PETRUSHKA
       
     
AWARDS & NOMINATIONS
       
     
"Petrushka (Game, Set, Match) is my favourite new dance work in years - simply a joy to watch."
       
     
"Courageous avant-garde choreographer and one-time tennis ace - go for it! Elstermann is a Perth boy going places - so you won't want to miss this."
       
     
"In a brilliant stroke of modernisation, Scott Elstermann takes the highly emotional story of Petrushka and makes it a high-stakes tennis match."
       
     
"It elicited frequent rapid applause from the audience, not dissimilar to the polite, unobtrusive applause from the stands after a point is won in tennis."
       
     
"A flip comic façade belies a highly sophisticated artistic self-consciousness and sense of dance history.”
       
     
"Petrushka (Game, Set, Match) is a movement smorgasbord that interweaves gymnastics, ballet, contemporary dance, and pantomime - a quirky re-telling of the much-lauded story ballet."
       
     
"Elstermann has a wicked sense of humour and the ball kids are the perfect caricatures."
       
     
“The choreography and dancing are clever, witty and full of character which makes them more complex and interesting to watch.”
       
     
"Very flexible contemporary dance (with elements of contortion) that shouldn’t be possible for people who are not actually marionettes."
       
     
"Building on his precedent of works full of whimsy, humour, and striking visual moments, Elstermann puts a truly unique stamp on this classical ballet."
       
     
"In deconstructing set, costume, and choreography, Elstermann invites new perspectives on an old tale."
       
     
"Elstermann's adaptation, in which Petrushka and the Moor furiously compete in a tennis match, is clever, witty and well performed."
       
     
"The storyline is strong and more than once I found myself leaning forward, physically drawn into the show."
       
     
"Elstermann’s take on Petrushka is fresh and dynamic, and there is not a single dull moment to be found."
       
     
"Costumes, sets and tropes of the original ballet have been replaced by a corps of lemon-lime-hued ball kids, some daring acrobatics, and a wacky surprise ending."
       
     
“Elstermann has a clever capacity to infuse humour into narration. He crafts stories through the construction of bodies in time and space, paying attention to humorous details which are relatable."
       
     
"A great dance production with such extraordinary talent all round."
       
     
"Tricky and awe-inspiring contortions on the floor - twisting their bodies in ways that make the eyes water."
       
     
"Beautifully danced and staged with a great sense of fun, this was easy to watch and compelling dance theatre."
       
     
"Petrushka's ghost. The solution will have you gasp and crow with laughter."
       
     
PETRUSHKA
       
     
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PETRUSHKA

*WINNER - OUTSTANDING NEW WORK / OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY / OUTSTANDING PERFORMER / BEST INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION (Performing Arts WA Awards)*

Petrushka (Game, Set, Match) is a multi-award winning reimagining of the much-loved ballet by Sergei Diaghilev, illustrious founder of the Ballet Russes.

This innovative adaptation sees the original characters, themes and music from ‘Petrushka’ cleverly reinvented, as puppets at a fair become players on a tennis court. Audiences cheer on two players in the match of their lives as competition turns sinister and sabotage wreaks havoc. The umpire seems in on the game – but who is really pulling the strings behind the scenes?

Accompanied by a corps de ballet of ball kids, this relatable tale of jealousy, manipulation and love is reinvigorated, bringing an eccentric ballet into a fresh context for new audiences.

Length: 35 minutes

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PREMIERE

State Theatre Centre of WA, Perth, April 28 - May 1 2022

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CAST AND CREATIVES

Choreographer: Scott Elstermann

Lead dancers: Laura Boynes, Bernadette Lewis, David Mack, Tyrone Earl Lraé Robinson

Corps de ballet (ball kids): Emily Coles, Briannah Davis, Jo Omodei, Bianca Perrone, Giorgia Schijf, Emily Tuckwell

Composer: Igor Stravinsky

Lighting designer: Peter Young

Lighting realisation: Karen Cook

Costume designer: Molly Werner

Sound designer: Jeremy Turner

Stage manager: Georgia Smith

Voiceover artist: Bernadette Lewis

Producer: Libby Klysz

Publicist: Alison Welburn

Photography: Edify Media

Thank you to Katherine Gurr, Mitchell Harvey, Yilin Kong, Andrew Searle, Zoe Wozniak, Alex Kay, Tessa Gisby

Thank you to HotHouse Company (Drew Mayhills, Narelle Codalonga, Skye Hegarty, Stephen Roberts and Geoffrey Glencross), Tennis West, Matrix Productions and the MATCH Lab donors

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Petrushka (Game, Set, Match) premiere was supported by the State Theatre Centre of WA, Creative Partnerships Australia through the MATCH Lab program, the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries (DLGSC) and HotHouse Company - an All Saints’ College Arts Initiative

Petrushka (Game, Set, Match) developments were supported by Co:3 Contemporary Dance through their Co:Lab program, the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries (DLGSC) and HotHouse Company - an All Saints’ College Arts Initiative

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Video footage available upon request. Visit Contact

AWARDS & NOMINATIONS
       
     
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AWARDS & NOMINATIONS

PERFORMING ARTS WA AWARDS:

Outstanding New Work - WINNER

Outstanding Choreography (Scott Elstermann) - WINNER

Best Independent Production - WINNER

Outstanding Performer (David Mack) - WINNER

Outstanding Performer (Tyrone Earl Lraé Robinson) - WINNER

Outstanding Duet or Ensemble (David Mack & Tyrone Earl Lraé Robinson)

"Petrushka (Game, Set, Match) is my favourite new dance work in years - simply a joy to watch."
       
