Hi Katherine,
If you’ve been around the performing arts long enough, you’ve probably got a Wendy story.
I first encountered her in 1996, preparing to head out on a tour of
The 7 Stages of Grieving
in Tasmania. That show taught me so much about theatre, storytelling and truth-telling. As you’ll hear from Wesley, I — along with hundreds of other Tasmanians — wouldn’t have had that extraordinary experience if it weren’t for Wendy Blacklock.
You could multiply that example many times over. Across a producing career spanning more than three decades, Wendy had an extraordinary
instinct for finding artists at just the right moment — and then backing them, properly. Not just with belief, but with the practical support needed to get work made, toured and seen. She championed risk-takers, made space for new voices, and was never especially
interested in how things had always been done. The result is a body of work, and a generation of artists and producers, that have profoundly shaped where we are now.
One of the first calls I received when I started at Performing Lines was from Wendy, checking in to see how things were going — still
keeping an eye on things. Another early conversation was with former CEO Fenn Gordon, when we talked about an archival project underway and how best to capture Wendy’s legacy alongside it. In time,
The Wendy Tapes
were born.
We owe a huge thanks to Kate Champion, Wesley Enoch, Annette Downs and Ian Temby — none of whom hesitated when asked to take on the
not-insignificant task of interviewing Wendy. Thanks also to Karen Rodgers and Kate Blackmore, whose professionalism and care brought this series to life.
Four generous, funny and deeply human interviews tracing the roots of this organisation, and the vision and tenacity of the inimitable
Wendy Blacklock. They’re a celebration, yes — but also a kind of field guide to producing: to backing artists, holding the line, and doing the work (often quietly) that makes everything else possible.
I hope you enjoy watching them as much as we did making them.
Simon Wellington
Executive Producer and CEO
