When independent theatre becomes dependent

Companies invited to partner with a mainstage company or major festival have much to gain from such relationships, but do they have to compromise their art to do so?
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Jo Morris and Renee Newman-Storen in the 2014 production of Those Who Fall in Love Like Anchors Dropped Upon the Ocean Floor (Blue Room Theatre). Photo by Mike Timmins.

From coast to coast, Australia’s independent theatre sector is flourishing. The vitality of the sector has been widely recognised, with companies such as Sisters Grimm and Dead Puppet Society invited to co-present works in collaboration with mainstage companies, and initiatives such as Brisbane Festival’s Theatre Republic showcasing independent productions from around the country to a wider-than-normal audience.

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Richard Watts is ArtsHub's National Performing Arts Editor; he also presents the weekly program SmartArts on Three Triple R FM, and serves as the Chair of La Mama Theatre's volunteer Committee of Management. Richard is a life member of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival, and was awarded the status of Melbourne Fringe Living Legend in 2017. In 2020 he was awarded the Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards' Facilitator's Prize. Most recently, Richard was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Green Room Awards Association in June 2021. Follow him on Twitter: @richardthewatts