IPSWICH is set to take centre stage on Queensland’s cultural map this August, with the world premiere of the acclaimed new Australian play Goodbye, Eli Anderson coming to the Ipswich Civic Centre.
The production, directed by award-winning theatre-maker Timothy Wynn, has secured Arts Queensland funding and will be presented with the support of the Civic Centre’s Hatchery: On Stage program — a major coup for Wynn, his company THAT Production Company, and the city itself.
Written by celebrated emerging playwright Grace Wilson, Goodbye, Eli Anderson is already one of the most highly awarded unproduced Australian plays of its generation.
Its premiere in Ipswich marks a significant step forward for contemporary theatre outside traditional metropolitan centres and signals a growing confidence in the city’s cultural future.
A four-person, two-hour work, the play follows two young men on a road trip across Australia, blending humour, heartbreak, long-buried secrets and 1970s rock music as they grapple with identity, love, and the stories we tell ourselves about how our lives will end.
For Wynn, Artistic Director of THAT Production Company, the production represents both a professional milestone and a clear statement of intent.
“Grace’s play had received so much recognition across the sector, but it still hadn’t found its way home to a full production,” Wynn said. “It’s such a beautiful story, and I’m incredibly excited for it to finally stand in front of an audience.”
Written when Wilson was still a teenager, Goodbye, Eli Anderson has already attracted national attention, including recognition from Queensland Theatre, Griffin Theatre and the Patrick White Award.
Having led THAT Production Company for nearly two decades, Wynn sees the world premiere as a defining moment in the company’s evolution.
“It’s been a roller-coaster ride,” he said. “But producing the world premiere of Goodbye, Eli Anderson feels like an exciting step forward for us. We’re committed to producing new Australian work right here in our own backyard.
“As cities expand, places like Ipswich need to maintain a strong sense of identity and community.
“Cultural organisations play a huge role in that, and Ipswich is absolutely ready for work of this scale.”
Playwright Grace Wilson said seeing her play reach the stage as a world premiere was both validating and transformative.
“It shows that I’m capable of being funded, but also that my work has worth and regional appeal,” she said. “The arts are how we tackle some of the hardest conversations of our time.
“New writers bring fresh experiences and nuanced perspectives — they’re the backbone of that continuing conversation.”
Beyond its artistic impact, Wilson believes productions like Goodbye, Eli Anderson bring tangible benefits to regional cities.
“When I travel, the first thing I do is see what’s on at the local theatre,” she said. “I’ll go out for dinner, have a drink, see a show — maybe even grab ice cream or another wine after. That’s multiple local businesses in one night. Theatre people travel for good theatre, and there’s no reason that can’t happen in regional areas.”
As Ipswich prepares to host the world premiere, Goodbye, Eli Anderson represents more than the arrival of an acclaimed new play but stands as proof that Ipswich is evolving as the destination for changemakers, creatives and collaborators.
