About

Little Edward is captivated for a sublime moment by the magic of a travelling carnival. The real world forever after seems to disappoint him. As an adult, he escapes into his enchanting imaginary ‘Gromboolian Plain’, populated by beings with luminous noses, hysterical ears and impossible adventures.

This world premiere family opera celebrates the life and work of Edward Lear (1812 – 1888). Best remembered for his lyrical, romantic whimsy ‘The Owl and the Pussycat’, Lear actually hoped the world might love him better for his serious landscape paintings.

Ode to Nonsense sails cheeriously along with runcible spoons, fizzgigious fish and gosky patties, and delves into Lear’s inner conflicts. On his return from exotic travels with manservant Giorgio, Lear is reunited with his lifelong, unconfessed love Gussie.

Performed in a lushly-designed ’Gromboolian Plain’ by three principals, a children’s chorus, acrobats and a chamber orchestra.

Meet the creative team

A man with short, slicked-back hair on top and shaved sides, wearing black glasses, a mustache, and a light-colored blazer over a white shirt, smiles slightly at the camera. The image is black and white.

Andy Packer

CEO & Artistic Director
Andy is an award-winning director of theatre, music theatre and opera. He has also worked as creative producer of multidisciplinary arts programs, creative director of large-scale events and festival director. In 2007 he co-founded Slingsby.
Andy has also directed productions and events for Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, State Opera South Australia, State Theatre Company South Australia, Adelaide Festival of Arts, Adelaide Fringe, Adelaide Festival Centre, Adelaide Chamber Singers, Australian String Quartet, Windmill Theatre, Restless Dance, Tutti Ensemble, Rundle Mall Management Authority, the International Astronautical Federation and the World of Wearable Art.

Geoff Cobham

Artstic Associate - Lighting

Geoff has worked as an Event Producer, Production Manager, Lighting Designer, Set Designer, Public Artist and Venue Designer. His work has ranged from many smaller innovative productions to large scale theatre/dance productions, festivals, art exhibitions, events, museums and venue creation.

Geoff has worked as an Event Producer, Production Manager, Lighting Designer, Set Designer, Public Artist and Venue Designer. His work has ranged from many smaller innovative productions at the Performance Space, Queens Theatre, Belvoir, Red Shed, non-theatre venues (tents, warehouses and more) to large-scale theatre/dance productions, festivals, art exhibitions, events, museums and venue creation. His love of light and dance has led him to work with many of Australia’s top choreographers and allowed him to explore the endless combinations of colour, angle, intensity, and movement, of light. With his company Bluebottle he has designed many lighting installations and lit public artworks, buildings, landscapes and freeways. Geoff received a Churchill Fellowship in 2010 to study Outdoor Theatre in Europe. This led to the creation of Barrio, inspired by the “participatory theatre” movement currently sweeping Europe. Finding innovative ways to involve community and other industry in Events was at the heart of Barrio. Its success was in the unique way it gave its audience ownership of the event. Geoff has been working on Festivals since the late 80s when he began working for Sydney Festival. He subsequently went on to become an integral part of the senior management teams of the Sydney Festival, Adelaide Festival and Womadelaide Festival. Recent Awards include: 2015 Helpmann Award for Best Scenic Design for Little Bird; Ruby Award for Sustained Contribution; Green Room Award Best lighting Design for Night Letters; Sydney Theatre Award Best Lighting Design for Never Did Me Any Harm. Geoff is Slingsby’s Artistic Associate (Design).

Production Credits

  • Composer Quincy Grant
  • Director/ Scenario Andy Packer
  • Librettist Jane Goldney
  • Musical Director Timothy Sexton
  • Set and Lighting Designer Geoff Cobham
  • Costume Designer Ailsa Paterson
  • Projection Design Cindi Drennan
  • Images Andy Ellis
  • Executive Producer Jodi Glass
  • Performer Nicholas Lester
  • Performer Johanna Allen
  • Performer Adam Goodburn

Production Credits

What people are saying

“It is poignantly beautiful ... curiously but wonderfully elating, conveying a message that nonsense is no bad thing.” The Australian

“... simply not like anything else ... Slingsby may pop a feather in the cap for the scale and originality of this work.”

The Barefoot Review

Educational Resources

Education Kit