Telethon Kid is a new play by Australian playwright Alistair Baldwin, produced by Malthouse Theatre in mid 2023. The work is exceptional as it examined a modern experience of disability through the lens of the playwright and key cast members with disabilities. The multiple locations including hotels and hospitals are evoked through a single sterile environment which is transformed through the implementation of tracking curtains that can both open up and shut down the space. These barriers can suggest both the public and private aspects of the character’s experiences as part of medical research, offering a theatrical environment that resonates with the performative aspects of the titular character. The transformational mechanism allows for both pragmatic and rapid scene changes that maintain and accentuate the accelerating rhythm of the writing within the intimate studio setting of the Beckett Theatre.
NTRO Output Category
- Original Creative Work : Design / architectural Work
Place
Melbourne, AustraliaVenue
Beckett Theatre, Malthouse TheatreNTRO Publisher
Malthouse TheatreMedium
Design for Live PerformanceResearch Statement
Telethon Kid is a new play by Australian playwright Alistair Baldwin, produced by Malthouse Theatre in mid 2023. The work is exceptional as it examined a modern experience of disability through the lens of the playwright and key cast members with disabilities.
• The multiple locations including hotels and hospitals are evoked through a single sterile environment which is transformed through the implementation of tracking curtains that can both open up and shut down the space. These barriers can suggest both the public and private aspects of the character’s experiences as part of medical research, offering a theatrical environment that resonates with the performative aspects of the titular character. The transformational mechanism allows for both pragmatic and rapid scene changes that maintain and accentuate the accelerating rhythm of the writing within the intimate studio setting of the Beckett Theatre.
The excellence of this work is evidenced by:
• The producing company, Malthouse Theatre, is the state theatre company of Queensland and a member of the Australian Major Performing Arts Group, receiving both federal and state arts funding.
• The production received a broad range of critical reviews from major national publications, notably from The Age by Sonia Nair, Limelight Magazine by Patricia Maunder and The Guardian by Tim Byrne.Size or Duration of Work
100 minutes, 16 performances
