AustLit

'George Fairfax paid this tribute: ‘Known to her great family of “theatre children” as Renee, or Miss Mitch, or Teach, Irene Mitchell director, actor, teacher and theatre enthusiast was a mentor to thousands of actors, designers, playwrights and directors in Australia in a lifetime that spanned all but ten years of the 20th century. Long before Australian plays were fashionable or good box office, she was encouraging local writers, working with them on their texts and, above all, presenting their plays...' (Frank Van Straten).

'[Peter] Scriven’s contribution to puppetry is an important part of Australia’s performing arts history,’ said Jenny Gould, who toured through Asia with him. ‘He developed puppetry as an art form in this country where there had been none. It was original, creative and visionary in its scale. He sought funding from the corporate sector, a new concept we now take for granted; he was an entrepreneur. He had a genius for attracting talented and hardworking creative people – writers, musicians, actors, technicians and craftsmen – to implement his ideas...'