Arts House Will Present World Premiere Of SPECIALS By Kath Duncan
Disabled-led work examines the legacy of Australia’s special education system.
By: A.A. Cristi Feb. 03, 2026
Arts House will present the world premiere of SPECIALS, a new work written by award-winning artist and playwright Kath Duncan. The production will play in the Main Stage season at Arts House – North Melbourne Town Hall and is developed through the organisation’s Warehouse Residency program.
Drawing on Duncan’s own experiences as a child in Australia’s special education system in the 1960s, Specials centers disabled voices and critiques the structures that shaped and constrained them. The work follows Simon and Cheryl, two former special school students who break into their old school and move through their shared past, confronting the teachers and systems that defined their education. Blending satire, horror, archival material, and political commentary, the play examines the long-term impact of segregated schooling amid ongoing national conversations about the future of special education.
The production is translated into a fully disabled-led theatrical event, featuring a majority disabled cast and creative team. Duncan has described the work as a long-overdue opportunity for former special education students to critique the system publicly, noting that the play combines humor and confrontation to address exclusion and power. Director Tansy Gorman has characterized the work as politically sharp and artistically ambitious, framing it as disabled artists taking control of their stories and stages.
The creative team includes director Tansy Gorman, digital designer Rhian Hinkley, and producer Veronica Pardo. The cast features Jamila Main, Oliver Ayres, Sonia Marcon, Emma J Hawkins, Felise Lyon, and Sarah-Jayde Tracey. Inclusion and access are integrated throughout the rehearsal and performance process, with artists supported in a collaborative environment while engaging with challenging material.
Arts House Head of Programming Naomi Velaphi said Specials was commissioned as part of The Warehouse Residency and described the production as a significant new work that foregrounds the perspectives of disabled artists.
Specials is supported by Creative Australia, Creative Victoria, the City of Melbourne, and Arts Access Victoria.
Ticketing Information
Specials will run from March 24–29, 2026, at Arts House – North Melbourne Town Hall, 521 Queensberry Street, North Melbourne. Performances are scheduled Tuesday through Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 5:00 p.m., followed by a post-show artist talk. A tactile tour and audio-described performance will take place on Friday, March 27 at 7:30 p.m., and a relaxed performance with Auslan interpreting will be held Saturday, March 28 at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are priced at $40 standard, $25 preview, $25 reduced, and $15 BLAKTIX, with a small transaction fee per order. Bookings can be made by calling (03) 9322 3720.
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