Play was dismally conceived and performed and a staging of Dostoevsky’s The Idiot failed to spark theatrically. Apart from the Performing Lines visiting productions, State’s best work last year’s season was the ubiquitous Rosalba Clemente’s stylish production of Brad Fraser’s Unidentified Human Remains and the True Nature of Love.

And then there are the projects. Much is made of the economies of one-off project funding but I suspect it is a short lived benefit. Gradually the expertise will dwindle as those who gained experience with formerly continuously-funded companies disperse and relocate in other cities. At the moment ,though, they are still productive. Geoff Crowhurst, from Junction, staged the community musical project, Scam and continues his association with Not So Straight, whose main writer, Stephen House, is still producing new work, if not yet a true successor to his well-received Go By Night.

Theatre Praxis mounted a new play, Morde by Paul Rees, based on the Israeli nuclear whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu. The production, which featured Brink regular Syd Brisbane, still needs some reworking but could well have more legs. It would be good to see it picked up again, Rees is an able writer and a tireless promoter of home grown theatre. Another company to watch is Double Bind, whose staging of David Mamet’s Oleanna , directed and featuring Michael Hill with Eliza Lovell, and niftily designed by Nic Hurcombe, was work of high quality. Double Bind certainly deserves something more than hand to mouth production funding and it is a short sighted policy to expect theatre workers to maintain commitment when they have to make such extended personal sacrifice to put work in front of audiences.

So, the news from Adelaide is hopeful. Despite a mixed year and reduced repertoire from State Theatre, despite the damage to the city’s credibility with the Meryl Tankard fiasco, and despite a shaky audience base which, particularly among the unemployed under thirties, is even more broke than other cities . The 1998 Festival was an important fillup-  especially with the personal energy and leadership of Robyn Archer and productions such as the Belgians, Needcompany and Les Ballets C and D. Such works and such a Festival leaves us with after-images which serve to pry back open the minds and imaginations of artists and audiences alike.

And we need that. Adelaide’s rust-belt woes are very evident at the moment- politically, socially and culturally. Despite the conscientious efforts of Arts Minister, Di Laidlaw,  the State Government has no real notion of its artistic brief and of how much Adelaide’s once-strong reputation has been squandered. For these reasons the commitment and persistence of our theatre workers is not just admirable but heroic. That so much work of quality continues to be produced is splendid, almost unfathomable. But it can’t be counted on for very much longer without real funding commitment and infrastructure support. Otherwise, those Darwinian monetarist, freemarket notions that frugality and struggle are essentials to creative process will be revealed not only as foolishly wrong but permanently damaging.

Real Time, October, 1998.