SEASON ONE ‘08

“There are two kinds of light – the glow that illumines, and the glare that obscures.”

James Thurber

Light is a central force of meaning in the theatre. It is in the extraordinary space between what we see and appear to know, and what remains wrapped in the half light of our consciousness, that our hearts and souls can rapture and reform, and the alchemy of love and irony can froth and bubble. This season we throw our spotlight on all the foibles of the human character – desperate desires, hypocritical posturings, embedded cruelties within seemingly playful, innocent human interaction – to watch them fry under the magnifying heat of the theatre lamp.

Like moths to our fiery beacon in the heart of Melbourne, we will enliven you with some of the most intriguing and preeminent theatre artists and creative organisations in the country. Riding in double harness with a wonderful group of independent film makers, dancing pas de deux with Victoria’s most fabulous divas, playing sparring partner with Australia’s leading Shakepeare exponents, hunting in pairs with major festivals and opera houses, and we play havoc with iconic texts.

Meanwhile the company shines its bright lights across the world, with our fearless production Honour Bound premiering in London and New Zealand, and other productions from our repertoire fielding presentation offers from three continents. And we turn this light on ourselves as we confront global warming with an important shift to make sure the light we use on our stages can have the biggest effect on your hearts, and the least on our planet’s well-being.

Join us as we cut through the glare and illuminate your soul, a flash of bright white in the dark.

Michael Kantor
Artistic Director