Andrew Upton | Michaela Kalowski

Andrew Upton does not stay in his lane. He has written for theatre, film and television in Australia and abroad, and his stage adaptations have toured internationally. During his tenure as co-director at the Sydney Theatre Company with his wife Cate Blanchett, they channelled their passion for theatre, sustainability and teaching into an award-winning green performing arts hub and produced a podcast on climate change.  

Across these many creative pursuits, Andrew has had several jobs, but just one calling: storytelling. 

Andrew’s debut novel Krank Fuss is a modern-day Animal Farm and follows the titular character, a chicken with a deformed foot on a farm in Nazi Germany on the eve of World War II. As both the chicken heroine and her homeland hurtle towards their inevitable fates, this fable reminds us of the importance of hope under the creeping shadow of authoritarian catastrophe. 

In praise of Krank Fuss: “Layered and beautifully written” - Susan Chenery for the Guardian 

Join Andrew in conversation with Michaela Kalowski, as they explore how to live a life rich with creative purpose. From the inspiration he draws upon, to moving between artistic disciplines to thinking about how the arts should be for all, this is a rare look behind the curtain of a powerful storyteller whose work has shaped the Australian and international creative landscape. 

UNSW BOOKSHOP

Pre-order Krank Fuss by Andrew Upton ahead of the event and skip the queue. Simply order online here, select the pickup option Centre for Ideas Event Pickup: Andrew Upton and collect your book at the UNSW Bookshop stall on the day.

LIVE EVENT & VENUE INFORMATION

Belvoir St Theatre is located at 25 Belvoir St, Surry Hills. Please note this is a live event only, and will not be available via livestream.

TICKETS

ACCESS

Wheelchair Access
Belvoir St Theatre is wheelchair accessible, with step-free entry available to the theatre and accessible seating options. 

Assisted Listening
Belvoir provides hearing assistance technology via a Hearing Assistance Service (HAS). The HAS uses a wide-area FM system, so patrons can sit anywhere in the theatre.  HAS packs are suitable for people with or without hearing aids.  Patrons using their own hearing aids must switch them to microphone mode (not T-Coil).  Belvoir supplies an earpiece, or patrons may bring their own headphones to connect to the HAS pack.
Please reserve your HAS pack by selecting an Assisted Listening ticket.  

Auslan & Captioning 
Auslan interpreting services and/or live captioning can be provided for selected talks upon request.

Contact
To book accessible seating or discuss access services, please contact the Belvoir Box Office on 02 9699 3444 or email boxoffice@belvoir.com.au.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT & PARKING

Belvoir St Theatre is conveniently located in Surry Hills and is easily accessible by public transport. The theatre is approximately a 10-minute walk from Central Station, with access to Sydney Trains, Metro services, and light rail connections. Several bus routes also service the surrounding area.

Limited street parking is available in the local area, including on Belvoir Street and surrounding streets, subject to availability and local parking restrictions. Patrons are encouraged to allow extra time when travelling by car. Nearby commercial parking stations are also available within walking distance of the theatre.

PROGRESS FOR ALL

Social cohesion, the connectedness of people to each other and their trust in the institutions that give society structure, is an important element of societal stability and security. As challenges to social cohesion increase, bridging divides to foster inclusive communities becomes an increasingly urgent and critical issue.

In the next decade, UNSW will continue efforts to strengthen societal resilience, security and cohesion. This will build on our significant education and research into human rights, justice, resilience, cohesion and inequality across Australia and the Asia Pacific region. We will focus on enabling access, ensuring equity and building trust in the digital age, through active participation in policy development, our deep research expertise, and genuine engagement with the people, communities and partners throughout our region.

You can read more about our objectives in our UNSW Strategy: Progress for All.

CONTACT 

For all event enquiries, please email centreforideas@unsw.edu.au or call the Centre for Ideas on 02 9065 0485.

For all venue related enquiries please contact the Belvoir Box Office on 02 9699 3444 or email boxoffice@belvoir.com.au.

The Centre for Ideas is happy to receive phone calls via the National Relay Service. TTY users, phone 133 677, then ask for 02 9065 0485. Speak and Listen users, phone 1300 555 727 then ask for 02 9065 0485. For more information on all other relay calls visit here.