An intergenerational art experience for University of Adelaide’s 150th year

Lights, beats, dreams: An intergenerational art experience specially commissioned for the University of Adelaide’s 150th year

The University of Adelaide is shaking things up for its 150th year with Wonder verse, an electrifying art experience created in collaboration with Patch Theatre, designed to spark imaginations and inspire a lifelong love for the arts in children and their families.

In October, Wonderverse will transform the University’s iconic Bonython Hall on its North Terrace campus into a wonderland where audiences are invited to play and explore. Young visitors will experience vibrant lighting installations, music by Elisha Umuhuri of renowned Aboriginal hip-hop group DEM MOB, and the chance to craft their own musical masterpieces as they journey through a series of interactive spaces.

Audiences will get a chance to design a sound and light show with powerful torch lights, lie back and contemplate the universe under a magical celestial sky, and control a forest of colourful light beams.

Each room in Wonderverse offers a hands-on opportunity to explore the wonders of light and sound.

University of Adelaide Deputy Vice Chancellor, Professor Jessica Gallagher, said the University is proud to commission an event in its 150th year that ignites curiosity in young audiences.

Professor Gallagher:

Wonderverse is playful and full of awe, in a nod to the University’s 150 years of innovation and discovery. But this milestone isn’t just about the past – it’s about inspiring the future. Wonderverse supports the University of Adelaide’s desire to spark a love for learning and creativity in young minds.

Art and science are more closely aligned than many people realise. Both artists and scientists strive to see the world in new ways, seeking to comprehend and explain the world around us. When these two disciplines align, they can teach us to perceive the world differently and challenge our fundamental truths. By igniting children’s imaginations through art, music, and science, we hope to plant the seeds for the next generation of creative and critical thinkers, dreamers, and innovators.

Patch Theatre’s Artistic Director, Geoff Cobham:

 It was a privilege to work on the commission for the University of Adelaide’s 150th year.

We collaborated with the University of Adelaide’s Children’s University to create an experience that can be shared across generations, appealing to both school audiences and families while inspiring curiosity about science, music and art.

For many children, this may be their first taste of live performance, so we deliberately designed it as an interactive work where young visitors can actively participate rather than simply observe like they would at a traditional show in a theatre. It offers children the opportunity to play, follow their own impulses, and ask questions within a creative environment. Best of all, it’s free for everyone to enjoy.

The performance features original music by the University’s Centre of Aboriginal Studies in Music (CASM) student Elisha Umuhuri of award-winning Aboriginal hip hop sensation DEM MOB, formed in Pukatja APY lands. DEM MOB are the first rappers to perform and record in the ancient Pitjantjatjara language, challenging expectations and becoming community role models along the way. Wonderverse also stars Edgell Junior Edgell, a proud Ni-Vanuatu actor and storyteller, together with actor, singer, puppeteer and proud Australian Filipinx, Ezra Juanta.

Professor Gallagher:

This is a fantastic opportunity to incorporate First Nations music and storytelling into art for young people. It reflects our ongoing commitment to ensuring a creative culture on campus that is inclusive.

Over 2,000 students from South Australian schools will attend the show at no charge. Wonderverse opens at the University of Adelaide on Thursday, 10 October and runs until Sunday, 20 October.

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