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Deckchair Theatre Chronology 1983-2012
Kindly made available by Pam Harris, History Librarian, Fremantle Library, who prepared this chronology for the significance assessment in 2015. The material was extracted from the Fremantle Library's Local History Miscellany Collection.
1983 Organisation formed as the Deck Chair Theatre in Education Team by Di Shaw and Brian Peddie. From the beginning there was an emphasis in employing actors and writers to co-write and perform original material. (11 May 1983 Fremantle Gazette interview with Di Shaw)
1984 Becomes Deck Chair Theatre Inc. Receives grant under Community Employment Scheme to employ staff. Moved to premises in South Tce, South Fremantle (25 April 1984 Fremantle Gazette).
1987 Theatresports introduced. (16 April 1987 West Australian)
Community Project - Between Tears and Laughter – examines the changing ways in which women regard childbearing and rearing. (9 May 1987, Western Mail). Developed into Birthworks.
1988 Di Shaw resigns as Artistic Director, replaced by Phil Thomson (March/April 1988, Fremantle Focus)
1988 In residence program with The Women There in metropolitan high schools including John Curtin 12 April 1988, Fremantle Gazette.
1988 Play Fleets of Fortune tours the state (20 July 1988, West Australian)
1988 Struggling for funds (6 September 1988, Fremantle Gazette)
Nunzio Gumina of Old Papa’s Café becomes corporate sponsor (18 October 1988, Fremantle Gazette)
1989 Moved to Old Customs House 8a Phillimore Street, Fremantle (17 October 1989, Fremantle Gazette)
1989 Funding increased (28 March 1989, Fremantle Gazette)
1989 Paid attendances totalled 15,936 in 1988 compared with 6,780 in 1987. It ran 158 workshops attracting 2,385 people, Income 1988 $158,741. (June 1989 Fremantle Arts review)
1989 Theatre won 1989 Swan Gold Theatre Award (24 October 1989, Fremantle Gazette)
1990 Angela Chapman replaces Phil Thomson as artistic director (17 August 1990, West Australian)
1990 Deck Chair Theatre staff receive child care allowance (West Australian 4 October 1990)
1991 Looking for new premises, increased Commonwealth and State grants of $186,000 and funding from WA Health Promotion Foundation allowing for employment of more staff necessitating a need for larger premises. (3 December 1991, Fremantle Gazette)
1992 New premises at 3 Pakenham Street (12 May 1992, Fremantle Gazette)
1992 The return of “Emma” to open the 1992 Fremantle Festival at Old Customs House. (2 November 1992, Fremantle Herald)
1993 Deck Chair fighting for life, consider they will need to close by June 1993, company calls for donations to keep the theatre going. (3 May 1993, Fremantle Herald).
1993 WA Government bails out theatre with advance payment of normal quarterly grants. (5 June 1993, West Australian)
1993 Sail and Anchors donates half the takings of Shakes Beer to the theatre, also cabaret called Save Deck Chair – The cabaret. (15 June 1993, Fremantle Gazette)
1993 Another return of Emma at the Hole in the Wall Theatre in Subiaco, cast and the Joys of the Women choir with go to Canberra to be part of the National Festival of Australian Theatre (4 October 1993, West Australian)
1993 Richard Evans, previously the general manager of Spare Parts Puppet Theatre, replaces Linda Martin as general manager of Deck Chair (4 December 1993, Fremantle Herald)
1994 Company ends the year with operating surplus. (8 January 1994, Fremantle Herald)
1994 Deck Chair Theatre uses the Mills and Wares factory in South Tce, for Factory Girl, a play about staff working in the factory, before the site is converted into apartments (23 April 1994, Fremantle Herald)
1994 Carolyn Chard is new general manager (12 November 1994, Fremantle Herald)
1995 Deck Chair perform Cappuccino Strip in South Terrace as part of the Fremantle Festival, includes acting workshops for the public (23 October 1995, Port Weekly)
1995 Winner in 1995 Swan Gold Theatre Awards with Robert van Mackelenberg being awarded outstanding male actor for his role in Diving for Pearls (1 December 1995, Fremantle Gazette Community)
1996 Theatre launches new season from top of the Port Authority building (6 December 1996, Fremantle Gazette)
1997 Deck Chair Theatre look to moving it productions to the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre for part of every year (29 March 1997, Fremantle Herald)
1998 Deckchair Theatre was recognised for its contribution to the artistic heritage of the port city at the Heritage Awards 1 May 1998, Fremantle Gazette)
1998 Deckchair Theatre move to Victoria Hall, also discussion about plans for a Fremantle performing arts centre was reported (23 May 1998, Fremantle Herald)
1998 The theatre starts a collaboration with All Saints College to begin a new era in theatre schooling. Deck Chair will provide work experience placements, lectures and workshop for students, in return the theatre will receive sponsorship from the college. (9 June 1998, Melville Fremantle Community).
