Emil and the Detectives

Andy is a director of theatre, music theatre and opera. He has also worked as creative producer of multidisciplinary arts programs, producer of large-scale events and festival director. In 2007 Andy co-founded Adelaide based theatre company Slingsby. The company’s productions have received 16 industry awards and toured to more than 100 theatres in over 70 cities and towns across 12 countries.

Andy is renowned for creating original live performance moments that are emotionally powerful and visually bold. His work across theatre for young audiences, opera, cabaret, music theatre and symphonic concerts has pushed him to develop a distinctive theatrical form that is at once personal and epic.

Andy has directed productions, concerts and events for Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, State Opera of South Australia, State Theatre Company of 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 and the International Astronautical Federation. In 2019 Andy was Show Director for the World of WearableArt Awards Show in Wellington, New Zealand. Andy was Creative Producer of Programming at Carclew Youth Arts 2003-2006, Creative Producer of Family Events for Adelaide Fringe Festival 2007-2008 and Creative Director of Come Out Festival 2011.

Her plays include TENDER, LAND & SEA, BLOODWOOD, THE SUN AND THE OTHER STARS, A CATHEDRAL, LITTLE BIRD and VALE. Her adaptations for the stage include Henrik Ibsen’s GHOSTS, Oscar Wilde’s THE YOUNG KING and Erich Kästner’s EMIL AND THE DETECTIVES.

Her work has been produced by companies all over Australia and the world including Belvoir, Griffin, Hothouse, Summer Play Festival/Public Theatre NYC (TENDER); State Theatre Company of South Australia (GHOSTS, LITTLE BIRD, VALE); NIDA (VALE); Adelaide Cabaret Festival (LITTLE BIRD); Brink Productions (LAND & SEA) and Slingsby (THE YOUNG KING, EMIL AND THE DETECTIVES).

Her work has toured to theatres and festivals all over Australia, NZ, the UK, Ireland, the USA, Canada, China and India.

She has been a writer in residence at the Donmar Warehouse in London, at Griffin Theatre in Sydney and is a double recipient of Goethe-Institut Scholarships, including as an invited member of the Theatertreffen International Forum in Berlin.

She has won a Helpmann Award for EMIL AND THE DETECTIVES and an AWGIE Award for LITTLE BIRD. Her many other awards include the Adrian Consett Stephen Memorial Prize (TENDER); the Inscription Chairman’s Award for Best Play (TENDER); the Patrick White Playwrights’ Award (BLOODWOOD); the Inscription Playwriting Award (BLOODWOOD); the Jill Blewett Playwrights’ Award (A CATHEDRAL); the Barbara Hanrahan Fellowship (THE SUN AND THE OTHER STARS); a Ruby Award for THE YOUNG KING; and the Henry Lawson Prize for Prose.

She is currently working on a television project with Matchbox Pictures as well as her debut novel, ANCHOR & ALP.

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).

Wendy is an Adelaide based designer of theatre, events and spaces.

Recent productions designed by Wendy Todd (Set & Costume Designs) include Lighthouse 2020, ([Set Only] Patch Theatre) North/South 2019 (Australian Dance Theatre), Picaresque 2019 (Robyn Archer, Adelaide Festival), Seashore 2019 (Sally Chance Dance/ Dream Big), Rabbits  2017 (Steel & Brown/State Theatre Company), Emil & The Detectives 2017 (Slingsby [Set Only]),  Long Tan 2017 (Brink/STC), The Young King 2016 (Slingsby), Touch’N’Go, 2016 (Sally Chance Dance), Cabaret Opening, Closing & Family Galas 2018, 2017 & 2016 (Adelaide Festival Centre), Blinc Bar Adelaide Festival (Adelaide Festival of Arts) 2015, Babyteeth 2013, Blasted & Pornography 2012 (State Theatre Company), Land & Sea 2012, Skip Miller’s Hit Songs 2011, Harbinger 2010, The Hypochondriac 2009 (Brink Productions), Man Covets Bird 2010, The Tragical Life of Cheeseboy 2007 (Slingsby), Worldhood 2011 (Australian Dance Theatre), A Lion In The Night 2012, The Little Green Tractor 2011 (Patch Theatre Company), Cutaway II, 2012  [Vitalstatistix]. Ruby Bruise 2010 (The Misery Children & Vitalstatistix).

