Why a triptych?
A triptych is an artwork made up of three pieces or panels. The form is often used to impart narrative, create a sequence, or show different elements of the same subject matter. Each production in A Concise Compendium of Wonder stands alone as an artwork, but the works speak to each other through shared themes of environmental stewardship, climate justice, connection to nature and hope. We like to think of these stories as three leatherbound books sitting beside each other on a bookshelf; each can be experienced individually, but told side by side, a more complex and timely narrative about the natural world emerges from this collection of tales.
Seeing all three shows in one day, gives an unmatched, immersive experience to the audience member, allowing them to make detailed thematic and symbolic links between the three productions. It allows a greater understanding of the decisions the creative team have made in the context of the Compendium, as they intertwine across the three stories. Triptych audiences will also see the inner world of The Wandering Hall of Possibility reconfigure and evolve, revealing surprises with each new story.
These three productions will be performed in an enclosed, designed world that holds seeds of all three stories: the forest, the settled village, and the future city. Common threads weave the stories together, with the maternal tree figure appearing in all three productions. For example, in The Mother in The Childhood of the World could be seen as Grandmother Tree from The Tree of Light. The Childhood of the World’s Rae is a refraction of The Tree of Light’s Earth Girl, while the Lunar Girl is perhaps Ida from The Giant’s Garden. These connections are more easily made when seeing the Compendium in its entirety.
School Bookings for the world premiere season of A Concise Compendium of Wonder in 2026 are now available HERE.
Reducing our Environmental Impact
Slingsby is committed to reducing the climate impact of its art making and touring. A Concise Compendium of Wonder – a triptych will help us to achieve our environmental ambition, strategically linked to our Green Touring Model, to eliminate more greenhouse gas pollution than we create.
Using a slower touring model also allows for an extended stay in each venue and for the touring artists to engage with local artists and community through a series of workshops and engagements.
A Concise Compendium of Wonder will be presented as a triptych: three productions on one set with one cast, reducing the overall climate impact. Told side by side, a more complex and urgent story about the natural world emerges from this collection of tales.
Find out more about Slingsby’s Climate Action, here.