In much needed exciting news for the arts, a powerful new Australian stage work is set to be developed as a co-commission between Queensland Theatre and Playwriting Australia (PWA). MUDSKIPPER: A New Mythology by Queensland playwrights Walter Waia and John Harvey is one of seven major new works commissioned under PWA’s Ignition program 2020, and the only Queensland-based project.
Queensland Theatre Artistic Director Lee Lewis said news that MUDSKIPPER: A New Mythology was one of the seven works chosen was exciting for not only Queensland Theatre, but the arts community everywhere. “That seven major new Australian works will be developed under the Ignition program is brilliant news; the news we all in the arts needed after the past few months of (still) dark theatres and show closures,” she said.
MUDSKIPPER is a new work of scale, blending Western theatre with traditional storytelling, contemporary dance, leading edge technology and music. At its heart, it is a new mythology traversing love, loss and longing for home; a convergence of ancient and contemporary, and an exploration of love and its ability to reach across two worlds.
“Developing MUDSKIPPER will be a powerful journey for everyone involved, and we are looking forward to working closely with these extraordinary artists in Walter Waia and John Harvey. This work is significant from a national storytelling perspective, and we are proud to be the producing company, in collaboration with independent Indigenous production company, Brown Cabs,” said Ms Lewis.
“In these difficult times we look to great artists to create stories to lift us out of despair. MUDSKIPPER is one that everyone can look forward to. We are grateful that Walter Waia and John Harvey have chosen to create this new work with Queensland Theatre. We believe the story will speak to the whole nation about our shared future as the impact of climate change reshapes the way we will all live.”
Readers also enjoyed our story about Live Music Support
