Below are some (but by no means all) pictures from the 2005 World Interplay Festival in Townsville. If anyone has pictures from the festival they would like us to share, please email info@worldinterplay.org.

Hopefully these pictures convey what a truly enjoyable, memorable and positive experience World Interplay 2005 was.
The Campus
This is where it all took place - George Roberts Hall at James Cook University in very sunny Townsville.

Alongside the 2 - 3 bedroom units participants shared, there was a communal dining hall and beach volleyball and basketball courts (which got a lot of use!).

Of special mention is the 'smokers' table' - The place where many friendships were formed through late night conversations and ramblings.
Opening Ceremony
After passionate speeches from Festival Director, Chris Mead, the land's traditional owners, and playwright Stephen Sewell, festival participants kicked off World Interplay 2005 with a glamourous party of food, wine, flags, friends and a few national costumes!
Getting to Know You
Many of the evening activities took place in "The Cow Shed" theatre on campus.

These pictures are from one of the first activities organised where playwrights and tutors meet one another.
Readings
Not only did playwrights have the chance to develop their work through the daily Base Group classes and workshops but they also put it up on stage to see how it was recieved. Three nights of the festival were dedicated to presenting excerpts of the playwrights' scripts. The readings were performed by and presented to fellow playwrights and tutors and the atmosphere was incredibly encouraging and supportive.
Magnetic Island

In their free-time weekend festival participants enjoyed an overnight trip to Magnetic Island staying in a funky backpacker resort with their own DJ and beach party!

The island has clear, blue waters, rocky headlands, granite boulders, pine, eucalypt and rainforest, averages 320 days of sunshine a year, and also has a unique war history to discover with crumbling barracks and lookouts still hidden in the bush from early days!

Cultural Activities
A number of cultural activities were organised to increase awareness not only of the cultures of fellow participants, but also about the Townsville, North Queensland region.

These pictures are from an evening spent at the football stadium amongst thousands of local fans, watching the regional football team - live action, live music and heaps of adrenaline!
Your Town Our Town
Another significant project to engage with the regional community was called 'Your Town Our Town'. Young, local people were invited to share their experiences of regional life with a base group who then wrote a ten-minute play about the person.

The plays (some funny, some sad, all - moving) were then perfomed to the general public at a Townsville art gallery, followed by a networking event with local artsworkers and councillors.

These pictures are of Base Group 6 meeting with their local representative, Cowboys football player, Jacob Lillyman, and of the networking event at the art gallery.
These pictures give only a glimpse into the wonderful exchange that was World Interplay 2005. There were many other memorable events and activities that took place - some that were organised by festival staff, but many that were unforeseeable - spontaneous and positive collaborations between festival participants excited to be immersed in theatre and playwriting for two weeks.

To all the 2005 World Interplay playwrights, tutors, sponsors and partners, Interplay wishes you well in your future endeavours and hopes you may come back again one day. Please keep Interplay updated wherever you are in the world!

Note: Interplay hopes to create online records of World Interplay festivals earlier that 2005, so if you have any content that would help us to do so please contact us.