A heart-wrenching farewell: Adelaide's beloved theatre company, Slingsby, is saying goodbye with a final, magical performance.
Nestled in the Adelaide Botanic Gardens, a unique wooden structure awaits 110 lucky audience members. This is the 'Wandering Hall of Possibility,' a setting for a trilogy of shows that will leave you in awe.
Slingsby has dedicated 20 years to crafting stories for young audiences and their families. Their artistic director, Andy Packer, believes in reaching the future adult within every child and the child within every adult.
Fairytales, reimagined and new, are Slingsby's signature. They explore magic, imagination, and the tougher aspects of life: death, loss, and loneliness. Their immersive theatrical spaces transport you to another world.
But here's where it gets controversial... Slingsby's shows often carry a hint of darkness, a reminder that life can be bleak. Yet, they always offer a glimmer of hope, a belief in the strength and resilience of the human spirit.
And this is the part most people miss... Slingsby's final work, 'A Concise Compendium of Wonder,' is a trilogy adapted from the tales of the Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Andersen, and Oscar Wilde. It's a journey through time and space, from medieval Europe to a moon colony in the distant future.
Each show in the trilogy stands alone, but together, they form a beautiful triptych. The same three actors guide you through three unique stories, each with its own magical setting.
Slingsby's work has taken them across Australia and beyond, to Asia, Europe, and North America. But now, after a decade of 'being incredibly entrepreneurial,' they've reached a crossroads.
Despite receiving state funding, Slingsby has been denied multi-year federal funding for the past 10 years. Their final show is a testament to their determination and a farewell to their beloved audience.
Packer reflects on the situation: 'We realized we'd come to the end of that. We're investing everything we had in the bank for this final work.'
But why is this happening? Packer believes artists should be mindful of their personal investment in their work. He questions whether they're caught in a never-ending cycle, pouring their hearts and souls into shows without proper recognition or support.
Beyond this trilogy, Slingsby's future is uncertain. Packer admits, 'It leaves you with no other choice but to go out in a beautiful fashion.'
And so, with their purpose-built, traveling theatre, Slingsby will bid farewell with three final performances.
This trilogy is a departure for Slingsby. Instead of playwrights, they commissioned leading Australian authors to write short stories. Ceridwen Dovey, Ursula Dubosarsky, and Jennifer Mills each adapted a fairytale, exploring contemporary themes of nature and climate anxiety.
Mills' 'The Childhood of the World' follows two children finding their way in a famine-stricken land. Dubosarsky's 'The Giant's Garden' tells of children banished from their beloved garden. And Dovey's 'The Tree of Light' is a story told by a 12-year-old 'Moonfolk' elder, set against the backdrop of the moon's last remaining tree.
As with all Slingsby shows, these stories end on a hopeful note. Packer wants to take the audience into the darkness but always leads them back to a sense of optimism and belief in themselves and their community.
Even in their final show, Slingsby addresses the climate concerns of their young audience. The set will be transported via land or sea, and the unique theatre will be passed on for future use, with its materials eventually recycled.
Packer reflects on the journey: 'There's a sense of sadness that this is our last big adventure together, but I'm proud of our decision. It allows us to focus on the present and not worry too much about the future.'
'A Concise Compendium of Wonder' is a testament to Slingsby's legacy and a final gift to their audience. It's a chance to experience their unique brand of magic and imagination one last time.
What do you think? Should government arts funding be increased to support companies like Slingsby? Or is it time for artists to reconsider their approach and find new ways to sustain their work? We'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments!
