A world-class theatre company working exclusively with performers living with disability has paid tribute to its founder, Flinders University alumna Helen Flinter-Leach.

Ms Flinter-Leach established No Strings in 1994 shortly after graduating from Flinders with a drama degree. The not-for-profit organisation grew to produce award-winning productions with local, national and international tours, providing opportunity and access to any role, at any level.

Approaching the City of Norwood St Peters & Payneham for funding, No Strings’ first production, ‘Norwood at Work’ was a short puppetry piece that centred on the history of work in Norwood. Over the years to follow, Ms Flinter-Leach worked hard to ensure the longevity of the company by sourcing grants and funding to produce productions, and hiring theatre producers to create new works and collaborate with the company’s actors.

Sadly Ms Flinter-Leach left the organisation four years later due to illness, but No Strings continued to build on her vision and legacy. As her health failed, she remained very interested in the accomplishments of No Strings.

Kari Seeley, Acting CEO of No-Strings says: “Building on the last 26 years – from the extraordinary vision of our Founder, delivered through several Artistic Directors and all of our amazing performers, No Strings has undertaken local, national, and international tours, and now, in 2020, in the midst of a global pandemic, our amazing team have successfully supported our artists to transition to an online format for our weekly workshops.

“This shift has opened up new doors for us to take Helen’s vision global, with two new online international collaborations underway, with artists with disability living in Singapore and South Korea.”

Ms Flinter-Leach is survived by her family, including son Justin, daughter Emma and grand-children Grace, Max, Eleanor, Miranda and Nessa.