Category: Festivals

Melbourne Fringe 2016: BIG TOPS AND TINY TOTS

Dynamic and endearing school holiday entertainment

By Kim Edwards

Luth Wolfe can do magic. And I don’t just mean her nice slight-of-hand and neat balancing tricks – I mean, this woman can keep several dozen highly excited preschoolers and preps under her spell for nearly an hour. From the moment her energised and eager audience entered the drafty Emerald City performance space at the North Melbourne Meat Market performance venue, Wolfe made herself the centre of their attention with easy charm and cute banter. Only one small critic initially preferred to sit with mum in the seating behind while his peers made themselves at home on the stage, and even he changed his mind before long and also came to sit open-mouthed and engrossed at Wolfe’s feet.

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Big Tops and Tiny Tots is a slick, witty and well-constructed circus show aimed at kids aged 3 -6 that has been touring preschools and kindergartens before settling in for a 2016 Melbourne Fringe season. Wolfe talks to and with her young audience skillfully, making eye contact, getting down to their level, and keeping their attention constantly focused as she invites responses, reactions and interactions. Her chatting and clowning put the kids quickly at their ease: they were on side and laughing just with her initial play at trying to put on her hat. The performance delivers a well-balanced (pun intended) showcase of circus skills, including juggling, magic, comedy, unicycling, hula-hooping, mime and plate-spinning, and each act is nicely set up in showing the kids how to appreciate the trick, and escalating the skills demonstrated.

I also admired the subtle didactic elements Wolfe works in, explaining abilities, playing the fool to allow the kids to correct her, introducing boundaries and safety rules, and – particularly in a screen-time world – teaching the next generation of live-theatre patrons how to be an audience, all in fun and funny ways.

There is lots to love about this show: Wolfe is a talented performer and comedian, and her experience and enthusiasm are palpable. My one significant criticism – and I’m ambivalent about it – would be the flat-rate price. As a theatre-maker, I believe passionately in supporting artists and that kids’ performers often have to work even harder to engage their audience, but as a mum, I know no concession or discount makes it difficult for bigger families to enjoy such outings.

That said, Big Tops and Tiny Tots is a great little live show for the mere price of a movie ticket, your kids will love it, and they might even have the chance for a starring role as well.

Most importantly though, this was the critique of my esteemed reviewing colleague:

My favourite thing was the hula hoops. She also did funny things with her hat, and on a big wheel. She made me laugh! (Miss Four)

See?

Magic, I tell you.

 

VENUE: Emerald City – Meat Market

5 Blackwood St, Melbourne

DATES: September 17 – 18th  & 20 – 25th

TIME: 1.30pm

TICKETS: Visit melbournefringe.com.au

All tickets: $14.99

Image by Jayrow Photography

N. B. Bear in mind the venue is chilly, the coffee van isn’t open until after the show, and there was some fire-exit access concerns expressed about taking in prams, so arm yourselves with warm clothes, drink bottles, and other carry options for younger siblings.

 

Melbourne Fringe 2016: THE THICK OF IT

Smashingly awesome

By Myron My

Emily Taylor is one of those performers you can watch on stage for hours. Her skillful storytelling and authentic characters are captivating, to say the least, and ensure her performances will leave you feeling more connected to yourself and questioning what you value in life in ways you wouldn’t expect. Performed as part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival, The Thick Of It is Taylor’s newest show and it is one not to be missed.

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We begin with Taylor – acting as more herself than one of her overt “characters” – having recently moved into a new apartment on her own and being excited over the prospects this brings. She has choices and options now: she can watch Netflix all day or go play with puppies, so many choices indeed.

It is then Taylor begins to slowly introduce the other inhabitants of The Thick Of It and her nuanced story-telling skills begin to surface. Taylor has fewer characters than previous shows, which allows us to learn more about them and gain a deeper insight into what makes them tick. These include Miles; an elderly man who wishes his neighbour would stop leaving home-cooked meals for him outside his front door, and Kyra; an obnoxiously loud, successful realtor who thinks she’s the life of the party (when she’s just obnoxiously loud).

