In the Spring of 2009 the Wales Theatre Company plan to unleash their most adventurous project to date. In collaboration with Welsh based funders and International sponsors, the Wales Theatre Company will create the world premiere production of THE THORN BIRDS, written by the bestselling Australian novelist Colleen McCullough, composed by German Opera star and Composer Gloria Bruni and directed by two time Olivier award winner Michael Bogdanov.
The stage play is based on the epic novel, the Thorn Birds, hailed when first published in 1977, as ‘the Australian Gone with the Wind’. It not only became an immediate international bestseller – but the first ‘blockbuster’ novel of its time. Indeed 30 years and 30,000,000 copies later it remains in print with the 30th Anniversary addition printed recently by Virago Press.
The story is set in a small town in the Australian Outback, where three extraordinary generations of the Cleary family live through joy and sadness, bitter defeat and magnificent triumph - driven by their dreams, sustained by remarkable strength of character, and torn by dark passions, violence and a scandalous family legacy of forbidden love.
The production will preview in Wales before venturing out on a major UK tour from April 2009. The Wales Theatre Company then return home to give final performances in Cardiff at the Wales Millennium Centre in the week of the 6th July 2009 – in a combined UK/ Australian celebratory week, as Cardiff also prepares to host the Ashes.
About The Wales Theatre Company
Led by Artistic Director Michael Bogdanov, the company has a background of producing adventurous work. In the few short years since its creation in 2003, it has produced an extraordinary mix of theatre productions; from new writing to Shakespeare (including the first Welsh Language performance of Hamlet), from award winning performances of Dylan Thomas to large scale musicals. A principal aim always being to raise the profile of Welsh theatre throughout Wales and beyond, providing a quality working environment for those many Welsh theatre practitioners working outside Wales who currently lack a platform on which to display their talents.
The Wales Theatre Company is at present looking to make partnerships with Welsh businesses who would be interested in either promotion at the July 2009 Wales Millennium Centre Event, or in the leadership development programme they will be providing in the Autumn in association with the Creative Leadership and Enterprise Centre, UWIC.
www.walestheatrecompany.com
