Founded in 2011 by Artistic Director Louise Howlett, ReAction Theatre is dedicated to creating innovative, boundary-pushing performance works for diverse audiences. Our approach embraces both multimedia and minimalist forms, spanning scripted and devised theatre while remaining rooted in core values: multi-vocal collaboration, the body and voice as central storytelling tools, a commitment to asking rather than answering, and the belief in theatre’s power to foster collective experience and embodied citizenship.

We believe that theatre is so important that it needs to include all of us.

Our track record includes producing bold, original works such as the sold-out seasons of TOBY and La Souris Blanche at La Mama Theatre, the acclaimed short play series At the Water’s Edge…, the world premiere of Heart Thy Neighbour by Camilla Maxwell, and Appropriate Kissing for All Occasions by David Finnigan, which was hailed as “…utterly brilliant” by the AU Review. Through our work, we continue to challenge conventions, amplify diverse voices, and expand the possibilities of live performance.

We have been dedicated to developing our most ambitious and technically complex work yet—Secret of the Raft. This bilingual French/English theatrical experience merges projection mapping, installation, and live performance to reimagine the iconic French painting The Raft of the Medusa in a powerful new way.

Industry Recognition

• 2025 - Artistic Director, Louise Howlett, will present Secret of the Raft at World Stage Design 2025 (WSD25) and Scenofest in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.

• 2024 - Artistic Director, Louise Howlett, selected to present at the Prague Quadrennial Symposium in Prague.

• 2024 - Secret of the Raft selected for a pitch presentation at the Australian Performing Arts Exchange (APAX) conference.

• 2023 - Nominated for the French/Australian Excellence awards through Le Courrier Australien.

• 2023 - Artistic Director, Louise Howlett, presents Secret of the Raft at the Communicating the Arts conference in Singapore.

• 2023 - Recipient of Createch Digital Enterprise mentoring through REMIX and Creative Australia (Australia Council for the Arts).

• 2022 - Recipient of an Odyssée Residency through the Association des Centres culturels de rencontre (ACCR) and the French Ministry of Culture.

• 2021 - Presenter at the Children, Youth, and Performance Conference held in partnership with York University and Young People’s Theatre, Toronto.

• 2020 - Recipient of a City of Melbourne grant for TOBY.

• 2020 - Recipient of Creative Victoria funding for Secret of the Raft.

• 2017 - Recipient of MatchLab funding through Creative Partnerships Australia.

• 2016 - Secret of the Raft shortlisted for script development with Playwriting Australia (Australian Plays Transforms).

• 2016 - Recipient of an Arena Theatre Company Residency.

ReAction Theatre creates work on the traditional land of the people of the Kulin Nation. We give our respect to the Elders of these traditional lands and all First Nations people past, present, and emerging. ReAction Theatre acknowledges that this land was stolen and that sovereignty was never ceded.