Born from chaos, Barking Gecko Theatre is 30 years strong

Given the current state of arts funding, Artistic Director Luke Kerridge is taking hope from the turbulent birth of Barking Gecko Theatre in 1989.

Turmoil can galvanise a city’s arts ecology, according to Barking Gecko Theatre’s Artistic Director, Luke Kerridge.

Originally operating as the Western Australian Theatre Company’s youth touring arm and born from the ashes after its parent company folded in 1989, Barking Gecko recently celebrated its 30th anniversary with an afternoon tea at Government House, Perth. The event was attended by Governor Kim Beazley and many of the company’s alumni.

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Richard Watts OAM is ArtsHub's National Performing Arts Editor; he also presents the weekly program SmartArts on Three Triple R FM. Richard is a life member of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival, a Melbourne Fringe Festival Living Legend, and was awarded the Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards' Facilitator's Prize in 2020. In 2021 he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Green Room Awards Association. Most recently, Richard received a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in June 2024. Follow him on Twitter: @richardthewatts