AustLit

'Take a deep dive into the extraordinary, turbulent artistic partnership of Brett and Wendy Whiteley.

'Together since they were teenagers, Brett and Wendy made an indelible impression on a burgeoning Australian contemporary art scene. They blazed a trail from Sydney in the late 1950s, to London in the swinging 60s, to New York City in the tumultuous Vietnam War years.

'Eventually, they settled at Lavender Bay, where Brett captured Sydney Harbour in his signature ultramarine blue. But there were dark times ahead – restless years of separation and addiction that ended with Wendy alone, building and tending her magnificent “Secret Garden”.'

Source: Riverside Theatre.

'Twelve year-old Waylon wants to be the first man on Mars and he's not afraid to shoot for the stars. But with his family constantly on the move he's falling further behind in his schoolwork, and becoming a NASA astronaut like his hero Andy Thomas seems about as likely as finding snow on Mars.

With help from his family and friends Waylon discovers that although dreams are hard to reach there can be fun and excitement in trying to achieve them. And yes, there is snow on Mars.

... Snow on Mars is an inspiring adventure that blasts off with aerial performers, actors, music and songs, making it perfect for audiences of all ages. ' (Sydney Festival 2011 website)

'Thomas is nine and he's started writing a book. His father says all important books are about God. Even so, Thomas writes down all the interesting things he sees that other people seem to ignore: tropical fish in the canal, a deluge of frogs, the Son of God popping in for a chat ...

'He also writes down his greatest determination: When I grow up, I'm going to be happy.

'Featuring Jesus, the angels, the Bottombiter, the startling Mrs Van Amersfoort and a beautiful girl with a leather leg, this is a totally magical story about a child learning to act when faced with fear and wrong. Acclaimed children's author Guus Kuijer's magnificently humble story grabs your heart, challenges your mind, and makes you laugh, no matter how old you are.' (From the publisher's website.)

A stage adaptation of David Malouf's novel about the friendship between the exiled Ovid and a feral child.