I can still recall imagery in my mind’s eye after reading Joseph Conrad’s vivid stories about the power of the sea. The fear, the vulnerability, the mystery and the delights of the ocean are apparent in the latest creative endeavour by Theatre Works.
Set inside a makeshift, red, wooden phone booth, surrounded by colourful lights, in the front courtyard, Sea Symphony is a 12-minute audio visual experience. Call it a short documentary in a confined space for one, if you will.
You are seated with headphones on, looking straight ahead. You can ask for a version of the video with or without written text. The doco is a celebration of the sea as a connector to us and our stories. Humanity and the natural world are in sharp focus.
Four vignettes provide individual perspectives of the watery experience, what it means to them and how important it has been in their lives. It is about the waves, the sand, the shells and the creatures, the memories of childhood holidays, about surfing and cultural significance.
Exhilarating, life changing, cleansing and cold are just some of the words used to describe it. Sea Symphony may be about others’ thoughts and feelings about the ocean, but it is also cause to reflect upon our own. It is on in Theatre Works’ courtyard until 8th June, 2024.
Alex First
Other reviews you might enjoy:
- Rough Trade (Theatre Works’ Explosives Factory) – theatre review
- Perpetual Frustration Machine (Theatre Works) – theatre review
- Polygraph (Theatre Works) – theatre review
Alex First is a Melbourne based journalist and communications specialist. He contributes to The Blurb on film and theatre.