Sydney nightlife hit by fresh blow as theatre goes bust – after it made vow to be ‘culturally diverse’ to tackle ‘systemic racism’

A much loved theatre company has been placed into voluntary administration in the latest blow to the struggling entertainment industry.

Sydney’s Darlinghurst Theatre Company immediately suspended all events and appointed BRI Ferrier’s Jonathon Keenan and Peter Krejci as administrators on Monday- days after it solicited donations on social media 

An announcement of the theatre’s collapse urged ticket holders to ‘charge back’ the cost of admission through their credit card provider.

The company had been a major employer and cornerstone of Sydney’s entertainment and art scene since its formation in 1993 by industry legend Glenn Terry.

Ticket sales have plummeted in recent years in the wake of Mr Terry’s retirement in 2022 which sparked the exodus of several other senior directors.

‘Administrators are exploring all options to save or restructure the business. If any parties are interested in assisting with that recapitalisation and restructuring process, they should contact the administrator’s office urgently,’ a statement on the theatre’s Facebook page read.

‘The administrators will be issuing more communication to all creditors and stakeholders in the coming days.’

Bri Ferrier principal, Mr Keenan, said all shows would be suspended while he looks to restructure the company to avoid dissolution.

He added that cost-of-living pressures appeared to have tightened the pockets of would-be audience members and reduced ticket sales.

‘The effect of that has been a reduction in revenues and donor support and resulted in acute financial issues,’ Mr Keenan told the Sydney Morning Herald.

The collapse comes after the theatre company’s artistic director Amylia Harris left in 2023

Ticket sales and donations at the Darlinghurst Theatre Company (pictured) have plummeted in recent years

Box office sales fell to $2.4million last year from $3.3million in 2022 while bar sales and donations also declined.

Without disclosing how much the company owes, he said it would need ‘a few hundred thousand dollars’ to continue operations.

The theatre company was denied funding from the NSW Government which found issues with its unsustainable financial model amid increasing costs.

It could see reprieve from the City of Sydney Council, which will vote on a $200,000 rent subsidy on the Eternity Playhouse, where the company operates.

However, there are also concerns with the company’s management and turnover of artistic and executive directors.

Co-artistic directors Glenn Terry and Amylia Harris (pictured) in 2020 announced the company would update its cultural representation policy to address its ”contribution to systemic racism’

While sharing the artistic director role in 2020, Mr Terry and Amylia Harris announced the ‘Darlo’ would update its cultural representation policy.

A video from June of that year revealed the company had been criticised for not addressing their ‘contribution to systemic racism’.

‘(The Darlo) needs to be better and recognise the ways our storytelling and our company processes have upheld systemic racism,’ Ms Harris said.

‘We are pledging ourselves to an actionable commitment to hold ourselves publicly accountable to take the first step to structural reform.’ 

Mr Terry announced the theatre company would commit to having half of all employees and artists belonging to ‘Indigenous, Black or culturally and linguistically diverse communities’.

The commitment to diversity would also be seen across production seasons starting in 2022.

Ms Harris took over as sole artistic director following Mr Terry’s retirement shortly after but would leave the role a year later.