Guttered
EVENT NOW OVER
When did you last go bowling? Feeling a bit rusty? Maybe you’re a beginner? How would you feel if gutter guards and ramps were installed before you even threw your first ball – removing any possibility of failure, but also any chance of real achievement?
Welcome to Guttered, where Restless Dance Theatre transforms a bowling alley into a visceral exploration of disability, dignity, and the right to take risks. This isn’t your typical contemporary dance performance – it’s an immersive, paradigm-shifting experience where you become part of the action, sitting right amongst the lanes, eavesdropping on intimate exchanges, barracking for your team, and maybe even taking a shot yourself.
Well-intentioned “help” that smothers potential growth is something people with disability encounter all too often. The denial of the dignity of risk – the fundamental human right to try, fail, learn and grow – is just one of many themes playfully explored in this witty, intelligent and surprisingly emotional work. You enter, take in the unmistakable bowling alley vibe, maybe grab some chips, then go find your team.
You’ll witness fights and love duets. You’ll get showered with popcorn. You’ll see bodies move in ways that challenge every assumption about what dance can be and who gets to do it.
This is contemporary dance that invites you to grab some chips, find your lane, get involved in the game, and walk away with a message that will stick with you long after the final pin falls. It’s massive fun with genuine heart – and it might just change how you see the world.
Glory or shame. Your shot to take.
Sessions & Times
There are no upcoming events for this program.
Extra things to know
Restless Dance Theatre is Australia’s leading creator and collaborator of dance theatre by dancers with and without disability. Led by Artistic Director Michelle Ryan, an award-winning artist with disability, Restless creates loud, strong, and original dance theatre nationally and internationally. The work is collaboratively devised, inclusive and informed by disability.
Their artists invigorate, influence, and diversify Australian dance, bringing together artists with diverse minds, bodies, and imaginations to create contemporary dance theatre from everyday lived experiences – manifested into beautiful art, embedding inclusion into screens, stages and unexpected places. Restless Dance Theatre is a place where diversity is celebrated, and all artists thrive creatively.
Based in Adelaide, Restless Dance Theatre has been pushing boundaries in contemporary dance for over 30 years, creating work that tours nationally and internationally while maintaining deep community connections.
iPlay is located in the basement level of Westfield Whitford City at the corner of Marmion Avenue and Whitfords Avenue in Hillarys. The venue is beneath Event Cinemas in the shopping complex.
Ample free undercover parking is available, with the nearest access via Whitfords Avenue or Endeavour Road. Public transport users can catch bus routes 460, 461, or 462 from Whitfords Train Station.
The performance takes place in iPlay’s 8-lane bowling alley transformed into an intimate theatrical space. The venue is located in the basement level of the shopping centre, with lift access from higher floors. The shopping centre and venue are fully wheelchair accessible with accessible amenities throughout.
The show on Thursday 19 March (6:00pm session) will feature Auslan interpretation.
Guttered features loud sounds, bright and changing lights, and compelling audio throughout. The immersive nature means you’ll be close to the performers and the action, creating an energetic, sensory-rich environment that’s part of the show’s impact.
Doors will open 30 minutes before each show.
Following the Wednesday 18 March performance, we invite you to stay and join Michelle Ryan, Artistic Director of Restless Dance Theatre and Director of Guttered, alongside some of the Guttered performers, for a conversation about the work.
This is a wonderful opportunity to go deeper into the ideas behind the show — the themes, the process, and the people who brought it to life.
The Q&A will be held immediately after the performance. No extra booking required.
Inside iPlay Whitfords is a Baskin-Robbins, which will be open before and after the presentation. After the show, head upstairs to The Piazza – Westfield Whitford City’s vibrant dining hub featuring lots of restaurants and cafés, including:
- Whitfords Brewing Co – Microbrewery with one of WA’s longest bars, rooftop terrace, pub-style food and craft beers
- Bangkok Brothers – Popular casual Thai bar and eatery from Northbridge
- Grill’d Burgers – Gourmet burgers perfect for post-show casual dining
- Guzman y Gomez – Fast-casual Mexican
- Miss Chow’s – Asian fusion dining
- Jersey Jack Gelato – Artisan gelato and crazy gelato cones
- Dough Pizza – Traditional Italian wood-fired pizzas
Performing arts fans, school groups (offers educational content about disability and inclusion), dance students, disability sector workers, families seeking inclusive arts experiences, anyone who wants to see contemporary dance that breaks every rule.
Program details
17 March 2026 - 19 March 2026
Adults: $18.00
Children under 12: $10.00
All ages