Through these stories, a running theme gradually emerges: loneliness. All these people are experiencing loneliness in its various guises. They are all looking for – or yearning for – that connection to another. At one point, with Taylor playing the “straight” character from the opening moments, you almost see parts of the other characters coming through for just the briefest of moments. Whether this is intentional or something imagined, it reminds me that we are all the same, that despite our outward difference, we ultimately all want the same thing in life and that is to love and to be loved.

Comedy doesn’t always have to be shtick and gags: it can also be intelligent, moving, and make you think, and Taylor is highly adept at creating such sophisticated shows. The stories may not be nicely wrapped up in the end, but then neither is real life. In one regard, it’s nicer to leave The Thick Of It with our own endings for these characters we’ve come to know and appreciate: hopefully ones where everything turns out for the better.

Venue: The Butterfly Club, 5 Carson Place, Melbourne
Season: until 25 September| Thurs – Sun 8.30pm
Length: 60 minutes
Tickets: $32 Full | $28 Conc |  $25 Groups 6+
Bookings: Melbourne Fringe Festival

Melbourne Fringe 2016: NOT ANOTHER INDIE CABARET

Stunning voice, sly wit, and blithely Bohemian

By Joana Simmons

Indie. Urban Dictionary defines it as “an obscure form of rock which you only learn about from someone slightly more hip than yourself”. Wikipedia says it “is a shortform of “independence” or “independent” and it may refer to social action, collections of individuals creating media for change”. In Jessamae St James’ new work Not Another Indie Cabaret, through her sweet harmonics, live-looping and full-power vocals she has the sold-out opening night audience with her the whole way through her self-deprecating reflection, celebration of wine and what it makes you do on ebay, and shout out to times when she is being an actual adult.

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Jessamae begins by live-looping an epic opening number which involves playing four instruments and satirical lyrics detailing all the clichés you see in cabaret. Does she even indie? Clearly. See, she is on a mission not to perform ‘just’ another indie cabaret. She wants to exceed expectations, and boy, does she ever. From the moment she opens her mouth, I am swept up in her voice and her sparkly stage presence. The satirical storytelling and original songs accompanied by obscure instruments (enter omnichord and trumpet kazoo) have us applauding and laughing in equal measure. The transitions between singing and speaking are slick, and she dives in and out of song in a way that makes me wonder if it’s going to be different every night, it’s that natural. Her skill range is mega: relaxed witty banter, poems that have great set-up and even better pay-off and a cluster of fantastic props she made herself. There are many great moments in this show- my favourites being the spoken word piece about being gluten-free (soooo indie, or s’indie; as the cool kids say apparently) and the song about singing mezzo soprano- I mean, it wouldn’t be a cabaret without one.

Being Fringe, tech and set up time is minimal, and the minor glitch that the show did have with Mavis, her loop machine, was handled so professionally I wasn’t actually sure whether it was all part of the performance. The limited amount of lights in The Butterfly Club’s intimate downstairs theatre were used very well to help set the various tones, though at one point I found it a little difficult to see the artist. The sound was seamless – with backing tracks magically weaving into her live accompaniment. Director Steven Gates (Tripod) ought to be very chuffed as it all came together in a tight glittery bow.

We are lucky to have so much talent and variety bubbling in the Melbourne Fringe Cabaret cauldron. If you are lucky, you will get a ticket to this one- it’s a refreshing look and delicious night out. Jessamae St James’ authentic artistry combined with her killer voice means this show is definitely not ‘just’ another Indie Cabaret.

Event Details
The Butterfly Club presents NOT ANOTHER INDIE CABARET 
VENUE: The Butterfly Club
Carson Place, Off Little Collins Street, Melbourne

DATES: Tuesday 20 – Sunday 25 September, 2016 The Butterfly Club
TIME: 8.30pm (50 minutes)
TICKETS: Tickets $25 – $32
BOOKINGS: www.thebutterflyclub.com

Image by Rachel Mia

Melbourne Fringe 2016: AND THEN THERE WERE NOT AS MANY

A murder-mystery parody for every body

By Myron My

For fans of Agatha Christie or Cluedo, And Then There Were Not As Many is the Melbourne Fringe Festival show for you. Using as many as possible of the murder-mystery tropes at its disposal, the show revolves around a group of strangers invited to a secluded, large, dark manor for a party that they will be dying to leave.

