“Dinner Party at the End of the World is unlike anything we’ve ever done. It’s part of a healing journey that reflects on the role of art in recovery after a natural disaster. It’s a pivotal project for our company as we become more adaptive and discover new ways to share our region’s stories.” NORPA Artistic Director Julian Louis

Inspired by the raw, powerful stories of the Lismore floods, Dinner Party at the End of the World is a multi-artform project reflecting stories of community and resilience.

This important and timely project will unfold throughout 2025, using theatre-making, community engagement, video, dance, and text to embed a multitude of voices into a future original work about the aftermath of a natural disaster.

A team of key local artists will collaborate with residents throughout the Northern Rivers, in a myriad of performance forms to explore their responses to the climate crisis, uncovering the kindness and extraordinary strength of the human spirit along the way. The key artists will offer workshops for community, and their creative explorations will culminate in special showings across the region.

Research and development on this project began in June 2023 and July 2024 through intensive two-week workshops with key performers and creatives. This year’s creative activities will be filmed, becoming a key element in a new NORPA production.

This project will be developed by Creative Directors Julian Louis and Heather Fairbairn, with additional text by acclaimed playwright Suzie Miller and created with an incredible group of creatives soon to be announced.

Stay tuned for the next project update for Dinner Party at the End of the World in May.