The Dictionary of Lost Words

Schedule

Thu May 15 2025 at 07:30 pm to 10:15 pm

UTC+10:00

Location

Canberra Theatre Centre, Civic Square/London Cct, Canberra, ACT, Australia, Australian Capital Territory 2601 | Canberra, CT

Advertisement
In 1901, the word bondmaid was discovered to be missing from the Oxford English Dictionary. The Dictionary of Lost Words is the story of the girl who stole it.
South Australian novelist Pip Williams’ internationally best-selling book, comes to vivid life in this critically acclaimed stage adaptation by South Australian playwright, Verity Laughton.
Motherless and ever curious, Esme spends her childhood in the Scriptorium – the “Scrippy”, a converted garden shed in Oxford where her father and a team of lexicographers guided by Dr James Murray are gathering words for the very first Oxford English Dictionary.
She hides beneath the sorting table and catches a word on a “slip” as it falls and soon, she finds other words that have been neglected by the men. Here begins Esme’s collection of her own: the Dictionary of Lost Words.
As the years pass, Esme realises that little importance is placed on recording the words and meanings relating to women’s experiences and as her world expands and her circle of friends grows – actresses, suffragettes, market traders, workers, she realises the power in their silenced voices and decides to lend them hers. And on the way, she comes to understand the many meanings of the word “love”.
Advertisement

Where is it happening?

Canberra Theatre Centre, Civic Square/London Cct, Canberra, ACT, Australia, Australian Capital Territory 2601

Event Location & Nearby Stays:

Canberra Theatre Centre

Host or Publisher Canberra Theatre Centre

It's more fun with friends. Share with friends

Discover More Events in Canberra

2025 AOGKF Black and Brown Belt Gasshuku
Sat Jun 14 2025 at 08:00 am 2025 AOGKF Black and Brown Belt Gasshuku

Namadgi School

Templo Theatre Presents - All That Glitters - Dinner and Show
Sat Jul 06 2024 at 06:00 pm Templo Theatre Presents - All That Glitters - Dinner and Show

Templo Theatre

ART THEATRE
PUBLIC SPEAKING WORKSHOP - CANBERRA
Sat Aug 10 2024 at 10:00 am PUBLIC SPEAKING WORKSHOP - CANBERRA

Canberra Centre

ART WORKSHOPS
Theorizing Transmission in Chinese Political Thought
Tue Nov 05 2024 at 05:00 pm Theorizing Transmission in Chinese Political Thought

Auditorium, Australian Centre on China in the World, Building 188, Fellows Lane The Australian National University Acton, ACT 2601

ART LITERARY-ART
Colleen Doran - Exclusive signing and Q&A
Tue Nov 05 2024 at 05:00 pm Colleen Doran - Exclusive signing and Q&A

16 Garema Place, Canberra, ACT, Australia, Australian Capital Territory 2601

ART LITERARY-ART
Workshop | Poetic Relief: Mixed Media Wall Sculptures | Mariana del Castillo
Tue Nov 05 2024 at 05:30 pm Workshop | Poetic Relief: Mixed Media Wall Sculptures | Mariana del Castillo

Level 1, North Building, 180 London Circuit Civic, Canberra, ACT, Australia, Australian Capital Territory 2608

WORKSHOPS ART
Alex Jelinek and Canberra's Round House | Talk, Growing Up Modern
Wed Nov 06 2024 at 01:00 pm Alex Jelinek and Canberra's Round House | Talk, Growing Up Modern

Canberra Museum and Gallery

ART EXHIBITIONS
Crimes of the Future (2022) | Science. Art. Film. [FREE Screening + Panel Discussion]
Wed Nov 06 2024 at 06:00 pm Crimes of the Future (2022) | Science. Art. Film. [FREE Screening + Panel Discussion]

NFSA Canberra

ART ENTERTAINMENT
Waru - journey of the small turtle
Thu Nov 07 2024 at 10:30 am Waru - journey of the small turtle

Canberra Theatre Centre

ART THEATRE
Art for Pre-schoolers | A little look at art
Thu Nov 07 2024 at 10:30 am Art for Pre-schoolers | A little look at art

Parkes Place East Canberra, ACT, Australia, Australian Capital Territory 2600

ART KIDS
Workshop | Sketching in the Urban Biome | Sally Black
Thu Nov 07 2024 at 12:00 pm Workshop | Sketching in the Urban Biome | Sally Black

Level 1, North Building, 180 London Circuit Civic, Canberra, ACT, Australia, Australian Capital Territory 2608

ART FINE-ARTS
Strings & Things: Friends Collection Viewing
Thu Nov 07 2024 at 05:30 pm Strings & Things: Friends Collection Viewing

National Library of Australia

MUSIC ART
Workshop | Textile transformations: Queer threads | Henry Shawcross
Thu Nov 07 2024 at 05:30 pm Workshop | Textile transformations: Queer threads | Henry Shawcross

Level 1, North Building, 180 London Circuit Civic, Canberra, ACT, Australia, Australian Capital Territory 2608

WORKSHOPS ART
Workshop | Personal Memento Assemblage | Harrison Le Li\u00e8vre
Thu Nov 07 2024 at 05:30 pm Workshop | Personal Memento Assemblage | Harrison Le Lièvre

Level 1, North Building, 180 London Circuit Civic, Canberra, ACT, Australia, Australian Capital Territory 2608

WORKSHOPS ART
Richard Larter: Free Radical and Riffing On official opening
Thu Nov 07 2024 at 06:00 pm Richard Larter: Free Radical and Riffing On official opening

Drill Hall Gallery

ART EXHIBITIONS
Queer Reads - SpringOUT
Thu Nov 07 2024 at 06:00 pm Queer Reads - SpringOUT

Shop H41-42 The Marketplace, 33 Hibberson St, Gungahlin, ACT, Australia, Australian Capital Territory 2912

ART LITERARY-ART
Richard Larter: Free Radical
Fri Nov 08 2024 at 10:00 am Richard Larter: Free Radical

Drill Hall Gallery

ART EXHIBITIONS
 Riffing On: Pat Larter\u2019s Rhythms and Pete Maloney\u2019s Blues
Fri Nov 08 2024 at 10:00 am Riffing On: Pat Larter’s Rhythms and Pete Maloney’s Blues

Drill Hall Gallery

ART EXHIBITIONS
Art Talk | Deborah Hart on Lindy Lee\u2019s Ouroboros
Fri Nov 08 2024 at 12:00 pm Art Talk | Deborah Hart on Lindy Lee’s Ouroboros

Parkes Place East, Canberra, ACT, Australia, Australian Capital Territory 2600

ART EXHIBITIONS
Workshop | Yarn Sticks with Harry\u2019s Clarry  (Kamilaroi)
Fri Nov 08 2024 at 03:30 pm Workshop | Yarn Sticks with Harry’s Clarry (Kamilaroi)

Canberra Centre

WORKSHOPS ART

What's Happening Next in Canberra?

Discover Canberra Events