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And Then There Were Not As Many does not take itself seriously at all; in fact, I would put it under the “It’s so bad, it’s good” category. Actors stumble through lines and break character quite a few times but it’s clear they are having a good time on stage and enjoying playing their characters and with each other, so we in turn enjoy watching them crack a smile when they should be shocked.

Written by – and starring – Melbourne comedian Duff, the narrative is very loose and if you focus too much on it, you see more plot holes in the story than in the bullet holes in the body of the murder victim. The humour is very cringe-worthy but again, the actors make it work because they are relishing their lines and the opportunity to have fun with them.

Ben Volchok does a great job as the deadpan butler and Nicky Barry as the socialite with a few secrets (and dead husbands) up her sleeve is a crack up. Rounding out the cast is Sofie Prints, Frank Hampster, Adam Jacobs and Darren Lever, the former playing the bumbling film noir-esque Detective who attempts to solve the murders with the help of his shiny badge.

In a story that manages to reference killer lions, crazy lamas, dead bears and gassed badgers, as well as a handful of murders, And Then There Were Not As Many bring you genuine laughter for some parts and eye-rolling laughter for the others. While this is definitely not everyone’s cup of tea for performance or comedy, it was an overall enjoyable experience.

(NB: Due to the show running 15 minutes later than the schedule time, I was unfortunately forced to miss the denoument to make my next review commitment.)

Venue: Highlander Bar, 11A Highlander Lane, Melbourne
Season: until 24 September | 7.15pm
Length: 60 minutes
Tickets: $23 Full | $18 Conc
Bookings: Melbourne Fringe Festival

Melbourne Fringe 2016: BREATHING CORPSES

Death comes as an end

By Myron My

Breathing Corpses is an award-winning 2005 play by British playwright Laura Wade, and the current production presented by One Little Room as part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival. The play begins with death and ends in death: a circle of death that no one can escape from, and it makes for a very interesting premise.

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The show revolves around seven characters who are all linked by a series of deaths and murders. How they are linked and who dies is cleverly explored in the play, and once the penny drops as to what is actually going on, you begin to see the work as an extremely intelligent and sophisticated offering by Wade.

Despite references to local places, the events in Breathing Corpses could easily have taken place in any contemporary environment or location, so while the effort the cast puts into their English accents is admirable, they are unfortunately not the strongest or most convincing that I’ve heard. For a deeper level of intimacy and connectivity with the material, I feel more time and effort could have been spent on building the keystones of their characters.

Nonetheless, there are some good performances in the show including Jordan Brough as Ray who adds some light comedy to the often serious and dark nature of the show, and Jaq Avery as Amy the maid,who seems to have a run of bad luck with dead bodies. In contrast though, the scene between Kate and Ben (Alice Daly and Stephen Frost) seems disconnected, and the energy between the two actors doesn’t quite match. If anything, I felt the roles required more anger from Daly and for Frost to tone the emotion and shouting down a little and explore other ways to show his character’s rage.

For the most part, the direction by Brenda Addie was thoughtful, but I admit there seemed to be a lot of aimless pacing throughout. There needs to be more overt reason to have these people walking up and down the narrow stage as they speak, beyond just giving them something physical to do.

The set design by Valentina Serebrennikova, while simple, is quite effective, with a row of sharp kitchen knives stabbed into pieces of wood creating the rectangular performance space the characters are trapped within and the various uses of a metallic bench top trolley which are well-executed. The site-specific production’s venue is also appropriate and atmospheric, confined within a cold, near empty warehouse (blankets are provided).

Breathing Corpses is an entertaining piece of theatre that examines our relationships to death and how quickly the end can come for anyone. It’s a great venture for this relatively new theatre company and I look forward with deadly earnest to what they come up with next.

Venue: Candyland, 224 Normanby Ave, Thornbury

Season: until 1 October | Mon – Sat 7.30pm
Length: 80 minutes
Tickets: $35 Full | $30 Conc | $20 Groups 5+

Bookings: Melbourne Fringe Festival

Melbourne Fringe 2016: THE MAZE

A powerfully disturbing and impressively affecting experience

By Myron My

As a young white man, I have never had to worry about walking home alone at night. In fact, I have done it often, in the early hours of the morning, and sometimes after a few too many drinks. Unlike most women, I’ve never had to worry if someone is following me, if someone has looked at me for a moment too long, or about being careful how I react when a stranger approaches me to tell me I am beautiful. Made for one audience member at a time, the immersive theatre piece presented by The Honeytrap for this year’s Melbourne Fringe Festival, The Maze, allows me to experience this for the first time through the thoughts of a woman walking alone – and it left me significantly troubled and concerned.

