Steve Waugh’s final test

Glenn Morgan focuses on the grandstands that form the vital infrastructure and backdrop for defining moments of the spectacle. More than anything, they are reminiscent of toy theatres. Structurally they often present a shallow, stage-like space. Rows of figures are arranged across a small platform in the same way that the cut-out figures of a toy theatre are moved in from the wings. Tiny voice balloons create a sense of a cast of thousands delivering their lines in a rather ramshackle play. Using the dioramic model, Morgan's mini-theatres memorialise famous events such as Steve Waugh's final test at the MCG or an AFL premiership cup presentation. These auspicious events have their own rituals of recognition, appreciation and reward, all of which considerably enhance sport?s theatrical resonances.