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24TP was a collaboration between Mount Barker District Council and Play Every Day Productions and saw 37 established and emerging theatre makers race the clock to write, rehearse and perform seven original short plays in only 24 hours.
Council Arts Officer and award-winning playwright Sally Hardy was one of the writers who took part and described the experience as ‘exhilarating, exciting and exhausting but in the best possible way’.
“Writing to deadline always comes with a healthy dose of adrenaline but the adrenaline involved in coming up with a brand-new play in only a few hours, writing for a cast you’ve only just met and for a set you have only just seen is truly unique,” Sally said.
“The highlight was seeing the incredibly diverse and often hilarious ways in which each creative team incorporated the set, which included an enormous pile of trash and garbage, into their stories.”
More than 140 theatregoers attended the premiere performances at Cornerstone College’s Atelier Theatre on Saturday night.
The seven short plays presented explored wide-ranging themes including the rise of artificial intelligence, climate change and the complexities of family relationships.
Play Every Day Productions Creative Director Rachael Williams introduced the 24TP concept to the Adelaide Hills after taking part in Mudlark Theatre’s ‘One Day’ project in Tasmania in 2010.
“I was hooked from the moment I joined Mudlark Theatre’s One Day project and the team generously gave me their blessing to bring the concept here to South Australia as 24TP,” Rachael said.
"I love how this wild ride brings together emerging and established artists, sparks new work in record time, and pushes everyone to dig deep and make magic happen under pressure.”
Rachael said the seven teams delivered stunning professional performances that had the audience experiencing a wide range of emotions.
“Audience members laughed and cried and stormed the stage at the end to congratulate the artists on what they’d achieved – it was like a football grand final,” Rachael said.
“Everyone who took part felt invincible thinking ‘if that’s what we can create in 24 hours, we can do anything’.
“The future of live theatre in South Australia is bright.”
This is the third time 24TP has been held in Mount Barker and Council and Play Every Day Productions are aiming to stage the event again in 2026.
