Not just any old year, but their 25th year!

So what delicious surprises does Black Swan State Theatre Company have for Perth in 2016? Let’s have a look.

All images by Robert Frith

The Season:

14 Jan to 7 Feb

Black Swan Lab at Studio Underground presents:

LOADED: A Double Bill of New Plays 

Girl Shut Your Mouth

written by Gita Bezard

directed by Jeffrey Jay Fowler

 

 

 

Tonsils + Tweezers

written and directed by Will O’Mahony

 

 

 

 

1 – 17 Apr

Picnic at Hanging Rock

a co-production with Malthouse Theatre

directed by Malthouse Theatre Aristic Director Matthew Lutton

written by Tom Wright adapted from Joan Lindsay’s novel

 

 

 

 

 

 

28 May – 19 Jun

Angels in America by Tony Kushner

directed by Kate Cherry

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

30 Jun – 17 Jul

Black Swan Lab at Studio Underground presents:

A Perfect Specimen

written by Nathaniel Moncrieff

directed by Stuart Halusz

 

 

 

 

 

 

30 Jul – 14 Aug

The Caucasian Chalk Circle by Bertolt Brecht

a collaboration with the National Theatre of China

directed by Dr. Wang Xiaoying

 

 

 

 

 

 

27 Aug to 11 Sep

Clinton the Musical

written by Paul and Michael Hodge

directed by Adam Mitchell

 

 

 

 

 

 

22 Oct – 6 Nov

Tartuffe, The Hypocrite by Moliere

a new version by Justin Fleming

directed by Kate Cherry

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I look forward to the 2016 season with interest, but I’m especially curious about the collaboration with the National Theatre of China for Caucasian Chalk Circle and am extremely hopeful (*read giddy) for Matthew Lutton’s rendition of Picnic at Hanging Rock. 

The Black Swan Lab brings forth some of the most promising writing talent WA has to offer with Gita Bezard, Will O’Mahony and Nathaniel Moncrieff (yes, I think we should still claim Moncrieff as a WA writer, even though he’s expatriated himself to Melbourne) and I’m hopeful that these independently-spirited folks will find plenty of support to bridge that gap from Blue Room/Fringe/indie status to full-fledged-bona-fide-professional-never-need-another-day-job status.

I’m curious to see what on earth two chaps (one of whom is a barrister, no less) from Brisbane have to say about my cherished President Bill Clinton in Clinton the Musical (no points for imagination where that title is concerned, sorry fellas.)

All in all, I think we have a lot to look forward to from BSSTC next year, so I won’t hang up my reviewer’s hat just yet.

CICELY BINFORD