Ballarat National Theatre

Making theatre for our community since 1938

Upcoming productions

The Arsonists

April 9 -18

The Arsonists (also known as The Fire Raisers, or The Firebugs) was written in 1953 by Swiss playwright and author, Max Frisch.

The play is a black comedy, set in a town that has come under attack from arsonists, who disguise themselves as door-to-door salesmen (or hawkers). The Arsonists are able to talk their way into homes, taking up residence in people’s attics. They then plot to destroy the house, enlisting the unwitting assistance of the residents.

Directed by Barry Kay

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Acknowledgement of Country

We are located in Ballarat, where the Traditional Custodians of the land are the Wadawurrung people. The Wadawurrung are part of the Kulin Nation, the longest living and continuous culture on our planet. In the spirit of reconciliation, we give our deepest respect to Australia’s First Nations Peoples, their histories, their stories, their resilience, their connection to culture and land.

We gladly pay our respects to the wisdom of their Elders, past and present. We acknowledge that sovereignty of this land was never ceded. Visit https://www.wadawurrung.org.au for more information.

Artwork by local artist Tarni Jarvis – Kurrong Kalat https://kurrongkalat.myshopify.com The artwork combines traditional symbolism, modern colour and influences. It was inspired by the local mountain ranges that surround the Central Highlands region. The curve symbol is similar to traditional symbols and is used in this work to symbolise mountain ranges. The colours and dots are modern influences on the artwork.