Hedonism’s Second Album
- 19 Feb 2015
Details
Queensland writer David Burton co-wrote and co-produced a new theatrical work with Claire Christian, entitled Hedonism’s Second Album.
The Australian comedy concerns a Brisbane band whose first album is an unexpected success. Determined to continue enjoying their new rock star status, the band sets out to record a second album and prove it wasn’t all a fluke – a goal made all the more difficult by a guitarist with cold feet, a drummer who wants a ten-minute solo and a bass player who is missing in action.
The work debuted at La Boite Theatre Company as part of their Indie season before touring to Nambour and Toowoomba. Hedonism’s Second Album has received positive acclaim from audience and critics alike.
When
December
Where
Brisbane, Nambour and Toowoomba
Key stats
- 14 performances
- 641 attendees
Arts Queensland contribution
$35,143 – Projects and Programs Fund
Outcomes
- The crew and actors involved in the project were largely from the emerging theatre sector. Eight out of 10 of these artists were offered work as a result of being involved in Hedonism’s Second Album.
- The work made an artistic contribution to an important conversation about contemporary Australian masculinity.
- In addition to the 12 shows in Brisbane, Hedonism’s Second Album also engaged with regional audiences through two performances in Nambour and Toowoomba:
“If more theatre like Hedonism came to Nambour, I’d go more often.”
“Just brilliant. Just such an amazing show that I can’t even think of the words to describe.”
Learnings and reflections
Writer and Producer David Burton reflects on key learnings from his experience:
We have learned that absolute clarity and integrity around a specific marketing strategy is paramount. Unfortunately, our box office numbers for this season suffered because of a variety of factors around marketing.
We learned, time and time again, about the value of frank theatre that discusses contemporary issues in an entertaining but truthful manner. The depth of positive response stirred among our young audience members was powerful.
We learned about effective communication as producers with our creative colleagues as well as a diverse range of stakeholders.
We learned about the importance of valuing and nourishing emerging artistic careers, as they not only flourish with attention and care but also give back to you with great significance.
Contact for further information:
Email: sixfeetabove@mac.com
Website: www.daveburton.com.au
Instagram: @hedonismssecondalbum
A pdf version of the Hedonism Album case study (PDF) (277.63 KB) is available.