Slingsby Theatre Company Presents MAN COVETS BIRD, Now thru Aug 11

South Australia's Slingsby Theatre Company returns to Arts Centre Melbourne from tonight, 8 to Saturday 11 August with the coming-of-age tale Man Covets Bird. A story about flying the nest, birdsong, and growing up, Man Covets Bird creates an enveloping world of prose, live music, melancholia and sunshine, and is suitable for kids aged 10 and over and adults alike.

One morning, a boy wakes to finds he has grown up. He recognises the man in the mirror – but his parents and his town do not. With no choice but to start a new life, he embarks on a journey into a strange, grown-up city full of machines and peculiar, lonely people. His only friend is a flightless bird, whom he meets outside his bedroom window. Together they attempt to brighten the lives of the city folk and learn what it really means to be a grown-up.

Performed by a solo male actor (Nathan O'Keefe) and a live musical trio, Man Covets Bird is set against large-scale projected animations inspired by the art of Australian industrial photographer Wolfgang Sievers (1938 – 2007). Sievers came to Australia in 1938 as a refugee from Germany. He became the pre-eminent industrial and architectural photographer in Australia, and is known for his rich black and white compositions.

Slingsby is an award-winning theatre company that created the internationally acclaimed hit The Tragical Life of Cheeseboy which was performed at Arts Centre Melbourne in 2010. Dedicated to create art that appeals to both kids and adults, Slingsby endeavours to illustrate the pain and joy of the human experience and remind 'the adult in all of us' of the infinite possibilities and wonders of the universe.

Slingsby's Man Covets Bird is presented by Arts Centre Melbourne as part of the year-round Kids and Families program, designed to engage children and their families in the exciting world of the performing arts. The program provides opportunities for kids aged 0 – 12 and their families to interact, connect and discover the arts together.