In July last year, Kim Carpenter announced that Theatre of Image, the visual theatre company he had run for 30 years, was closing. A big farewell party was held at NIDA in September at which Carpenter unveiled a 100-page anniversary book tracing the history of Theatre of Image and all the productions it had performed, among them Hansel & Gretel… A Tale of Our Times, Jake and Pete – A Road Story for Cats!!, Monkey… Journey to the West, The Book of Everything (produced with Belvoir), and The Happy Prince, among numerous others.

Carpenter had already been commissioned by The Australian Ballet to design a new production of The Happy Prince, choreographed by Graeme Murphy, which the two of them have adapted from Oscar Wilde’s famous story. Originally scheduled to open last year, it was delayed when Murphy became ill, and now has its premiere in Brisbane on February 25, with seasons following in Melbourne from August 28, and Sydney from November 27.

Kim Carpenter. Photograph supplied

Since the announcement of the closure of Theatre of Image various other commissions have come Carpenter’s way. “Everyone is talking about 2021, of course, but I knew...