Lily Can’t Sleep

Premier production co-produced with Queensland Theatre Company and Queensland Performing Arts Centre for Out of the Box Festival for Children.

New day. New school. New house. New room. Everything’s changing for Lily. Night falls and she’s got a lot on her mind. No wonder she can’t get to sleep. Her mum tells her to count sheep – but what good it that when one of them is running amok in her room!? Enter Baarbara, an all-singing, all-dancing woolly entertainer who helps Lily dream up ways to put her worries to bed.

Mixing mega fun word play with fantastic physical comedy, this sweet and imaginative show will take you on an adventure to a land where anything is possible. Playing with the ritual of ‘going to sleep’, Lily Can’t Sleep explores themes that children and parents relate to, creating laugh out loud fun for the whole family!

“… easily passes the great test of theatre for children; rapt attention punctuated by think and fast questions to mum and dad … smart, raucous and irrepressible.” – The West Australian, Perth

“Superb acting, a variety of dramatic styles and a cleverly written script, all of which kept my students thoroughly entertained. Highly recommended.” – Teacher, Cambooya State School

Created for children 3–8 years old, Lily Can’t Sleep was originally commissions by the Queensland Theatre Company and Queensland Performing Arts Centre and premiered at the Out of the Box Festival in 2006. Since then Lily has toured extensively including; Queensland tour (2007), Victorian Arts Centre (2007), Kuala Lumpur and Singapore (Act 3 International 2007), The Brisbane Festival (2013), Artsworx (Toowoomba 2013) and The Awesome Festival (Perth 2014).

Production images

Premier Production Images 2006

Photos by Stephen Henry. Click on any of the thumbnails below to view.

Production Images, Brisbane Festival 2013

Photos by Luke Brown, runmedia.com.au Click on any of the thumbnails below to view.

• Production Team

  Written by Bridget Boyle and Liz Skitch with David Megarrity

  Set design by Jonathon Oxlade

  Composer/Sound design by Brett Collery

  Original season directed by Scott Witt

  Performed by Bridget Boyle and Liz Skitch as well as Georgina Symes and Neridah Waters

• Video Teaser

• Production History

  Production History

  PREMIER SEASON: Queensland Performing Arts Centre’s Out of the Box Festival for Children, June 2006.

  Act 3 International: Malaysia, 16–20 May 2007; Singapore, 24 May – 3 June 2007.

  The Arts Centre: Melbourne, 24–27 July 2007.

  Queensland Arts Council: Toowoomba Region, 2–27 August 2007; Gladstone & Rockhampton Region, 15 October – 6 November 2007.

  Queensland Theatre Company: Primary School Tour, 12–23 November 2007 & 7 October – 12 November 2010.

  Brisbane Festival, Spiegeltent Family Program, Cultural Forecourt, South Bank QLD, 25–27 September 2013.

  University of Southern Queensland’s Annual Children’s Week, Toowoomba QLD, 18–23 February 2014. Presented by Artworx.

  Awesome Festival, Perth Cultural Centre, 4–10 October 2014.

  Jetty Memorial Theatre, Coffs Harbour NSW, 14 February 2015. Presented by Jetty Memorial Theatre.

• Touring information

  Lily Can’t Sleep is available for tour.
  Suitable for: Lower primary school children (3–8 year olds).

  Running time: 50 minutes

  Number in touring party: 2 x artists, 1 x crew

  Bump in: 4 hours    Bump out: 2 hours

  Venue: Theatres, schools or community halls (indoor venue).

  Marketing materials: Images available on request.

• Education

  Teacher’s notes available.

  Associated Workshops

  Workshop theme: Storytelling and devising performance

  Minimum/maximum number of participants: 10–35

  Workshop requirements: large clear space

  Workshop duration: 60–90 minutes

  Workshop cost: on application