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The show begins with writer/director Kasey Gambling meeting with me to go through a checklist to make sure I am fit to walk alone. My neckline is high, I am wearing flat shoes – but I must be cautious of my hair as it is long enough for a man to use to grab me. I also do not have my nail-polish that detects date-rape drugs that may be dropped into my drink, nor am I carrying an anti-rape condom. Despite these issues, I am deemed fit to walk home – but should  proceed carefully.

I don a pair of headphones and stand a few metres from a lone girl, Libby (Libby Brockman) at the tram stop. Through the headphones, I hear her thoughts, conversations, and texts that she sends. As she begins her walk, I witness first hand the harassment and objectification the character receives from strangers. The Maze runs to a strict time schedule and all the actors (including Stephen Whiley, Jez Hunghanfoo and Travis Pemberton) ensure that this is achieved.

I am also very conscious of the fact that I am following this woman and while she does not acknowledge me, I can’t help but wonder what a creep I must look to anyone watching me watching her. As an audience member and reviewer I am intently viewing the performance; to an outsider, I am some weirdo leering at a woman.

Gambling explores the issues around violence against women in an intelligent and honest way. There are numerous times throughout as I am following Libby that the audio (by sound designer Gavin Ingham) tellingly cuts to “commercials” advertising women’s safety products or to factual pieces of news, such as when Det. Insp Mick Hughes stated women were not safe alone in parks after the killing of Melbourne schoolgirl Masa Vukotic.

Gambling also builds skillfully on the suspense of the narrative, gradually dropping hints throughout the walk that have you thinking this story had begun well before you joined it, but you don’t realise what you are being led to is until it actually happens – and it almost stops you in your tracks.

I’ve been very fortunate that each of the immersive theatre events I have attended so far for Melbourne Fringe Festival have been unique, and each with a clear objective in mind -and The Maze is another great example. This site-specific performance explores the threats and dangers a woman faces just for being a woman and as the show concludes, I am let out into the night, alone and unsettled, and must begin to process what I have just seen.

Venue: Joe Taylor (meet at front) 7 Errol St, North Melbourne, 3051
Season: until 2 October | Tues – Sun 6.30pm, 7.30pm, 8.30pm, 9.30pm
Length: 40 minutes
Tickets: $25 Full | $20 Conc
Bookings: Melbourne Fringe Festival

Melbourne Fringe 2016: LOVE LETTERS TO FUCKBOIS

An act of reading, resistance, rebellion and resolution

By Caitlin McGrane

It’s a fair guess that most women who date men will have at some point come across a man who enjoys the company, time and emotional labour of women without investing any of his own energies in them and generally being an entitled fuck. These men are known in African American Vernacular English as ‘fuckbois’; and I’m pleased to report that although the title of this show made me uneasy about the potential for cultural appropriation, the performers of Love Letters to Fuckbois and Other Woes of Wayward Women, Melina Wightman and Lia Stark, acknowledged the origins of the term and their place within its increased colloquial use by white people.

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The show does exactly what it says in the title – it’s a show written by two young feminist women about their sexual and emotional experiences dealing with ‘fuckbois’, slut-shaming, and navigating and carving out their own sexual identities. Like it or not, sex is a huge part of the lives of young people and has been since time immemorial (even my nan said it was a good idea to ‘try before you buy’, a statement I have never been able to unhear). The beauty of this show is it sets the ground-rules from the beginning, explicitly stating from the outset that this will not be a place for discrimination or shame, and in my opinion there’s just not enough of those spaces for young people of any gender identification.

The show entails the two women reading and responding to letters they have written to people in their lives, including but not limited to ‘fuckbois’, mothers, aunties, ex-boyfriends, and then finally a beautiful, raw and searing heartfelt letter to themselves. I was impressed with how expressive and honest the two performers were, and how they confidently and bravely took ownership of the show, the space and the subject matter. The way they have structured the show means each night will be subtly different depending on the letters they choose at random from a fishbowl.

