CDP Theatre Producers – sharing the journey of an Australian and Chinese International Co-Production during Covid and beyond.
Author: Vicki Middleton, Middleton Arts.
In late 2019, AAPPAC member CDP Theatre Producers based in Sydney, Australia was about to embark on an exciting new international co-production with Beijing’s Tong Productions. “Tong had programmed four tours of CDP’s work across China between 2016 to 2019, and it was really exciting when the conversation turned towards collaboration, and the creation of a new international co-production between our companies” said Andrew Threlfall, CDP’s Co-Director. Fellow co-Director Yolande White had travelled with Meeting Mozart into China during the period – “The work was so well received by audiences across China. They were hungry for more international work, so when Liz Ren started talking about a closer partnership with Tong we jumped on the opportunity”.
Poster image for CDP’s ‘Meeting Mozart’ which toured to China in 2016-19 with Tong Productions
Multi-award-winning CDP is a boutique theatrical production company based in Sydney with almost 30 years’ experience presenting and producing new works nationally and internationally. CDP is Australia’s largest producer and most far-reaching tourer of work for young audiences, making outstanding, much-loved shows for 1-12-year-olds and their families. Tong Productions is a respected producer of work for young people in China. In 2016/17 their show Panda’s Home – an international co-production with Italy’s Compagnia TPO – toured China, the USA, Ecuador, Australia and across nine Europe countries.
As the world began to slow down and close its borders in early 2020, CDP and Tong were determined not to let that stop them, continuing a dialogue about the kind of work they wanted to make. They knew they wanted to co-devise an ambitious new Australian/Chinese theatrical work for young audiences aged 4-10, that was a multicultural, cross-artform that could tour across both countries.
“We genuinely didn’t know how productive the first creative development was going to be until the artists came together over zoom. We were ambitious, but realistic about what might be achievable in bringing this team together for the first time, considering the potential digital, cultural, creative and language barriers they faced” said White, “but the Artists entered the process with a spirit of optimism, curiosity, openness, and adventure, and the results were incredible”.
In April and May last year Tong and CDP finally undertook an inaugural creative development, over zoom, with travel to China still uncertain. A core creative team of two Australian Artists (Dramaturg/Writer Richard Tulloch and Director Liesel Badorrek) and three Chinese Artists (Designer Mingmei Zhou, Musician/Composers He Xiao and Liu Wenyang) were involved. The core artists working collegiately and progressively to share their individual artistic practices and approaches to devising and to explore how to best navigate and fuse cultural differences in language, artistic methodologies and stylistic approaches. Within just 40 zoom hours over six weeks, the creative teams were able to evolve production and soundscape concepts, stylistic choices, develop overarching design aesthetics, and build a dramaturgical framework and characters. They agreed that this story would be non-verbal, told through movement, music, sound and design to transcend language barriers for young audiences, so it could tour across Australia and China in the future.
The new show Clockwork is based on the relationship between two very different neighbours and how their worlds collide. The show explores misunderstanding and conflict, and how resolution can lead to compromise, respect and understanding. It deals with loneliness, and how unlikely friendships can spark and grow. “In many ways this echoes the context of the working process, with our artists and companies coming from two diverse cultural reference points, with a shared interest to find common ground” said Threlfall. The work will draw on artistic influences rooted in Western and Eastern contexts and contemporary practice.
‘Clockwork’ Design images for the show by Mingmei Zhou
‘Clockwork’ Costume Design sketches for the show by Mingmei Zhou
Due to ongoing travel uncertainty with China, a second hybrid creative development in October 2022 was undertaken. Instead of jumping on a plane to China, the team were once again jumping on zoom. Whilst the Australian team came together in a rehearsal room in Sydney for two weeks, this time with performers, Chinese creatives joined digitally from Beijing. Not ideal, but the outcomes were incredible, with the performative aspects of the new work beginning to take shape.
For CDP, Clockwork is a good news story rising from the carnage that saw international collaboration come to a grinding halt over Covid. “We lost a major UK co-production due to Covid and a Dutch co-production with the brilliant Meneer Monster was delayed, so we were determined to continue working with Tong” said Andrew Threlfall; “Collaboration, exchange and understanding lie at the heart of the success of Clockwork to this point”.
In late 2023 Clockwork will embark on a full rehearsal period. More to be shared soon!
This project is supported by the National Foundation for Australia China Relations – Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and the Australia Council for the Arts.