Award for backstage maestro

THEATRE designer Jon Bowling has won this year’s Tasmanian Theatre Lifetime Achievement Award.

The industry-nominated award acknowledges the exceptional contribution of an individual to the theatrical performing arts in Tasmania.

“It’s a huge honour and surprise, having spent 40 years in the industry,” Mr Bowling said. He studied engineering and drafting at Hobart Technical College and worked for the Forestry Commission before undertaking industrial design, majoring in theatre, at the Advanced College of Education in the 1970s.

He has created sets and props for more than 300 theatre, film and television productions, including The Kettering Incident, The Gloaming and Rosehaven.

“The production values overall have improved dramatically over the years. The sound is a lot better and the sets, designs and costumes are a lot more professional,” he said.

“I love the immediacy of theatre work and the fact everything has to be right on the night. You haven’t got a second chance.

“I work a lot in film as well, and if anything goes wrong you just do it again.”