In a coup for performance lovers around Australia, Sydney Festival, in partnership with Australian Theatre Live, are inviting regional and rural audiences to experience highlights from this year’s Sydney Festival program at the Sydney Festival Roadshow 2022.
The Sydney Festival Roadshow 2022 sees expertly filmed recordings of acclaimed productions from the recent Sydney Festival season screened in neighborhoods and townships across regional Australia.
Four outstanding shows from the January 2022 event, 宿 (stay), Erth’s Prehistoric Picnic, The Pulse and Italian Baroque with Circa, have been selected to share with the audiences throughout the country. Screenings will take place in over 30 venues Australia-wide, from Narrogin in WA’s wheatbelt to Muswellbrook in the Upper Hunter Region of NSW, and all the way down to Colac Otway in southwestern Victoria.
Recorded by Australian Theatre Live during the Festival in January 2022, these carefully crafted, high quality, multi-camera films will reproduce the theatre experience for viewers who might not usually get the chance to see such works.
The Hon Paul Fletcher MP, Federal Minister for the Arts, said: “A cornerstone of the Morrison Government’s approach to supporting the arts has been that they should be for everybody, wherever in Australia they happen to live. It’s hard to think of a better example than Sydney Festival Roadshow 2022, which is why I am so pleased we have been able to support the roadshow through our RISE program, which is also helping to contribute to stronger and more vibrant regional centres by directing over half of all funding to recipients from regional or remote parts of Australia.”
“We are so pleased to expand the reach of this year’s festival, providing access to new audiences through Sydney Festival Roadshow 2022,” said Sydney Festival Director Olivia Ansell. “The importance of art and culture in regional communities cannot be underestimated – to support connectedness, health and wellbeing, generating inspirational change and fostering new talent. So, for those who couldn’t join us in Sydney last January, we’re bringing the festival to you!”
Grant Dodwell, Creative Director Australian Theatre Live, added: “Partnering with Sydney Festival has been a resounding success. ATLive is committed to creating better accessibility for world class performances such as those within this Roadshow, and we look forward to the future of our collaboration with Sydney Festival.”
The four productions showcased in the tour capture the breadth and depth of Sydney Festival’s programming, from the likes of family-friendly dinosaur fun and multi-disciplinary Singaporean theatre to unbelievable acrobatics and circus magic.
Featuring renowned Singaporean sound ensemble, SAtheCollective, 宿 (stay) blends dance, theatre, music, design, dialogue and film to tell a haunting story of loss and human connection. In Erth’s Prehistoric Picnic, viewers can rediscover the Sydney of over 65 million years ago with an immersive puppetry experience to delight families and big kids alike. The Pulse sends 22 bodies into the air and your heart into your mouth as performers from the world-renowned Australian physical theatre company, Gravity & Other Myths, tumble, flip and fly in a gravity-defying production. And music and acrobatics combine in a proud and passionate ride into Italy’s past in Italian Baroque with Circa, a collaboration from Brisbane’s Circa Contemporary Circus and The Australian Brandenburg Orchestra.
The Hon Ben Franklin MLC, NSW Minister for the Arts, said the roadshow will help regional audiences connect with a diverse range of performances. “The Sydney Festival Roadshow 2022 is a celebration that will allow regional and rural audiences to experience the best works captured from this year’s event,” Mr Franklin said.
“The NSW Government proudly supports the long-running festival which has launched countless careers, and I am so proud of these talented filmmakers who are able to recreate the live performance experience for viewers who might not otherwise have the opportunity to see such works.”
“Having 宿 (stay) shown as part of the Sydney Festival Roadshow affords the work a second life on the screen. It's an incredible opportunity to bring the hard work and passion of our talented performers at Kurinji in Western Sydney to new audiences all over Australia," shared S. Shakthidharan, writer of 宿 (stay) and co-Director at Kurinji.
The Sydney Festival Roadshow 2022 kicks off on 20 May with screenings taking place in regional towns and suburbs across NSW, Victoria, Queensland and WA.
Sydney Festival and Australian Theatre Live are working with local councils to host the Sydney Festival Roadshow 2022 in theatres, cinemas and venues around Australia, with 10% of ticket sales donated to Local Health Services, including Help 4 Kids, Can Assist, Allawah Lodge Coolamon, Art Therapy at Oberon’s Art Council, Illawarra Women’s Health Service, Grafton Headspace and Colac Area Health Foundation.
The Sydney Festival Roadshow 2022 and Australian Theatre Live are recipients of the Federal government’s RISE Fund. Australian Theatre Live is committed to making theatre accessible to arts lovers regardless of location, income or ability.
ABOUT THE FILMS
宿 (stay)
When two skeletons emerge from the dried-up creek bed of a remote Queensland farm, the fates of three women thousands of kilometers apart become deeply intertwined. Part concert, part story, part ceremony, 宿 (stay) is an evocative new collaboration between the writer of award-winning Counting and Cracking and Singapore musical ensemble, SAtheCollective.
Screening times
NSW
Cootamundra-Gundagai – The Arts Centre Cootamundra – May 20 @6pm – click here to purchase tickets
Narrandera – Narrandera CWA – June 24 @6:30pm
Sawtell – Majestic Cinema – May 20 @7pm
Sussex Inlet – Sussex Inlet Cinema – May 20 @7pm
Huskisson – Huskisson Cinema – May 20 @7pm
Armidale – Belgrave Cinema – May 20 @7pm
Nambucca – Majestic Cinema – May 20 @7pm
Port Macquarie – Majestic Cinema – May 20 @7pm
Raymond Terrace – Scotty’s Cinemas – May 20 @7pm
Coolamon – Up-To-Date Store – May 20 @7pm
Tumbarumba – Nest Cinema Books Cafe – May 20 @7:30pm
Clarence Valley – Grafton Regional Gallery – May 27 @6pm
Kiama – Gerringong Town Hall – May 27 @7:30pm
Goulburn – Goulburn Performing Arts Centre – May 28 @7pm
Brewarrina – Brewarrina Visitors Information Centre Grounds – May 29 @5pm
Parkes – Cooke Park Pavillion – June 17 @7pm
Norfolk Island – The Ferny Lane Theatre – June 19 @5:30pm
Tumut – Tumut River Brewing Co – June 24 @8:30pm
Muswellbrook – Denman Hall – July 9 @12pm
Lockhart – Lockhart Ex-Servicemen’s Club – July 23 @7:30pm
Newcastle – Newcastle Museum – September 24 @1pm
Oberon – Malachi Gilmore Hall – September 25 @3pm
Victoria
Bendigo – Hargreaves Mall – May 20 @6:30pm
Colac Otway – Colac Otway Performing Arts and Cultural Centre – August 26 @7pm
Yarra Ranges – The Memo Healesville – October 11 @7pm
Yarra Ranges – Arts Centre Warburton – October 18 @7pm
Western Australia
Narrogin – Thornton Theatre – May 20 @7pm
Busselton – Weld Theatre – May 20 @7pm – click here to purchase tickets
Queensland
Wynnum – Majestic Cinema – May 20 @7pm
Nambour – Majestic Cinema – May 20 @7pm
Hinchinbrook – JL Kelly Theatre – May 28 @6:30pm
Cooktown – Cook Shire Hall – September 18 @6pm, September 20 @6pm
South Australia
Barossa – Barossa Regional Gallery – July 16 @1pm
For more information and to book, see Australian Theatre Live's website.