Madison Eastmond, Murray Pioneer
Joining forces with other regional artists and teen ensembles in Whyalla and Bendigo for the 2025 Adelaide Festival, the Riverland Youth Theatre (RYT) will bunker down to survive an alien invasion in their new collaboration and retelling of H.G. Wells’ War of the Worlds.
Playwright and RYT artistic director Fleur Kilpatrick’s newest production, War of the Worlds, will make its Adelaide Festival debut on three regional stages, including at the Bonney Theatre, this Friday.
Following the theatre companies — RYT, D’faces, and Arena Theatre Co — as they begin by performing parallel versions of Frankenstein, Alice in Wonderland, and Lord of the Flies simultaneously at Whyalla, Barmera, and Bendigo, each ensemble will descend instead to a retelling of Wells’ scific classic when aliens arrive.
With location-specific scripts and in-person audiences in each location, a combination of phone calls, and pre-recorded and live video allow the RYT, D’faces, and Arena Theatre Co to move between their own performances and interactions with one another.
Ms Kilpatrick’s said her “incredibility ambitious” adaptation of Well’s novel has been three years in the making and inspired by her “desire to pay tribute to young people in regional theatre”.
“That’s what make’s a text a classic, it speaks to us in multiple times and places,” she said.
“(H.G. Wells’) novel spoke to me in several ways… (but mainly) the connection young people make with each other across long distances.
“The more I work with regional young people the more I am struck by the way their friendships take place over long distances — they find someone they connect to, another young art weirdo like themselves, and they hang onto them no matter what.
“I wanted to capture that.”
Performing within a 2025 program that includes an international catalogue of artists and companies, Ms Kilpatrick said it was “remarkable” to see the regional and Riverland ensembles be part of the festival.
“It’s amazing to see teenagers from Winkie and Lameroo, and Waikerie as part of this arts festival,” she said.
“While this work is ground breaking, sometimes it feels like (surrounding communities) don’t recognise that.
“But this opportunity is just so validating — it shows people see the talent and greatness of our local youth that we know is there.”
Set to raise the curtains for the first time this Friday, with four more performances held until 15 March, Ms Kilpatrick said she encourages the Riverland community to come out and enjoy the “spectacular work” of the local RYT ensemble.
“(RYT’s lines) have been written particularly for our ensemble — it has a special authenticity as every word is written for them,” she said.
“These are a group of kids we have been working with closely for the past three years now, and there is a lot of trust, support and community in this ensemble and they are so committed.
“Since performing at the (Adelaide) Fringe last year, the kids have grown so much — they are a year more mature and experienced.
“While the performance is more difficult, they have just rolled with it — RYT know how to put on a show, and we know how to do it great and as ourselves.
“I hope the community, artists, and industry leaders continue to see that this is what regional arts can be, which is grassroots and yet of a national calibre, it can be made with teenagers that you pick up after school.”
To purchase tickets to RYT’s performance of War of the Worlds, visit the website (www.adelaidefestival.com.au/events/warof- the-worlds).
For more information on RYT, visit the website (www.ryt.org.au), or follow the Riverland Youth Theatre on Facebook.
This article appeared in the Murray Pioneer, 5 March 2025.