1998 Theatre to provide pre match entertainment for Fremantle Dockers, funded by a $20,000 grant from the Australia Council. (19 June 1998, West Australian)
1998 Launch of 1999 season called On the Edge, reflects the continuing tightrope the theatre faces due to the funding cute to the Arts. (12 December 1998, Fremantle Herald)
1999 Theatre faces loss of lease for Victoria Hall due to the need for the heritage building to be refurbished. City of Fremantle looking for State Government for the project. (17 April 1999, Fremantle Herald)
1999 Theatre organises a Fundraising event by auctioning deck chairs decorated by artists. (9 June 1999, West Australian)
1999 Victoria Hall loses part of its roof in a severe storm. (12 October 1999, Melville Fremantle Community)
1999 The play Nevesinjka 17 chosen to tour Croatia as part of the Sydney, Organising Committee for the Olympic Games, Reaching the World International Tour. (29 October 1999, Fremantle Gazette)
1999 Jimmy Pike completes a mural around the front of Victoria Hall as part of the Perth International Arts Festival. The mural promotes the latest play from the theatre, Jimmy and Pat meet the Queen, based on a book by Jimmy and Pat Lowe. (26 December 1999, Combined Ed. Fremantle Gazette and Weekend Courier)
c2000 Great Deck Chair Auction raised more than $20,000. (n.d. Fremantle Gazette)
2000 Launch of 2000 Season, Emotions in Motion at Fremantle Oval with some Fremantle Dockers attending. (Feb 2000, Fremantle Gazette Community)
2000 Theatre faces uncertain future due to the possible sale of Victoria Hall. (22 February 2000, Fremantle Gazette Community)
2000 Theatre puts in a lease proposal for a site in Beach Street (8 July 2000, Fremantle Gazette)
2000 Theatre dismayed at the State Government upholding an appeal against a City of Fremantle decision not to allow the owner to change the hall use for a furniture store. (7 Nov 2000, Fremantle Gazette)
2000 The partnership between the Deck Chair Theatre and the Fremantle Dockers was recognised at the State Arts Sponsorship Awards. They were the winner in the best cross promotional category. (2 December2000, Fremantle Herald)
2001 City put bid forward to buy Victoria Hall and promised to keep the hall for community use if the bid was successful. (28 March 2001, West Australian)
2001 Creating Theatre and Deck Chair work together to produce the play “We are family” Creating Theatre works on community projects with youth such as suicide and long term unemployed. (21 April 2001, Fremantle Herald).
2002 Theatre auction breaks fund raining record more than $20,000 was rained for the creation of new Australian theatrical works. (16 July 2002, Fremantle Gazette)
2002 Theatre wins two accolades at the State Arts Sponsorship awards , both were partnership awards, one for “Mavis goes to Timor” and the other for Great Deck Chair Auctions. (19 November, Fremantle Gazette)