Event Design includes Adelaide Cabaret Festival Co-Event Designer, 2018, 2017 & 2016; Sole Event Designer, 2015, (Adelaide Festival Centre) Designer, Blinc Bar 2015, Design Coordinator of Barrio, 2013 & 2012, Lola’s, 2014, Assistant Designer Persian Garden 2008, 2006, (Late Night Clubs of the Adelaide Festival of Arts), Adelaide Guitar Festival 2016, (AFC) Bowerbird Design Markets 2013 – 2017 (Biannual Event), Adelaide Film Festival 2007.

Ailsa completed the Bachelor of Dramatic Art in Design (NIDA) in 2003. She has worked extensively as a set and costume designers in theatre, opera, dance, film and TV. Design credits for Slingsby include Ode to Nonsense, Mouse, Bird and Sausage, Emil and the Detectives, You, Me and the Bloody Sea and Songs for Those Who’ve Come Across the Seas. Ailsa was the Resident Designer for the State Theatre Company of SA in 2019. Recent credits for the State Theatre Company of SA include Ripcord, Gaslight, Jasper Jones, The 39 Steps, End of the Rainbow and Pride and Prejudice.

Stacey brings more than a decade of diverse arts management experience, vibrant enthusiasm and a passion for establishing efficient organisational systems to her role as General Manager & Producer at Slingsby.

Stacey relocated from Melbourne in February 2017 to take on the role of General Manager/Producer for Slingsby. She has worked with leading Victorian arts organisations such as Back to Back Theatre, Melbourne Festival, Insite Arts, Big West and Jodee Mundy Collaborations.

As well as producing projects, Stacey is a self confessed systems nerd, working with organisations to support them through periods of change and implement structures to find better ways of working. In 2018 Stacey was recognised as a Future Makers Fellow with the Centre of Sustainability Leadership.

In June 2019, Stacey was appointed as Deputy Chair of Access2Arts.

Chris is a lighting and video designer from Adelaide, South Australia. Following his completion of the Technical Production course at the Adelaide Centre of the Arts, Chris has continued to develop his experience across theatre, dance, and other live events in Australia and internationally.

Chris recently worked with the World of WearableArt in New Zealand to design the lighting for their 2019 arena show which was performed to 60,000 people. He designed and has been touring with the show 13 Ways to Look at Birds featuring Paul Kelly, James Ledger, Alice Keath and the Seraphim Trio.

Chris has worked with State Theatre Company of South Australia on A View from the Bridge, Brothers Wreck, In The Club, Terrestrial, Mr Burns, Red Cross Letters, Eh Joe for the Beckett Triptych, Gorgon, Masquerade, The Kreutzer Sonata, Maggie Stone and Little Bird. Chris has completed designs for Theatre Republic’s The Bleeding Tree, Lines, Is This Yours’ Angelique, Brink Productions’ Long Tan, Tiny Bricks’ Deluge. Australian Dance Theatre’s Of All Things, The Beginning of Nature Part 1 and Ignition 2016. Restless Dance Theatre’s Zizanie and Touched. Slingsby Theatre Company’s Songs for Those Who’ve Come Across the Seas, Emil and the Detectives and The Mouse, The Bird and The Sausage. Windmill Theatre Company’s Beep, Grug and the Rainbow, Big Bad Wolf and Story Thieves. Force Majeure’s Never Did Me Any Harm. Vitalstatistix’ Cher and Quiet Faith, Flying Penguin’s Bitch Boxer and Seawall.