Meet Glenn: Discovery, Community, and Why Theatre Still Matters
Every so often, you sit down with a theatre-maker whose story reminds you why live performance endures. In this episode, Andrew speaks with Glenn Elston, Artistic Director of the Australian Shakespeare Company, whose decades-long relationship with theatre has been defined not by arrival points, but by constant discovery. From Shakespeare in the gardens to children chasing characters through the trees, Glenn’s work is grounded in joy, generosity, and a belief that theatre is at its best when it invites people in.
Where It All Began: Shakespeare and a Life of Discovery
For Glenn, Shakespeare has never been something to “master” and move on from. Instead, each play opens another window into human nature. Returning to the texts again and again has revealed new layers—about power, kindness, foolishness, love, and contradiction. That sense of ongoing learning is what keeps the work alive. Theatre, for Glenn, isn’t static. It grows as you grow.
This philosophy underpins his leadership of the Australian Shakespeare Company, which has evolved from a small ensemble into Australia’s largest independent theatre company, without losing its sense of play or curiosity.
Building a Summer of Theatre (and Surviving It)
The conversation unfolds against the backdrop of a monumental season. A packed summer in Melbourne’s Royal Botanic Gardens includes Twelfth Night, Shakespeare’s Best Bits, Wind in the Willows in its 39th year, children’s fairy shows, and a series of live music events. Glenn speaks candidly about the physical and creative toll of overlapping rehearsals, international touring, and consecutive productions—and the strange satisfaction of exhaustion when it comes from doing work you love.
It’s a reminder that theatre is a team sport. Every show is the result of countless artists, technicians, producers, and crew moving together toward a shared moment in time.
Theatre Without Walls: Why Outdoor Performance Changes Everything
Outdoor theatre sits at the heart of Glenn’s practice. Without walls or a roof, something shifts. Audiences relax. Performers adapt. Weather becomes part of the story. Glenn reflects on the surprising willingness of audiences to stay present—even in the rain—and the powerful bond that forms when everyone commits to the experience together.