Introduction

In this introductory chapter, we introduce two key terms of our study – re-visioning and mainstage – and contextualise the book’s focus on the period between 2007 and 2020, mooring posts provided by the election of Kevin Rudd and the closure of Australian theatres in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic, respectively. Given our interest in how the mainstage reflects the socio-political concerns of the nation, we also provide a potted political history of the era, drawing out significant events for the analysis that follows. Finally, we situate our analysis in the broader field of Australian theatre history and argue for the significance of our thematic study of a decade on the mainstage as a route to understanding contemporary Australian playwriting.