AustLit

'In 2013 adaptation was perhaps the most contested and controversial topic in Australian theatre. A series of heated debates erupted in the media following two provocative articles by Rosemary Neill published in The Australian in late May, which suggested that as a result of the recent adaptation 'fad', the voices of Australian playwrights were being 'swept off the stage'. As these articles highlight, there is a cultural trend towards adaptation on the Australian stages. A range of leading independent theatre companies including 'The Rabble', 'The Hayloft Project', 'The Daniel Schlusser Ensemble', and 'Fraught Outfit' work largely, or solely, in the area of adaptation. Meanwhile, adaptations of the classics have become increasingly more prominent on the main stages at Melbourne Theatre Company (MTC) and Sydney Theatre Company (STC), especially from a series of young directors. The articles in The Australian incited extensive arguments in the press, social media, online forums and public panel discussions that revealed a great deal of cultural anxiety surrounding the issues of intellectual property, the perceived 'death of the author' and the shifting focus of Australian theatre.'

Source: Author's abstract.