Theatre Guild to celebrate 60 years of theatre

Thursday, 11 December 1997

After 60 years, the University of Adelaide Theatre Guild story is being told! The Guild history is a key element in the program for the company's 60th anniversary in 1998 - along with productions of a new South Australian play, the first local performance of a modern Czech play, two late 17th century classics and a reprise of GORGE.

Guild Chair John Edge said the program was a balance of tradition and the new but essentially looked to the future by focusing on a policy of active support for young South Australian directors and writers.

The two components dedicated to local work are the reprise of this year's acclaimed new works format GORGE, and a new play by Fiona Sprott, to be directed by Alyson Brown. Both will be mounted in the second half of the year.

Fiona Sprott and Alyson Brown are Adelaide University Drama graduates who are among five emerging artists chosen for support and profiling during the 1998 Adelaide Festival.

The Guild's long tradition of presenting classics is also highlighted in 1998, with productions of two late 17th century works - The Rover, by pioneering woman dramatist and sometime spy Aphra Behn in September, and in June Tartuffe, Molière's great story of hypocrisy undone.

Adelaide Arts graduate Cate Rogers will direct The Rover in a co-production with Parting Company, while for Tartuffe the Guild welcomes Jim Vilé back to Adelaide.

Mr Vilé, a professional freelance director who has also been Artistic Director for Brisbane's La Boite Theatre, was the Theatre Guild's Artistic Director from 1976-1980 while Senior Lecturer in Drama at the University.

The 60th year will kick off in the grandeur of Bonython Hall with the South Australian première of Slum Clearance, by the Czech Republic's poet/playwright/President, Vaclav Havel. This will be directed by Chris Drummond, another Adelaide Drama graduate now carving out a professional career in Sydney.

The history of the Guild includes an oral history database and is being prepared by local historian Dr Kerrie Round (co-editor of Playford's South Australia, published in 1996). It is due to be completed by mid-year.

The Theatre Guild is sponsored in 1998 by: Coopers Brewery, Unibooks, Ansett Australia, Adelaide University Union, the University of Adelaide Foundation.

 

Contact Details

Mr Iain Grierson
The University of Adelaide
Business: +61 8 8313 7324