For me the only thing that let the show down was that title; as much as I appreciate that ‘fuckboi’ succinctly conveys the type of person they’re speaking about, it would have been better if they had chosen a different word that didn’t immediately evoke such problematic appropriation. As far as I know the word ‘fuckhead’ is still up for grabs and is basically the Australian equivalent. But I’m also super aware of my own place in this debate, as a white woman trying to write a review about a show written and performed by two other white women that includes a potentially problematic word in the title, maybe this isn’t my debate to even enter into, but I still think it’s worth mentioning.

Love Letters to Fuckbois helped to remind me that being single as fuck in your 20s is a rite of passage, and feeling rejected and unlovable is common as people attempt to navigate choppy emotional waters. That’s not an excuse however for treating women like sex vending machines where if you put enough kindness coins in they eventually dish out blow jobs. I’m glad Mel and Lia have written and performed this show because too often women get shamed for having a) sex, and b) emotions. Standing up to say ‘This is not ok’ sends a powerful cultural message, and for my money its one that is definitely worth repeating.

Love Letters to Fuckbois and Other Woes of Wayward Women is now playing at Wick Studios in Brunswick until Tuesday 20 September at least twice a day; I strongly recommend you see it. For more information, visit: https://melbournefringe.com.au/program?event/love-letters-to-fuckbois/ee98be93-bbda-4fe4-ac04-210d90324304

Melbourne Fringe 2016: HEARD OF ELEPHANTS

Ambitious work acknowledges the elephant in the room

By Myron My

Presented as part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival, Heard of Elephants is a musical on elephant conservation that follows a herd of elephants over a year as they face daily threats from nature and man. Further to that, the play explores the intricate relationships these animals share with each other by exploring their strong links to family, mating rituals and traditions within their species.

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The way writer and director Katherine Phelps has humanized elephants with her cast (Alanna Baschera, Victoria Haslam, Karanvir Malhorta, Suhasini Seelin and Harlene Hercules) is surprisingly clever and charming. Their basic movements and simple costumes easily persuade you that they are indeed elephants, provided you allow the magic of theatre to do its work.

The narrative switches between two perspectives: that of the elephants, and that of Chene (James Ao), a conservationist working to keep the elephants safe in their uncertain present. It is here that Heard of Elephants begins to struggle finding a balance between entertaining and educating the audience. Phelps is clearly passionate about conservation and saving the elephants however, in order to make her point, the story unfortunately loses its heart and its engagement with the audience. We spend close to an hour getting to understand how elephants live and the threats that surround them, but the final ten minutes seem chaotic and clumsy as Phelps attempts to cover too much plot too fast.

The stage design, while minimal, is actually quite effective; the scene where the herd is bathing in water, the birthing of Mim and the lighting during the drought are creatively constructed. However, it would benefit the show more if the sound and lighting crew were not positioned at the front of the stage with the cast, as this was often distracting from the actual performance.

While Heard of Elephants has an important message to convey, I feel it needs to rethink the story it wants to share and take its time telling it, so that the audience can truly appreciate what is happening and being said.

Venue: SomaChi Yoga Studio, 15 Belford St, Collingwood
Season: until 2 October | Fri – Sat 7.30pm, Sun 2.30pm
Length: 70 minutes
Tickets: $25 Full | $22.50 Conc / Groups 6+ | $20 Children
Bookings: Melbourne Fringe Festival

Image by Gregg Kerr

Melbourne Fringe 2016: DION

Compelling ‘drive-by’ theatre

By Myron My

Dion. Oh Dion. Why’d you go and break my heart? That’s what writer/director Davina Wright explores in the new immersive piece by Gold Satino for Melbourne Fringe Festival, aptly titled Dion. It’s business as usual here, as three audience members jump in the back of the Honda Jazz and are driven around the outskirts of North Melbourne in what can be called an epic “fuck off” homage to exes.