     
+
"Petrushka (Game, Set, Match) is my favourite new dance work in years - simply a joy to watch."

Kimberley Shaw, Stage Whispers

"Courageous avant-garde choreographer and one-time tennis ace - go for it! Elstermann is a Perth boy going places - so you won't want to miss this."
       
     
+
"Courageous avant-garde choreographer and one-time tennis ace - go for it! Elstermann is a Perth boy going places - so you won't want to miss this."

Rita Clarke, Seesaw Magazine

"In a brilliant stroke of modernisation, Scott Elstermann takes the highly emotional story of Petrushka and makes it a high-stakes tennis match."
       
     
+
"In a brilliant stroke of modernisation, Scott Elstermann takes the highly emotional story of Petrushka and makes it a high-stakes tennis match."

Emily Smith, Theatre Travels

"It elicited frequent rapid applause from the audience, not dissimilar to the polite, unobtrusive applause from the stands after a point is won in tennis."
       
     
+
"It elicited frequent rapid applause from the audience, not dissimilar to the polite, unobtrusive applause from the stands after a point is won in tennis."

Emily Smith, Theatre Travels

"A flip comic façade belies a highly sophisticated artistic self-consciousness and sense of dance history.”
       
     
+
"A flip comic façade belies a highly sophisticated artistic self-consciousness and sense of dance history.”

Wolfgang von Flügelhorn, After Words

"Petrushka (Game, Set, Match) is a movement smorgasbord that interweaves gymnastics, ballet, contemporary dance, and pantomime - a quirky re-telling of the much-lauded story ballet."
       
     
+
"Petrushka (Game, Set, Match) is a movement smorgasbord that interweaves gymnastics, ballet, contemporary dance, and pantomime - a quirky re-telling of the much-lauded story ballet."

Lucinda Coleman, Artshub

"Elstermann has a wicked sense of humour and the ball kids are the perfect caricatures."
       
     
+
"Elstermann has a wicked sense of humour and the ball kids are the perfect caricatures."

Rita Clarke, Seesaw Magazine

“The choreography and dancing are clever, witty and full of character which makes them more complex and interesting to watch.”
       
     
+
“The choreography and dancing are clever, witty and full of character which makes them more complex and interesting to watch.”

Wolgang von Flügelhorn, After Words

"Very flexible contemporary dance (with elements of contortion) that shouldn’t be possible for people who are not actually marionettes."
       
     
+
"Very flexible contemporary dance (with elements of contortion) that shouldn’t be possible for people who are not actually marionettes."

Kimberley Shaw, Stage Whispers

"Building on his precedent of works full of whimsy, humour, and striking visual moments, Elstermann puts a truly unique stamp on this classical ballet."
       
     
+
"Building on his precedent of works full of whimsy, humour, and striking visual moments, Elstermann puts a truly unique stamp on this classical ballet."

Cicely Binford, Perth Arts Live

"In deconstructing set, costume, and choreography, Elstermann invites new perspectives on an old tale."
       
     
+
"In deconstructing set, costume, and choreography, Elstermann invites new perspectives on an old tale."

Lucinda Coleman, Artshub

"Elstermann's adaptation, in which Petrushka and the Moor furiously compete in a tennis match, is clever, witty and well performed."
       
     
+
"Elstermann's adaptation, in which Petrushka and the Moor furiously compete in a tennis match, is clever, witty and well performed."

Rita Clarke, Seesaw Magazine

"The storyline is strong and more than once I found myself leaning forward, physically drawn into the show."
       
     
+
"The storyline is strong and more than once I found myself leaning forward, physically drawn into the show."

Kimberley Shaw, Stage Whispers

"Elstermann’s take on Petrushka is fresh and dynamic, and there is not a single dull moment to be found."
       
     
+
"Elstermann’s take on Petrushka is fresh and dynamic, and there is not a single dull moment to be found."

Cicely Binford, Perth Arts Live

"Costumes, sets and tropes of the original ballet have been replaced by a corps of lemon-lime-hued ball kids, some daring acrobatics, and a wacky surprise ending."
       
     
+
"Costumes, sets and tropes of the original ballet have been replaced by a corps of lemon-lime-hued ball kids, some daring acrobatics, and a wacky surprise ending."

Cicely Binford, Perth Arts Live

“Elstermann has a clever capacity to infuse humour into narration. He crafts stories through the construction of bodies in time and space, paying attention to humorous details which are relatable."
       
     
+
“Elstermann has a clever capacity to infuse humour into narration. He crafts stories through the construction of bodies in time and space, paying attention to humorous details which are relatable."

Lucinda Coleman, Artshub

"A great dance production with such extraordinary talent all round."
       
     
+
"A great dance production with such extraordinary talent all round."

Emily Smith, Theatre Travels

"Tricky and awe-inspiring contortions on the floor - twisting their bodies in ways that make the eyes water."
       
     
+
"Tricky and awe-inspiring contortions on the floor - twisting their bodies in ways that make the eyes water."

Rita Clarke, Seesaw Magazine

"Beautifully danced and staged with a great sense of fun, this was easy to watch and compelling dance theatre."
       
     
+
"Beautifully danced and staged with a great sense of fun, this was easy to watch and compelling dance theatre."

Kimberley Shaw, Stage Whispers

"Petrushka's ghost. The solution will have you gasp and crow with laughter."
       
     
+
"Petrushka's ghost. The solution will have you gasp and crow with laughter."

Emily Smith, Theatre Travels