Avoiding the South

April 1: Despite its arts loving culture and history of supporting major shows, Adelaide is missing out on some of Australia's biggest theatrical productions. TROY DODDS reports....

The battle between Sydney and Melbourne when it comes to everything from sport to the arts is one that never appears to fade in its level of intensity, but for a long time another Australian city has failed to be phased by the rivalry of its bigger cousins, forging its own identity and doing it with a plentititude of success.

It is fair to say that Adelaide, Australia's fifth biggest city, rivals Sydney and Melbourne when it comes to both sport and the arts. In sport, the city sustains two Australian Football League teams, an A-League soccer team, a number of top-flight basketball teams and has also been a keen supporter of motor racing, rugby league and cricket over the years. In the arts, the State Theatre Company of South Australia continues to present Adelaide audiences with high class productions, while the Adelaide Cabaret Festival and Adelaide Fringe Festival are well supported by locals.

However, while Adelaide might just be the place where the wide-apart worlds of sport and the arts exist joyfully together, there appears to be a growing trend from major theatrical producers to avoid Adelaide when it comes to national tours.

The current acclaimed production of The Phantom Of The Opera has already visited Melbourne, is currently in Brisbane and will open in Sydney in May, and while it will continue to tour the country, Adelaide won't be on the list. The same goes for Boeing Boeing, which will visit Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth but won't head south.

The respected theatrical producer John Frost, who is involved with The Phantom Of The Opera and the forthcoming production of Wicked in Melbourne, says it's not a case of Adelaide not supporting productions, but moreso a result of financial pressure.

"At this stage we are not going (to Adelaide with Phantom) because the production is too expensive and we need to play longer there to make a profit," Frost said.

"It has nothing to do with Adelaide not supporting shows because they do. I have opened a lot of shows in Adelaide in the past such as The King And I, South Pacific and Hello Dolly."

Frost, one of the country's most successful producers, believes there needs to be increased help from other sources if Adelaide is to receive blockbuster shows.

"Commercial productions cost so much and can't recoup their costs in Adelaide," he said.

"I was born in Adelaide and I started my theatrical career there. I feel I should work harder to get more of my shows to that city but the State will have to financially help to bring these shows to Adelaide."

State Governments assisting shows is already a growing concept, with the Victorian Government involved in Wicked and a range of other shows, and the NSW Government contributing to the arrival of Priscilla.

AussieTheatre.com's Adelaide Editorial Coordinator, Rohan Shearn, agreed that the State Government should look at ways of assisting producers to bring major shows here.

"It’s a worrying trend that Adelaide tends to miss out on many productions that tour nationally," he said.

"Adelaide has proven it can sustain good quality productions, Miss Saigon and Menopause The Musical just being two examples. The recent success of both the Adelaide Festival and Fringe has also demonstrated this.

"In 2008 / 2009 Adelaide will miss out on The Phantom Of The Opera, Cirque du Soleil’s Dralion and now Boeing Boeing. While Adelaide doesn’t have venues like Melbourne’s Regent or Sydney’s Capitol, the Festival Theatre and Her Majesty’s Theatre do service this city well."

It's true that some producers have taken the risk with big shows in Adelaide, Louise Withers & Associates with Miss Saigon included. But with Australia experiencing a boom in international shows that cost more than ever to produce, it is unlikely producers will keep taking the risk, particularly when shows can't sustain long enough runs in smaller cities to make back the required investment.

One source said the worse could still be to come for Adelaide.

"I would suggest it is very unlikely Adelaide will ever see productions like Wicked, Billy Elliot or Priscilla because they don't have the theatres big enough to house them in both production sense and financial viability," the source said.

"It does, however, give shows a bigger chance of success. If they can sustain seasons in both Sydney and Melbourne for long periods of time, and attract interstate visitors, the likelihood of a producer coming out on top is greater, and hence we'll start seeing more successful shows and in the long run, more shows in general."

It seems that Sydney/Melbourne rivalry just grew an extra leg.