Tim Flannery & Robyn Williams
Fri 4 Aug
7:00pm – 7:55pm
$27 – $39 + Booking Fee – SOLD OUT
Theatre Royal Studio Theatre at the Hedberg
Experience: Talk
Themes: Conversation Starter | Fact Finding
Access: Auslan Interpreting | Seated Option | Wheelchair Access
Connecting with the Unconvinced
Two legendary science communicators in conversation about how to change minds in a world of denialism, disinformation, and deep fakes.
Our MC for this event will be Lord Mayor Councillor Anna Reynolds.
Immediately following this performance, the audience and speakers will be invited across the street to Beaker Street’s Festival Hub at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery. Featuring delicious food and drink, live music, science/art exhibitions, 150+ scientists to chat with, and more — you won’t want to miss it!
Featuring
Professor Tim Flannery FAA is Chief Councillor at the Climate Council and one of Australia’s leading writers on climate change. An internationally acclaimed scientist, explorer and conservationist, Professor Flannery was named Australian of the Year in 2007.
Professor Flannery has held various academic positions including Professor at the University of Adelaide, director of the South Australian Museum in Adelaide, Principal Research Scientist at the Australian Museum and Visiting Chair in Australian Studies at Harvard University in the Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology.
A well known presenter on ABC Radio, NPR and the BBC for more than a decade, he has also written and presented several series on the Documentary Channel including The Future Eaters (1998), Wild Australasia (2003), Islands in the Sky (1992) and Bushfire (1997). His books include Here on Earth (2010) and The Weather Makers (2005).
His latest book is ‘Life: Selected Writings’.
Professor Robyn Williams AO FAA one of Australia’s best known science journalists and broadcasters. He is the long-time host of ABC Radio National’s The Science Show and Ockham’s Razor.
Although he graduated with a Bachelor of Science (honours) in England, Robyn admits to spending as much time acting as studying. Early in his career he made guest appearances in The Goodies, Monty Python’s Flying Circus and Doctor Who, and stood in for Tom Jones for four months in his TV series.
He has conducted countless interviews with scientists on ABC TV on programs such as Quantum and Catalyst, narrated the Nature of Australia series and appeared in World Safari with David Attenborough.
Outside the ABC, Robyn has served in various capacities, including president of the Australian Museum Trust, chairman of the Commission for the Future, and president of the Australian Science Communicators. In 1987, he was proclaimed a National Living Treasure.
In 1993, Robyn was the first journalist elected as a Fellow Member of the Australian Academy of Science. He was appointed AM in the 1988 Australian Bicentenary honours list and in the same year received honorary doctorates in science from the University of Sydney and Macquarie and Deakin Universities. The ANU awarded him a doctorate of law, and he is a visiting professor at the University of NSW and an adjunct professor at the University of Queensland.
A Reuters fellowship at Oxford University allowed him time to write his autobiography, And Now for Something Completely Different. He was a visiting fellow at Balliol College Oxford in 1995-96.
Robyn has written more than 10 books, the latest being a novel, 2007: a true story waiting to happen.
MC
Councillor Anna Reynolds was elected Lord Mayor of Hobart in November 2018, the third woman to be elected into the role. First elected as an Alderman to the City of Hobart in 2014, she was Chairperson of the Parks and Recreation Committee during her first term.
Anna began her career establishing a community legal centre in North Queensland, after completing her degree at the Australian National University. She has held senior roles in advocacy, policy development and management, including:
• Managing the Australian Conservation Foundation’s Parliament Liaison Office
• Deputy Director of WWF International’s Global Climate Change Program
• Chief Executive Officer of the Multicultural Council of Tasmania
As Lord Mayor, Anna is focused on a range of issues including affordable housing, climate change, active transport, and protecting Hobart’s heritage.
The Lord Mayor is currently chairperson for the Climate Futures and City Heritage portfolios.
Programming partners
A Seat at the Table
Beaker Street Festival’s pay-it-forward initiative, A Seat at the Table, helps make our science and art offerings accessible to those who can’t afford to purchase a ticket. When you buy a ticket you have the option to donate towards the cost of a stranger’s ticket. You won’t know who you’ve helped, but your donation will go directly to allowing someone else to access this great event.
