Through its focus on contemporary avant-garde troupes such as The Sydney Front, this video collection is an invaluable resource for the study of British, American, and Australian theatre. From the nuances of American puppetry and the skills of Australian Circus performers, to large-scale sculptural productions and political dance pieces, this collection’s rich array of biopics, interviews, workshops, and filmed performances provides a unique multi-media insight into the traditions and adaptations of British, American, and Australian theatre over the last fifty years.

This collection features:

• Performances by avant-garde group The Sydney Front, such as Don Juan, Passion, and Photocopies of God, which pose the pertinent question: Who controls a theatrical performance; the audience, or the players?
• A rare video adaptation of Beat poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti’s avant-garde play Our Little Trip, in conversation with two works by experimentalists Ralph Pape and Israel Horovitz
• A biopic of the famous comedian Tim Minchin, Matilda and Me, which uses exclusive access to rehearsal footage to chart his journey in adapting the children’s classic, Matilda, for stage

This collection includes rare footage, often from smaller theatre troupes whose experimental interpretations can provide a more comprehensive understanding of theatre in general and of particular plays. Please note that smaller theatre companies sometimes have lower budgets, which can impact production values.

Synchronised transcripts and closed captions for this collection are being added to videos on a rolling basis. All videos will have transcripts by December 2023. Where films in these collections are in a language other than English, captions will appear on the video and may not always be accessible to screen readers.

Image credits: Genty company member Eric de Sarria (Photo by Buyenlarge/Getty Images).