2003 Great Deck Chair Theatre Auction raises $74,000. (n.d. West Australian)
2002 Deck Chair Theatre funding cut by $40,000 by the Australia Council (5 October 2002, Fremantle Herald)
2003 Great Deck Chair Auction raises more than $95,000 including $65,000 for two paintings by the late Jimmy Pike.
2003 Theatre’s production “Mavis goes to Timor” wins a AWGIE award for best script (26 August 2003, The Gazette)
2003 Theatre celebrates its 21st birthday with the launch of the 2004 program at the Endeavour Shed in Mews Road (25 November 2003, Fremantle Herald)
2004 Deck Chair Theatre director and playwright has been appointed artist-in-residence at contemporary Imago Theatre Company in New Delhi for three months. (18 May 2004, Fremantle Gazette)
2004 Great Deck Chair Auction raises $27,000. (20 July 2004, Fremantle Herald)
2004 Australia Council funding reduced by $40,000 with reason being that the quality and quantity of the company’s work had declined. The company explained that taking over the summer season of Shakespeare in the Park had not been successful but considered their past history of satisfying funding criteria with more than 50 world premieres to its credit. They also considered that they should probably provide the Council with more detail on the work they do. (9 October 2004, Post)
2005 Carmen Lawrence launches the 2005 season with the theme “Realise” challenging politicians to change their thinking on funding for the arts. She considered that arts funding should be considered as development as it is with sport. (5 February 2005, Fremantle Rooster)
2005 Great Deck Chair Auction raises $31,000. (3 July 2005, Sunday Times)
2005 Launch of 2006 season at Victoria Hall with the theme “Tough Love”
2006 Great Deck Chair Auction (24 June 2006, West Australian)
2006 Deck Chair unable to find sponsors for Shakespeare in the Park. Due to declining funding Deck Chair has diversified by finding corporate work such as staging the ANZAC day pre match tribute for the Fremantle Dockers (8 July 2006, West Australian)
2006 State Government provides funding for Shakespeare in the Park. (20 October 2006, West Australian)
2007 Launch of 2007 Program at the Fremantle Football Club. (1 January 2007, Gazette).
2007 New chair of the theatre is appointed, Diane Jones. (28 January 2007, Sunday Times)
2007 Great Deck Chair Auction raises $35,000. (7 September 2007, West Australian)
2007 Australia Council cuts funding by $175,000, considered not to be producing quality and consistency in it productions. (20 October 2007, Fremantle Herald)
2007 State Government offers to keep theatre afloat by allowing early payment of funding. Angela Chaplin and David Gerrard have resigned. (27 October 2007, Fremantle Herald)
2008 Chris Bendall appointed as Artistic Director, no productions are planned for 2008. (7 April 2008, West Australian)
2009 Introduction of the Umbrella Program which will broaden the company’s commitment to locally produced work. It involves other artists in the company to keep the venue active. The company has received plenty of interest and has resulted in the production of The Bridging Project which involves multiple languages, audiovisuals and dance. Artists include Nyoongar, Irish, Brazilian, Swedish and Mexican performers.
2009 Funding from the Australia Council restored from 2010. (1 October 2009, West Australian)
2009 Great Deck Chair Auction, Robert Juniper, Leon Pericles, John Butler, Geoffrey Rush and Joan London have donated their time, artworks and signed memorabilia for the event. (16 October 2009, West Australian)
2010 Funding crisis hits after poor returns from “The Danger Age”. Staff has been cut back to just one, artistic director Chris Bendall. Sponsorship has also declined due to the economic downturn. City of Fremantle offers free rent until the end of the year. (17 July 2010, Fremantle Herald).
2011 Launch of 2011 season, new staff employed Jenni Cohen as business and venue manager, a marketing assistant and an executive producer will be hired later in the year. (10 March 2011, West Australian)
2011 Great Deck Chair Auction (4 June 2011, Post)
2011 Company wins two top prizes at the 2011 Perth Theatre Trust-Equity Guild Awards, one for best production “The Modern International Dead” and one to Chris Bendall for best director. (8 November 2011, West Australian.
2012 Launch of 2012 season with announcement that funding from Dept of the Arts will provide for new seating, air conditioning, sound insulation and lighting and sound systems at a cost of $570,000. It is hoped that upgrade will be completed in the first production in May.
2012 Deck Chair drops final curtain, unable to sustain its existence due to lacking of funding and audience support. (13 October 2012, West Australian)
2012 Melissa Parke, MP delivers a speech in parliament to mark the sad occasion of the closure of the theatre and thanking all those involved in the company for a period of 30 years. (30 October 2012, Parliamentary Debates)
This page incorporates material from Garry Gillard's Freotopia website, that he started in 2014 and the contents of which he donated to Wikimedia Australia in 2024. The content was originally created on 29 September, 2018 and hosted at freotopia.org/clubs/deckchairtimeline.html (it was last updated on 8 December, 2023), and has been edited since it was imported here (see page history). The donated data is also preserved in the Internet Archive's collection.