2019
Seduction
ABC Radio // The Stage Show
All the world’s a stage at the Melbourne Fringe
Fringe festivals often take theatregoers out of their comfort zones, but increasingly they’re taking theatregoers out of the theatre, too.
We meet two groups of theatre makers taking their work beyond the proscenium at this year's Melbourne Fringe.
Using a convoy of compact cars, Seduction by Gold Satino presents audiences with a drive-in/drive-by performance in and around Docklands, while The Very Good Looking Initiative reimagines St. Kilda as an Australia through the looking-glass in their Batmania Bus Tour, part of a double bill with Batmania Expo '19 at Theatreworks.
Find the full audio here and below.
2018
this is grayson
Witness Performance // Review by Alison Croggon
"What follows is a series of encounters in different locations. The “in between” is a queer space where we find the lonely, the alone, the marginalised. Our characters are non-binary, often forlorn, sometimes joyous, sometimes mysteriously hostile. There’s a man running beside the road, carrying a luminous blue bag, eating a sandwich by a street sign. A white-robed figure running towards us along a path in the distance, followed by someone with a blindingly bright light. A delightful posse of dancing emus. Glimpses of a heartbroken lover, to the accompaniment of Adele’s Someone Like You.”
“There were a couple of sublime moments when the everyday intersected with our strange journey through the in-between. Two patrons exiting a gym stood with their mouths open as performers in costume pressed themselves against the mininus windows. And at one point a couple of police on patrol started following us. There was no doubt there was suspicious activity going on.”
Full text available here.
Gully Thompson // Review
Gully Thompson, then 13, was the resident reviewer for the XS Program for young audiences at Melbourne Fringe 2018.
“This is Grayson is possibly the most unique piece of children’s theatre I’ve ever seen. It’s so wonderfully abstract, so strange and so nonsensical that in some way… it makes perfect sense.”
“The whole thing is so strangely out of place, it’s kind of terrific.”
“When you see this show, you are seeing the world through this young girl’s eyes. And, I know I have to be professional about my views on these pieces, but it’s just SO FREAKING GOOD!!! The ideas, the execution, the abstract vibes, every bit of this show is the essence of pure genius.”
“This is Grayson is all about seeing the world in a new light. The show is about different understandings, new perspectives, which is why the show just can’t be defined. It’s not about a structured storyline, it’s about imagination. So, to truly experience This is Grayson, you would need to see it for yourself. You need to figure out what it means for yourself. So, if you ever get the chance, do so. Go find out for yourself what Grayson truly is.”
Full text available here.
DIon, Adelaide Tour
Glam Adelaide // Review
“Writer, director, performer and ‘emotionally unavailable’, Davina April Wright, has hit the nail on the head with this relatable journey into her own story of heartbreak.”
“This is a show that you are likely to experience only once in a lifetime and has limited tickets, so book ahead and buckle yourself in (literally) for a performance that will stay with you long after the ride is over.”
★★★★ Full text here.
The Advertiser // Review
“I am completely engrossed in the experience; crying from laughter at the absurdity, then white-knuckle terrified, and left completely unsettled.”
★★★★ Full text here.
The Adelaide Review // Review
“Dion takes its backseat audience into laneways, carparks and industrial yards in a series of surreal and literal scenes played out by a dedicated and superbly organised cast. The car’s headlights frame many of these scenes, giving them a stark, dream-like quality, while the in-car soundtrack adds vibe with music and context through Wright’s piercing, self-deprecating dialogue.”
“At times hilarious and deeply unsettling at others, Dion succeeds in building and releasing tension in its audience over and over again. The backseat perspective adds a cinematic feeling to the action too, with scenes framed by the windscreen, and occasional flashes of feeling that one is inside some kind of indie-film montage. It also forces the audience to reconsider those who inhabit the streets they’re travelling through. Who is a part of the show and who isn’t?”
Full text here.
Broadsheet // What to see at Adelaide Fringe 2018
Full text here.
Radio Adelaide // Arts Breakfast
Lisa Harper Campbell chats to Davina and Cazz about Dion at Adelaide Fringe.
Listen here.
Pedestrian // 8 Must-See 2018 Adelaide Fringe Events That Peeps Are Frothing About
Full text here.
2016
DIon
The Age // Review by Cameron Woodhead
“The idea of drive-by theatre may not be unique to the company … but these artists have perfected the form.”
“A highlight of this year's festival, Dion is many things: a fringe lesbian revenge art grenade, an absurd trip to heartbreak and back again and (thanks to some brilliant location scouting) a magical mystery tour of North Melbourne's secret corners.”
★★★★ Full text here.