Taking Theatre to the People

Imagine taking a journey inside a beehive, where a maze of sweet hexagonal cells interconnects and constantly shape-shifts under the careful nurturing of busy bees to create a unique environment. Then using your imagination, replace the bees with people … and uncover the secret of 3bCREATIVE theatre group and its founder – Anne Grant.

by Judy Fredriksen

The idea of taking theatre to the people instead of people travelling distances to see stage performances has always been an integral part of Anne’s creative process.

In recent years, and especially during COVID, she has regularly brought theatrical productions to the hinterland, though if you are wondering why you haven’t seen them in your local community halls, it’s because they have been performed in sheds, backyards or lounge rooms.

After all, creativity often opposes conventional thinking, a concept that some struggle with but one that sits naturally with Anne.

In describing the origins of this construct, Anne says: “I always take comfort from the idea that theatre and creative expression can happen anywhere – history shows that performances happened in concentration camps, prisoner of war camps, bombed out ruins of cities.

“Children create theatre and we do it every day over the kitchen table. Sophistication of a healthy culture is measured by its creative and cultural spirit and expression – look at the hinterland – it is so vibrant.

“Theatre gives us that music, that something, that connection to our soul. So it doesn’t matter where it is.”

It was during the bombing raids of the London Blitz in WWII that terrified citizens huddled together in underground bunkers, using theatre to distract themselves from the horrors of the outside world. In doing so, they unintentionally created a small community co-dependent on culture.

This is no surprise to Anne who says, “Culture arises very often out of difficulty or the need to tell a story or to create community, and it tells stories as well about difficulty or all aspects of human behaviour”.

To some extent, Anne’s own life mirrors such artistic development. In the mid-1990s, following the breakdown of her marriage, she completed a Bachelor of Arts (Drama) Hons. Feeling totally at home within the arts, she worked professionally around Brisbane, excelling in costume and set design, but also in acting and directing.

Years later, Anne, and her now husband Bob, moved to the Sunshine Coast. In 2016, after a brief period of living in Namibia where Bob had a work contract, she established 3bCREATIVE.

It had been in the austere but hauntingly beautiful, wild landscape of that third world country that Anne reflected from a distance about the existing models of theatre back in Australia.

“I thought … was there another way of doing it? Another way that wasn’t aligned to a particular place or a time, or a group of people, or committee, or anything like that … where basically everything would be considered, and it would be inclusive of everybody … from all walks of life? Even without what they regarded as a talent, or an ability to sing, or ability to write.

“I just felt that there needed to be a space for people, for community, that focused on process and not solely on product.”

With this focus on inclusivity and community being important to Anne, she has ensured that some of 3b’s productions are written by emerging Sunshine Coast playwrights and regularly includes differently abled actors of all ages in her productions.

“I am also excited to be involved with the wonderfully inclusive and open-armed welcome of the Rangebow Festival in August 2023 here in the hinterland.

“I like to make opportunities for writers, not just actors. A new work will be premiered, and I am looking for members of the local gay community to perform and assist in production. In this case it is from the male perspective.”

These are not just tokenistic gestures. Under Anne’s expert stewardship, 3bCREATIVE has frequently taken out awards for acting, directing, costumes, set design and original scripts, while she herself has been publicly acknowledged for her contribution to the arts on the Sunshine Coast.

Not being one to shy away from a challenge, Anne’s current project is as guest director for the Maleny Players. The Queensland premiere of a contemporary work, Anne says SEVENTEEN by Matthew Whittet will challenge, confront, set people talking and hopefully go away thinking about what they experience.

“Six mature actors from mid-60s to mid-70s play a group of 17-year old friends who meet for a party in an old children’s playground on the last night of school.

“These ‘teenagers’ are the distillations of each and every teenager from post-war to 2017.

“Music and clothing from all eras feature and the magnificent graffiti mural is the work of Maleny High students.

“A brave, stellar cast – among them hinterland locals James Patrick Reed, Leigh Findlay and coastal fringe dwellers, Rainee Skinner, John Law, Cec Rebetzke and Deb Anstey make a fine ensemble for this complex, funny, bittersweet work. Chris Perkins will cover for all female roles in case of illness.

“Audiences will identify with, be triggered by, recognise themselves and others in this unique play.”

SEVENTEEN is being presented in the Maleny Showgrounds Dairy Pavilion (old SES Shed).

Performance dates are March 30 and 31 at 7pm; April 1 and 2 at 2pm and 7pm. Bookings open February 19 through trybooking.com/CFJBM. Cash sales only at Maleny Art Direct.