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What I really enjoyed throughout Dion is the juxtaposition of being connected with the show yet witnessing distant and detached vignettes. The performers (Tamiah Bantum, Ross de Winter, Lachlan McColl, Cazz Bainbridge, Xavier O’Shanessy and Wright) all exude this feeling that they are living in their own world and generally void of any emotion but the connectivity felt with the subject and the scenes that play out paint a completely different picture. The exploration of first kisses, last kisses, fleeting moments, broken hearts and heartache; they are all experiences we’ve had and something we can all relate to.

The beauty of Gold Satino productions is that all scenes are open to interpretation: you give meaning and value to what you are seeing. Who these people are, where they have come from, where will they go? – it all depends on what you want to happen and how you choose to seen it.

As you keep an eye out for what is part of the show, you begin to notice a lot more people out in the streets that could easily be in the world of Dion. One particular example in last night’s drive is the elderly couple out walking their two dogs, which formed a comforting contrast to the sadness Dion is exploring.

The show runs on a very tight schedule, timed to the second no doubt, and from an audience perspective, there is not a single glitch. Speculating on the logistics of how the performers manage to get around so quickly and be in the scene before the Jazz even approaches is like guessing how David Copperfield made the Statue of Liberty disappear.

The sound design by Tom Davies is a balanced mix of love anthems such as Billy Ocean’s “Love Really Hurts Without You”, and a poignant soundscape that captures the moods of scenes perfectly, such as the ocean sounds we hear as we witness one performer crying alone in their car.

It’s a shame that the opportunity of seeing Dion is limited to three people per show (and is now a sold-out season at that) as Gold Satino is a company producing performance works that more people should be seeing. But perhaps that’s part of the plan. If everyone got to see what happens behind the closed doors or in the dark alleys, would the emotive and evocative insight that Dion offers be as effective?

SOLD OUT SEASON
Venue:
Fringe Hub steps – Arts House, 521 Queensberry Street, North Melbourne, 3051
Season: Until 1 October | Tues – Sat 7pm, 8pm, 9pm, 10pm
Length: 60 minutes
Tickets: $31 Full | $25 Conc | $21 Cheap Tuesday
Bookings: MelbourneFringe Festival

Melbourne Fringe 2016: THE CURIOSITY EXPERIMENT

Care to hear a little ghost story – blindfolded?

By Myron My

Performed at this year’s Melbourne Fringe Festival, The Curiosity Experiment is a ghost story revolving around a supernatural experience that occurred at the Delamere family home many years ago. The twist, however, is that for the majority of the performance the audience are instructed to wear blindfolds so as the story unravels, they can only rely on their hearing, allowing their imagination to create the haunting visuals for them.

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Created and produced by Nathan Schulz and Audrey Cadzow, the show is capped at 13 audience members, which allows for a small enough group wherein a certain level of intimacy can still be reached. And of course the bad luck that is associated with the number subconsciously helps build the intensity of the performance.

The set design in the room is highly atmospheric and as we take our seats around the circular table, it’s easy to believe you have been transported back in time. The room is dimly lit as our host sets the scene for us and the antiquities and toys that sit around the room all hold an air of something sinister to them.

When the visual element of a show is removed, the rest of the senses must be enhanced for the audience to still feel the full effect of the performance. While I tried to focus on the tale at hand, I did find myself getting a bit lost in the details and with actors playing different characters – sometimes of the opposite gender – it sometimes got confusing as to who was saying what or doing what. The cast however deliver some great voice work, with clear emotional responses as well as an overall and enduring creepiness in their performances.

A deliberate move by the creators is for the blindfolds to not completely block out vision, so you are able to peek into the darkness and see the shadows creeping around the room. For the most part though, I did keep my eyes closed and when they were opened, there was always a startled reaction to “see” what was happening. However, I generally respond to things internally rather than externally, so my nerves would not have been evident.

Even though the impact of the ghostly tale of The Curiosity Experiment might not leave you sleeping with the lights on, it is still a unique and enjoyable immersive experience where it is up to your own imagination to decide how far you go into the darkest corners of your mind.

Venue: Wick Studios – Room 13, 23-25 Leslie St, Brunswick, 3056

Season: Until 20 September | Sun – Tues 7pm, 9pm, Sun additional 5pm show

* NEW Additional Show Tue Sept 20 5pm

Length: 80 minutes
Tickets: $25 Full | $15 Conc/Cheap Tuesday
Bookings: Melbourne Fringe Festival