Still to Come in October

Plus what's coming in November

Oct 12, 2024

Hello friends

Welcome to Sunday Night In, my (mostly) monthly eclectic selection of literary and theatre goings-on and happenings in Kaurna Yerta / Adelaide and surrounds. This month we’ve got: a one-night only filming of a one-person show; a collection of short monologues; a second-hand books sale and much more besides.

Plus! I’ve recorded the first interview for the first Sunday Night In podcast—a really interesting conversation with one of the founders of SA Playwrights Theatre, Lucy Combe. I’ll be doing a monthly podcast to send in between these newsletters, so keep an eye on your inbox for the Sunday Night In podcast next weekend.

But first! A small favour…please do share this newsletter with anyone you think might be interested. Subscriptions grow by about ten percent each issue which is almost entirely thanks to people like you forwarding to friends or sharing a link on their socials. When you support Sunday Night In you help me to help South Australian artists spread the word about their work. Oh, and if someone has shared it with you don’t forget to subscribe here (it’s free).

And now, let’s get on with the show …

Featured Events

Speaking of South Australian Playwrights Theatre, they have two great events coming up. Rising Out of Water, is part of the OzAsia festival, with three staged readings directed by Valerie Berry. Staged readings are an invaluable part of the SAPT program, giving writers an opportunity to share new writing and audiences a sneak peek of developing work.

I will be front and centre at An Incomplete Encyclopedia of Hugs, written by Sarah Peters, performed by Claire Glenn, directed by Eliza Lovell and produced by SAPT. “Blending spoken word poetry with round-the-kitchen-table style storytelling, Juno journeys through her personal hug repertoire, weaving tales of loss and love as she figures out what to do with this one glorious life. One hug at a time.” Held in the lovely Goodwood Theatre.

Lori Bell has a one night only filming of her one-person show Making Babies. I saw this show at the fringe last year, and highly recommend. If you know Lori’s work through her Granny Flaps persona, it’s nothing like that. But if you know the comedy work she does as herself, it is like that, only because its subject is the fertility road she and her partner travelled, it has more moments of poignancy and definitely some of sadness. But always with her generous, compassionate style and her love of life front and centre. And laughs, there’s always laughs.

Books and Authors and Readings

Dymock’s Adelaide is hosting the next in its series of Books in Bars with the launch of Christian White’s new book, The Harder The Fall at The Howling Owl on 17 October.

The next week on 23 October also at The Howling Owl is the ever-brilliant Dog-Eared Readings. October is Andy Jackson in conversation with Katerina Bryant, with readings by Aidan Coleman and Katherine Tamiko Arguile. Andy Jackson has won the Prime Minister’s Award and the ALS Medal for his last poetry collection. These readings are capped at 50 people so RSVP to dogearedreadings@gmail.com to reserve your spot.

As an aside, I just spent a weekend getting my books in order and among the many books I rediscovered was Katherine Tamiko Arguile’s wonderful memoir Meshi. Subtitled, ‘A personal history of Japanese food,’ this is one of those books that is beautiful simply to hold even before you start reading, as if you feel the weight of what you are about to read. With recipes that become essays and meditations, and illustrations of her own linocuts, I absolutely love this book. And I’m really looking forward to hearing her at the Dog-Eared Readings. Here’s a q and a with Katherine Tamiko Arguile on the Matilda Bookshop website.

Dillon’s Bookshop is hosting an evening with Kasey Chambers to celebrate the release of her new book. I adore Kasey Chambers and am envious of Sonya Feldhoff who will be in conversation with Kasey. (I also really like Sonya Feldhoff and she does great author interviews).

The regular Ern Malley Readings continue on 25 October featuring Vladimir Popescou, Kate Llwellyn; and 30 October featuring Caitlyn Moran, John Kelly and Robert Dawson. (Don’t forget to sign up to the newsletter—it’s somewhat discursive but always a great take on the state of our state’s arts and culture).

The Independent Arts Foundation’s (IAF) October Literary Dinner will feature Peter Monteath, author of An Indigenous South: German Writers on Colonial South Australia.

