Splinters Theatre of Spectacle

Splinters Theatre of Spectacle was an Australian Performance Troupe formed in Canberra in 1985 by David Branson, Patrick Troy, Ross Cameron, and John Utans, that was known for large outdoor spectacles. [cite web
last = Musa
first = Helen
title = Death ends Canberra artist's vibrant career
work = The Canberra Times
publisher =
date = 2001-12-13
url = http://canberra.yourguide.com.au/news/local/general/death-ends-canberra-artists-vibrant-career/115054.html
accessdate =2008-04-05 ] Between 1985 and 1996, Splinters produced more than 20 works that played at Australian theatre festivals. In 1992, they produced "Cathedral of Flesh" which won the Best Promenade Theatre Performance Award, at the Adelaide Fringe Festival. [cite web
title =Artistic Director - David Branson
publisher = Artshunter.com.au
url = http://www.artshunter.com.au/cia/davidbranson.htm
accessdate =2008-04-05 ]

Splinters evolved through a collective of writers, musicians, visual and performance artists creating loosely related skits and scenes, into a multi-format art concept production company. Working in a variety of venues with hundreds of artists Splinters produced displays all around Australia. Their offices were situated in the Gorman House Arts Centre in Canberra. [cite book
last = Milne
first = Geoffrey
title = Theatre Australia (un)limited: Australian Theatre Since the 1950s
publisher = Rodopi
date = 2004
pages = 314
url = http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=KCpEhrdarIMC
isbn =9042009306 ]

Utilising techniques of theatre, dance, performance art, puppetry, pyrotechnics, sculpture, music, and crowd manipulation, Splinters performed one-offs, seasons, exhibitions, and events. Several performance and event groups gained momentum under the Splinters banner before launching their own companies including: Snuff Puppets, ODD Productions, Temple State, Triclops.

Splinters' first performance "This Fantastic Lake" in 1985 at the Downer Community Hall, Canberra was funded by International Youth Year. In 1988, Splinters received a grant from the Capital Arts Patrons Organisation. [cite web
title = A History of CAPO Grants 1983-2006
publisher = Capo.org
url = http://www.capo.org.au/capo/default.asp?s=17&contentID=67&showlinked=true
accessdate =2008-04-05 ] After several national and rural tours funded by the Australia Council's Performing Arts Board, the last performance under the Splinters aegis was "Orpheus" at Gorman House, Canberra in 1997. In 2001, speaking at the Legislative Assembly for the ACT about the death of David Branson, the Australian Minister for Urban Services and Minister for the Arts called Splinters "one of the most innovative groups in Canberra's quite illustrious history of arts practice." [cite web
title = Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 1 Hansard
date = 12-13-2001
url = http://www.hansard.act.gov.au/hansard/2002/week01/284.htm
accessdate = 2008-04-05]

References