If you’d like to request one or two free tickets, please let us know. If we can offer you a seat, we’ll notify you by email.
Theatre Royal Studio Theatre at The Hedberg
Opening in 1837, Hobart’s Theatre Royal has been the home of contemporary theatre in Tasmania for more than 185 years and is Australia’s oldest working theatre. This national treasure occupies an important place in the hearts of Tasmanians and many visitors to Hobart.
The newly opened Studio Theatre within The Hedberg is a state of the art venue suitable for a variety of performance formats. This contemporary performance space can seat up to 300 audience members and the intimacy of the theatre supports the story tellers and artists presenting in the theatre.
Eat and drink
There are three bars to choose from for a pre-show beverage: the Theatre Bar, Circle Bar and Studio Bar. The bars offer a selection of beverages and snacks for you to enjoy during the show. Food and drinks purchased from the bars are permitted inside the venue (excluding hot items). Cash and eftpos payment accepted. The venue is a licensed premise, and alcohol purchased elsewhere may not be brought onto or consumed on the premises.
Accessibility
Inside the main entrance a multi-level foyer space provides lift access to all levels. The Studio Theatre has dedicated seating options for wheelchair users and their guests, and there are accessible seating options in the Stalls. The Studio Theatre is equipped with an Assistive Hearing System and welcomes guests accompanied by guide, hearing or assistance dogs. Please call the Theatre Royal Box Office if you have any queries relating to access.
Corner of Campbell & Collins Streets, nipaluna/Hobart
Box Office: 03 6146 330
Walkthrough to the Studio Theatre for the Beaker Street Talks Program
The Theatre Royal entrance is located on the corner of Campbell Street and Collins Street. There are glass automatic doors into the level 1/ground floor foyer. These doors face the intersection at a 45 degree angle. The Theatre Royal is fully wheelchair accessible and has a very helpful team who can answer any questions.
From the automatic doors there are 15 stairs to level 2 or lift access to the left of the staircase, go to level 2 for the box office if you don’t have tickets otherwise go to level 4 for the Studio Theatre foyer, bar and Studio Theatre access. From the lifts on level 4, walk straight about 5 metres to the bar and/or turn right for accessible toilets
If taking the stairs walk up to level two and continue straight and then sharp right to the second set of stairs. Walk up these stairs then hard U-turn to the third floor foyer, continue round to the next set of stairs which will take you to the fourth floor foyer which is the Studio Theatre foyer, bar and Studio Theatre access. The bar is straight in front of you.
Bar:
Once at the Bar you can order a drink. There is wine, beer and simple spirits as well as soft drinks and nibbles. Feel free to ask the bar staff for the full menu.
Once facing the bar’s service area, turn left for the theatre entrance, which is about 10 metres straight.
Toilets:
After leaving the lifts head straight to the bar then turn right for accessible toilets.
If arriving via the stairs the accessible toilets are to the right of the bar.
The accessible toilets are gender neutral and we encourage that you use whichever toilet makes you feel comfortable.
Female toilets are to the left of the bar and male toilets are to the right of the Studio Theatre Access.
Theatre Entrance:
Once past the bar, continue straight for about 10 metres. You will go through two sets of doors which are staffed by Theatre Royal Front of House staff who will show you to your allocated seat.
Info Booth:
The Beaker Street Info Booth will be positioned 15 metres straight from the lift, or to the left of the top of the stairs. There will be volunteers behind a trestle table who can tell you about the talks, the rest of the Beaker Street program and how to navigate the Theatre Royal, as well as being all round good humans who love a chat.
After the Talks:
We invite you to head to the Festival Hub at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG) after each talk session. TMAG is located near the corner of Campbell Street and Macquarie Street. The Festival Hub @ TMAG is a free event with music, food, booze and lots of science. After each talk there will be music along Campbell Street leading you to TMAG- follow the Points of Sound!
When in doubt please ask our wonderful volunteers, they are equipped with lots of information!