Sleepy Town is the story of the fictional 'Sleepy Town Experiment' as told by the surviving children. 

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Wanting to control the mischief-making tendencies of today's youth, scientists devise an experiment where willing parents can raise their children in a replica 1940's town called 'Sanctuary'. All they have to do is release the nozzle of a gas tank hidden in the walls of their child's bedroom, every night at 6pm. The children unknowingly inhale the sleepy gas and drift off into a pleasant, uninterrupted slumber for twelve whole hours. Combined with a lifestyle free from the distractions of TV, rock and roll, and the internet, for over a decade, the youth of Sanctuary have proved that the wholesome environment of this simpler time holds the key to healthy, happy families.

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But, something happened. There were several incidents. And the children started waking up. Sleepy Town is the re-enactment of these incidents and the eventual collapse of this bold experiment.

 

Stylistically, this piece purposefully places detailed, character-led scenes that could stand-alone, alongside scenes of narrative that allow experimentation with movement and delivery. 

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A play about the ethics of nurture, overbearing parenting and youthful awakening, Sleepy Town was developed with the thirteen members of the Queensland Theatre Junior Youth Ensemble in 2018. It was presented as a Work in Progress showing at Queensland Theatre in November, 2018.