Where the Wild Things Sing

Presented by Black Hole Theatre in association with SummerSalt Festival

Opera and puppetry collide in the streets of Southbank!

As part of the inaugural SummerSalt Outdoor Arts Festival Black Hole Theatre presented our most ambitious Puppet Slam to date. Led by raconteur Bernard Caleo, participants were guided through the streets of Southbank to intimate performances nestled in laneways, hidden around corners, and creeping up on you from behind. Joined by a crack team of classical musicians and opera singers, breathtaking puppetry pieces brought surreal visuals where ants crawled up walls, jellyfish danced in the air and shadowy worlds were illuminated underwater. Keep an eye out for small surprises and hidden wonders. Listen for music floating on the breeze and voices calling you on.

Bring the kids to a family show in the afternoon – or join us after dark for something a bit more naught than nice.

Performed by: Megan Cameron, Rod Primrose, Lynne Kent, Jeany Lee, Jhess Knight, the indirect Object, and Barking Spider Visual Theatre. Opera singers Belinda Dalton (soprano), Oliver Mann (baritone), Frederica Cunningham (mezzo) perform with musicians Dave Evans (accordion) and Jenny Thomas (violin).

THE PROGRAM INCLUDED:

THE INDIRECT OBJECT: A family-friendly short performance featuring a 1000L tank of water and a magic orange potion gone wrong. A submerged puppeteer performed underwater shadow puppetry while above the surface the Prince was transformed into a grotesque half-human half-rat beast. Performed in the Melbourne Recital Centre carpark, this site-specific work incorporated an avenue of glowing potion jars, a 1.2m inflatable orange slice, a giant bib, two musicians and real, live opera.Concept – Beth McMahon; Creator / Performers – Gabriel Partington, Michael Bevitt; Video Projection – Beth McMahon

BARKING SPIDER VISUAL THEATRE: Three illuminated sea creatures, created by Barking Spider Visual Theatre, that guide the audience through an urban puppetry safari set in the streets of Southbank.

JHESS NIGHT: The Big Orangutan

Bring a child to a family show in the afternoon or join us after dark for something more naughty than nice!

WHEN: Family Shows: Jan 31 & Feb 21 @ 3pm  |  Adult Shows: Jan 31 & Feb 21 @ 8:30pm
WHERE:  An urban safari through the streets of Southbank, departs from Melbourne Recital Centre, 31 Sturt Street, Southbank, Vic.
COST: $5.00

MORE INFO

This project is supported by the City of Melbourne 2014 Arts Grants Program.

Photo Erika Hildegard