The School of Arts
Chaos ensues in a small country town when a production of Hamlet goes awry in the world-premiere of Bille Brown’s latest comedy The School of Arts, a co-production between Queensland Theatre Company and QPAC.
Set in outback Queensland against the backdrop of the 1967 referendum to include Australia’s Indigenous population in the national census, The School of Arts sees decades-old local tensions spill over when a touring theatre troupe comes to town.
In a play about racial, gender and family politics, long-hidden secrets are exposed and the ties that bind a local community together are truly tested.
Bille Brown’s wonderfully comic new play is a tribute to an extraordinary time in Queensland’s cultural life that inspired many of our state’s leading artists, including the playwright himself.
Playwright/actor Bille Brown says “As a professional actor nearly 40 years, I began in a country town in Central Queensland, and the centre of my artistic life there was the School of Arts. Being a sentimental bloke, I thought a comic yarn about those days might be the thing to celebrate the company I've kept and the state I am in. So this play is dedicated to the golden amateurs, the poets and players, lovers and loons who toured the bush in rattling trains and red trucks with Shakespeare and stuff that my dreams were made on.”
The School of Arts is part of the state-wide celebrations for Queensland’s 150th year.
Dates
Mon 13 July 2009 - Sat 1 August 2009
Times
Mon - Tues 6.30pm Wed - Sat 7.30pm Matinees Wed 1pm & Sat 2pm No Wed matinee in opening week
Venue
QPAC Playhousecnr Melbourne and Grey Street, South Brisbane
Cost
$40 - $63, Under 30: $30
Further information
Queensland Theatre CompanyEmail: mail [at] qldtheatreco [dot] com [dot] au
Phone: 07 3010 7600
Web: www.qldtheatreco.com.au
Bookings
Location
Playhouse, Queensland Performing Arts ComplexCnr Melbourne and Grey Streets
South Brisbane
Seating guide
Take a look at the Playhouse seating plan to see how close you are to the stage.Public transport
Train: South Brisbane Station is opposite QPAC in Grey Street.Bus from city: Departs from Blue stop in Adelaide Street; Orange Stop in Ann Street; Kangaroo A and B stops underneath the Myer Centre; William Street opposite the Treasury Building.
Bus to city: Departs the Cultural Centre Busway on Melbourne Street.
CityCat: A CityCat terminal is located adjacent to QPAC at South Bank.
Taxi: An undercover taxi set-down and pick-up area is provided at the Stage Door of QPAC. Free taxi phones are located in the taxi set-down area, in the Cremorne Theatre Lobby and the coffee shop level of the Playhouse.
Parking
Parking is available on site at the QPAC carpark. Entry via Melbourne St (turn right just before you get onto Victoria Bridge).
Opening hours: Monday 7am-10pm, Tuesday to Friday 7am-midnight, Saturday 8.30am - midnight, Sunday 8.30am-10pm.
There is a pre-paid parking service which offers guaranteed, safe and convenient parking for your visit to the theatre. Car park tickets are issued with your show tickets when booked through Qtix. If booking online, the option to select parking will be displayed when you purchase with your credit card or call Qtix on 13 62 46.
More parking is available at:
- Museum and Art Gallery (entry off Grey Street - just before the dinosaur! Or Stanley Street tunnel)
- Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre (entry via Merivale Street or Grey Street)
- South Bank Parklands (Entry via Grey Street)
Accessibility
If you require assistance due to mobility difficulties or other specific needs, please mention your requirements when booking. All theatres have Sennheiser Infra-Red Sound Reinforcement Systems for patrons with hearing impairments. Please enquire when booking.
