Back to Back Theatre

Back to Back Theatre
Name	Back to Back Theatre
Established	1987
Location	Geelong, Victoria, Australia
Genre	Contemporary theatre, physical theatre, ensemble

Back to Back Theatre is an Australian ensemble-based theatre company founded in 1987 in Geelong, Victoria. The company produces politically engaged contemporary performance that frequently intersects with visual art, film, and disability advocacy, working at the confluence of experimental theatre, international festivals, and gallery contexts. Its practice has connected with institutions and events across Australia and globally, engaging with audiences at venues associated with the Melbourne Theatre Company, Sydney Festival, Adelaide Festival, Perth Festival, and international platforms such as the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Avignon Festival, and Venice Biennale.

History

Back to Back Theatre emerged from the regional arts scene of Geelong in the late 1980s, alongside Australian companies like Force Majeure and Chunky Move. Early residencies and collaborations linked the group to organisations such as the Australia Council for the Arts and the Arts Victoria funding programs. Through the 1990s and 2000s the company developed ensemble methods related to practitioners and institutions like Jerzy Grotowski, Antonin Artaud, Rimini Protokoll, and DV8 Physical Theatre, while presenting work at festivals including Perth International Arts Festival and touring with presenters such as TACT (Theatre Alliance of Victoria). The company’s trajectory intersected with broader cultural debates in Australia involving the Australian Council for the Arts and advocacy bodies like National Disability Services and Arts Access Victoria.

Artistic Style and Themes

The company’s aesthetic draws on ensemble-devised practice, physical theatre, documentary forms, and filmic techniques, sharing affinities with makers such as Robert Wilson, Forced Entertainment, and The Wooster Group. Recurring themes include representations of disability, media critique, ethics of narration, and the politics of identity, resonating with discourses addressed by institutions like Human Rights Commission (Australia), Australian Human Rights Commission, and festivals such as the Melbourne International Arts Festival. Their methods reference performance theorists and movements including Bertolt Brecht and Peter Brook while engaging contemporary curatorial platforms like the TATE Modern and Museum of Contemporary Art Australia.

Key Productions

Notable works have been presented and discussed alongside landmark performances by companies and artists such as Belvoir St Theatre productions, the work of Neil LaBute, and interventions in festivals like Performa (arts festival). Major productions toured at venues connected to the Sydney Opera House, Lincoln Center, and the Barbican Centre. Their performances have been programmed with exhibitions and works by artists such as Bill Henson, Tracey Moffatt, and Yvonne Rainer, and have been included in conversations around contemporary plays by dramatists like Sarah Kane and Heiner Müller.

Company Members and Collaborators

The ensemble has featured long-term artistic personnel whose practice aligns with collaborators from theatre, film, and visual art sectors including directors and designers associated with Griffith University’s creative programs, academics from Deakin University, and guest artists linked to RMIT University. The company has worked with composers and sound artists connected to Australian Chamber Orchestra collaborators, filmmakers associated with the Australian Film Institute, and dramaturgs who have affiliations with festivals such as the Helsinki Festival and the Sydney Film Festival.

Awards and Recognition

Back to Back Theatre’s work has been recognized in contexts alongside awards such as the Helpmann Awards, Green Room Awards, and international juried prizes presented at events like the Venice Biennale and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Critical attention has placed the company in dialogue with prize-winners and nominees from institutions including the Australian Council for the Arts fellowships, the Australia Council Fellowship, and international residencies linked to the British Council and Asia Pacific Triennial participants.

Touring and International Presence

The company has toured extensively to major international centres and festivals comparable to presentations by Sydney Festival companies, participating in circuits that include the Edinburgh International Festival, Avignon Festival, Festival d'Automne à Paris, and venues such as the Brooklyn Academy of Music and Helsinki Festival. Touring partnerships and co-productions have involved presenters and funders like the Dornbirn Festival, Performing Arts Market (APAM), and government cultural agencies including the British Council and the Australia Council.

Education and Community Engagement

Educational initiatives and community programs have linked Back to Back Theatre with academic and training institutions such as Victorian College of the Arts, Monash University, Deakin University, and community organisations like Arts Access Victoria and National Disability Services. Outreach and workshop models reflect applied practices similar to programs run by Big hART, Playwriting Australia, and regional cultural development agencies, contributing to discourse about inclusion at events like the Disability Arts International conferences and partnerships with museums such as the National Gallery of Victoria.

Category:Theatre companies in Australia