Chalkface

Bullying behaviour, tantrums and tough lessons are all part of a typical day at school – and that’s just in the staffroom!

Creatures of habit, the tired teachers of West Vale Primary find themselves jolted awake by the arrival of a young and enthusiastic new teacher, Anna Park, a recent graduate known as “the child whisperer”.

Pat Novitsky, the school’s brilliant but bitter and longest-serving teacher, thinks Anna’s Masters of Neuroplasticity and new-age thinking has nothing on her 35 years of experience. Anna thinks Pat is stuck in the past. When the principal assigns school terror Hurricane Little to Anna’s class, the two teachers come head-to-head in a brutal smackdown of old versus new guard, exposing everyone’s darkest secrets.

A farcical new black comedy from multi-award winning Australian writer Angela Betzien (Total Control, Mortido) and starring acclaimed actor Catherine McClements (Water Rats, Tangle, Wentworth) as Pat, Chalkface shows us it’s never too late to change, and you’re never too old to learn, or laugh.

I have long been a fan of Angela Betzien’s writing – tough, wise, but also spit-your-drink-out funny. Just as her TV writing career takes off as a co-writer of the magnificent Total Control with Deborah Mailman, I’m delighted that we and Sydney Theatre Company could lure her back into the theatre to share her hilarious twist on schoolteacher tales. And what a thrill to welcome Catherine McClements back to the Company after her dazzling turn in The Events. Mitchell

Content: Strong coarse language, adult themes, strobe-like effects, loud noises, haze/smoke, smoking herbal cigarettes
Age Guide: 15+
Run time: 1 hour 45 mins (no interval)
Your Visit: Click here for ticket holder information

Single tickets are now on sale!

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Single Ticket Prices

PREVIEW/MATINEE
Adult $70.00
Concession $60.00
Under 30, Full Time Student $39.00

EVENING
Adult $80.00
Concession $70.00
Under 30, Full Time Student $39.00

Bookings via State Theatre Company South Australia ticketing incur a $4.95 transaction fee.
Bookings via Ticketek incur an $8.95 transaction fee.

Audio Described Performances and Pre-Show Briefing
Saturday 13 August, 1pm (briefing), 2pm (performance)
Monday 15 August, 5.30pm (briefing), 6.30pm (performance with post-show Q and A)

Introductory Notes for Chalkface
– Click here to download Word Document
– Click here to download Audio File

Captioned Performances
11.00am, Wednesday 17 August
6.30pm, Wednesday 17 August

Visit statetheatrecompany.com.au/access for more information on our Access Program.

Subscriber Briefing

2022 Subscribers are invited to join us on Monday 1 August for an exclusive Subscriber Briefing to learn more about the creation of the show.

Post Show Q&As

We hold Q&As with our artists and creative teams so that you can ask questions about the production.

A Date with State

Venue Access

Chalkface is being held at the Dunstan Playhouse, Adelaide Festival Centre.

The recommended Dunstan Playhouse and Space Theatre drop off zone is at the northern end of the Riverbank Footbridge on War Memorial Drive (walk across the Footbridge to Dunstan Playhouse) or at the Intercontinental Hotel (walk north between the Intercontinental Hotel and Railway Station along the lane way to the Riverbank). There is also a drop off area and two accessible car spaces on lower Festival Drive, accessible from the west via Montefiore Road.

Getting to the Venue

Adelaide Festival Centre is easily accessible by public transport, including the tram (stop at Railway Station), trains, buses and a free bus service that operates on a loop throughout the city and North Adelaide with stops on the corner of King William Road and North Terrace.

For more information visit https://adelaidemetro.com.au/

For information about parking near the Adelaide Festival Centre, please click here.

State Theatre Company South Australia is following advice from the Australian Government Department of Health and SA Health regarding the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and will continue to do so as the situation changes in South Australia and around the country. Please visit our Terms & Conditions of Sale page for COVID safe venue information.

Should conditions change, will provide updates via our website, social media, and/or direct communication with ticket buyers.

Before you attend an event, please read the pre-show email sent to ticket buyers to keep up-to-date with the latest guidelines. If you did not purchase your tickets, please ask the person who did to send you your pre-show email.