Sunday Night In #5 December 2023
A what's-on of literary and theatre goings-on in Kaurna Yerta / Adelaide
Dear Sunday Night In Friends and Family
I’m coming to you from Ngadjuri Country where I spent yesterday on the end of a whipper snipper getting the weeds down and this morning on the end of a broom getting the cobwebs down. That’s right friends! It’s December! Time to clean the house ready for the annual influx of cousins.
In between cleaning your house and cleaning your inbox before you set your out-of-office responder, there’s still lots to do in the literary and theatre worlds of Kaurna Yerta / Adelaide.
First things first, it’s self-promotion time … Back by popular demand, I’ll be staging Tracy Crisp’s (Second) Annual, World Famous, One Night Only Christmas Letter Live Reading. This year, joined by my beautiful friend, Maggie McGinty. What’s it about? Well, remember when we used to send Christmas cards to each other, displaying them on strings of tinsel? And remember that friend who used to include a letter which would always begin, 'I can't believe it's been a year...' Well, this is like that. Only live. And you can't take it home to display on a string of tinsel. I'll be reading my Christmas letter live, sharing my 2023 year in review, with a mix of mostly-true, slightly made up stories. It’s a light-hearted night festooned with fairy lights and friends. Bookings here.
IN THE THEATRES
I’ll be getting along to Dead Man’s Cellphone this week. It’s staged by the brilliantly named Wicked Good Productions, programmed as part of the State Theatre Company’s Stateside program and supported by two local companies, Slingsby and Brink Productions. The script is written by Sarah Ruhl, and sounds like a lot of fun: “An incessantly ringing phone in a quiet cafe. A stranger at the next table who has had enough. And a dead man - with a lot of loose ends…lyrical satire, bizarre romance and truly magical storytelling.”
No Strings Attached Theatre of Disability have their annual end-of-year season Amplify (bookings here): this “is where training, talent and artistic experimentation meet. In 2023 these new works are directed by local theatre practitioners, Suzanne Bleeze, Catherine Purling & Christopher Williams. 35 disabled performers come together to celebrate the International Day of People with Disability by presenting their 5-show season of AMPLIFY!”
Holden Street Theatres are having a meet and greet for actors and crew interested in working with their in-house company.
And if you want a bit of Christmas improv you could get along to Changing Jennifers Christmas Show.
Registrations for next year’s Cabaret Fringe Festival are now open. They are inviting act and venues to register interest, with details on their website.
BOOKS AND READING
When I checked to get the link, one session had already sold out and there were just a few left for the next session of the Red Door Book Club at Matilda Bookshop. They’re reading Banana Yashimoto’s The Premonition.
I’ve just picked up a copy of Margot Osborne’s The Adelaide Art Scene: Becoming Contemporary 1939-2000. Published by Wakefield Press, it’s an enormous undertaking and an enormous book—when I say I ‘picked up’, I mean it doubled as weight-bearing exercise. I’ve been reading it section by section, and each time have been completely absorbed. Highly recommend.
FELLOWSHIPS AND RESIDENCIES
Brink Productions have two fellowships for emerging First Nations playwrights/storytellers (details here).
The South Australian Literary Awards have had a bit of a makeover, but the fellowships and opportunities for South Australian writers remain, including the Jill Blewett Playwright’s Award; the Arts SA Wakefield Press Unpublished Manuscript Award; and the Barbara Hanrahan, Max Fatchen and Tangkanungku Pintyanthi fellowships. Closing 15 December, so get on it.
The annual Citymag and The Mill writer in residence program is now open for applications, but closes soon.
WORKSHOPS AND OTHER PROGRAMS
There is one final session in Goodwood Theatre and Institute’s Skillshare program, this one on writing and dramaturgy with James Watson, a graduate of Flinders University and NIDA.
Along with their usual program of workshops, Writers SA have a bunch of great opportunities coming up including:
First Draft with Rachael Mead offers writers professional and group support to help you get your manuscript finished.
Manuscript Incubator with Victoria Purman for writers looking to get their manuscript ready for submission.
The Author Night Market is being held in collaboration with the Playford Library and includes over 30 authors and stalls.
JOBS
You’ll need to get in quick for this position as Associate Director at ActNow; also this 12-month Associate Producer contract at Windmill; and the Philanthropy Executive at the Adelaide Festival.
THAT’S ALL I’VE GOT FOR DECEMBER EXCEPT… Please do forward this newsletter on to anyone you think might be interested. The Adelaide Fringe program comes out in a couple of days and in the leadup to fringe I’ll be highlighting local artists and shows. And if you’ve been forwarded this newsletter and you want to make sure it comes directly to you, hit the subscribe button below.
Oh, and another don’t forget…you can get your ticket to my live Christmas letter reading here. I’d love to see you there.
I might pop back into your inbox with a couple of fringe recommendations when the program comes out, but I’ve still got a bit of cleaning up to do so I might wrap it in with the next monthly update. Either way, until next time, I send you every love, Tracy xx
Sunday Night In is a monthly what’s on of literary and theatre goings on in Kaurna Yerta / Adelaide with a focus on South Australian artists and events. It’s compiled by me, Tracy Crisp and sent on the last Sunday of each month. I do proofread and double-check links, but please check directly with the organisations and events if you’re planning to attend.