The Underlibrary of Unofficial Histories

"Far, far in the future, there is a library called ‘History’s End’”

Part puzzle, part game, part interactive theatre, The Underlibrary of Unofficial Histories is a highly original school age encounter brimming with imagination and wonder.

The experience begins several weeks before the encounter with a series of mysterious packages arriving at the school from the past. The contents include handwritten postcards from a boy lost in time, various newspaper clippings, impossible anachronisms, and some puzzling artefacts.

When Zelda crash-lands from the future, she will need all the help she can get from her new friends to learn when she is, solve Albus’s riddles, disrupt Finch’s plans, save her brother, and stop the moths before they devour all of history. It will take all of a class’s courage, quick-thinking, and imagination to help her succeed.

The show pilot toured in 2021 to four schools in the Clarence Valley, NSW and has since toured to 15 schools in the Northern Rivers, NSW. 

AUDIENCE RESPONSE

The creative ways in which the theatre was able to engage our students in becoming Historians, has provided not only a platform for lifelong learning and interest in History for our students but impacted History teaching pedagogy into the future.

Samantha Lynch
Education Officer, Catholic School Office, Lismore.

I just want to pass on my thanks for giving our students such a wonderful experience this week. It was a pleasure to watch their faces as they engaged with Zelda. The week leading up to the show was filled with wonder, excitement and many possible scenarios as they engaged with the mysterious deliveries.  A huge congratulations to Melia on her outstanding performance. Keeping that many children totally engrossed is a testament to her skills.  So thank you for allowing our children to be part of such a professional performance.

Melissa Brown
Teacher, St Mary’s Primary School

LENGTH

90 minutes in person, preceded by a fortnight’s worth of mysterious postcards and parcels.

CAST

1 actor and 1 facilitator