History at the Historian (Hotel) has Patricia Sumerling talking about her book ‘Hotels of Adelaide: An Illustrated History'. See all the details here including how to order a meal.

And 16 November head to The Wheaty’s secondhand book sale.

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Theatre and Performance

I’ve told you all about the upcoming performances supported by SA Playwrights Theatre at the top of the page, and don’t forget about the upcoming interview with Lucy. But there’s much more to come in theatre this month.

I mentioned it in the last newsletter, but don’t forget Cram Collective's Edge [a collection of short monologues] at Goodwood Theatre and Studios. (This week!)

And also still to come in October,

the University of Adelaide Theatre Guild presents The Thirty-Nine Steps;
Galleon Theatre presents Visiting Mr Green at the Marion Cultural Centre;
and at Holden Street Theatres, Red Phoenix Theatre presents Hangmen.

Upcoming in November, St Jude's Players present A Hard God.

Are you a drama teacher or educator? Or do you have papers or workshops that drama teachers or educators should know about? Submissions are now open for applications for presenters to the Drama Australia National Conference 2025 which will be held in Adelaide. The 2025 conference will be hosted by Drama SA (the professional teachers’ association) in association with DreamBIG Children’s Festival.

And looking ahead to the January school holidays, an outstanding opportunity for young people aged 10-15 with a visual theatre workshop with the Dead Puppet Society, creators of Peter and the Starcatcher.

Poetry

The local poetry community is an active one with a good number of regular open mic nights. I’m not sure I’m keeping up with them all, but check the adelaide poetry gig guide on facebook which is updated continuously with all the latest events. What I do know for sure besides the events already listed (Dog-Eared Readings and Ern Malley Readings in particular) Draw Your (s)words is celebrating their 10th birthday with a party into the night to follow their regular open mic night.

Workshops, Residencies and Other Opportunities

The latest Writers SA program is out with the full list available on their website here.

ActNow Theatre are hosting a community workshop on 24 October Unveiling the Universal in the Personal with Kelly Vincent. “Discover the extraordinary in your everyday experiences. This workshop guides to to uncover the universal themes within your personal stories, making them resonate with a broader audience.” I am a real fan of Kelly Vincent’s work not only as a writer and theatremaker, but also for their work in the South Australian parliament.

This is South Australia, there must be a festival coming up?

The Adelaide Fringe is looming large on my horizon, and registrations close at the end of October. They have added a very helpful ‘Is Adelaide Fringe for you?’ page to their website.

Applications for the Salt Festival held on the Southern Eyre Peninsula in April are now open.

I wrote about it in the last issue, but don’t forget to check out the OzAsia festival. It covers the spectrum of artforms, but for the interests of this newsletter, here’s a link to the theatre program. There’s a weekend-length literary festival called the weekend of words. At the time of writing the full program wasn’t up on the website, but keep an eye on it, because it’s always been excellent in the past. There’s also a great series of workshops and masterclasses.

Jobs

Guildhouse is looking for a General Manager

Nexus Arts have two positions open: co-CEO and Marketing Manager

And Just Quickly

The Media Resource Centre have some amazing script consultation opportunities (free for members), but be quick for this, because it’s nearly booked out.
Jack Maggs Tangent Talks presented by State Theatre Company of South Australia, supported by the State Library South Australia. This is to complement the season of Jack Maggs at State Theatre.
The winners of South Australian Literary Awards will be announced at the State Library of South Australia on 15 October.
ActNow Theatre have won the Graham F Smith Peace Award.
And I covered Matilda Bookshop’s author events in the last newsletter, but if you need a reminder, they are all here.

The End of This Issue of Sunday Night In

Thanks for reading. I’ll see you out and about sometime I’m sure, but in the meantime … don’t forget to share this newsletter and tell all your friends to subscribe (okay, not all your friends, they aren’t all going to be interested, but tell the ones who would be interested, okay?)

Talk soon

Tracy xx