Bluebeard
The shower block of the Bondi Pavilion building will be transformed into a dramatic performance space as part of the annual Bondi Feast Festival which showcases an array of local theatre, comedy, music and food. Explore a hidden part of a seaside historic building, pre-renovation in this upcoming dramatic thriller performance.
Bluebeard; or, the Marriage Mistakes of a Nameless Bride is a collaborative play with five local artists from diverse interdisciplinary backgrounds. The creative team aims to challenge preconceived notions about the limitations of traditional theatre.
Based on the famous 17th century French folktale of a similar name, it tells the story of a wealthy man who habitually murders his wives, and the attempt of his current wife to escape the same violent fate. Audience members are asked to question who is Bluebeard and what does he mean for a contemporary audience?
In this way, the play references modern day murder cases such as that of Oscar Pistorius who shot and killed his girlfriend in the bathroom on Valentine’s Day in 2013.
By innovatively transforming the shower block into an theatrical platform, it subverts a traditionally private space thereby inviting voyeurism and intrigue.
“The play challenges performance spaces and perspectives of them,” said Curly Fernandez who plays the lead male role in the performance, “the site informs the story.”
The play includes an intimate live clarinet performance, fusing space and sound to powerfully immerse audience members.
The creative team intends for the play to pay homage to the iconic location in Bondi. “So part of it is about artistically saying goodbye” said director and North Bondi local Michael Dean.
Jul 25-29, 8:30pm. Bondi Pavilion Men’s Shower Block, Ground Level. $15? Tickets and Info: www.bondifeast.com.au
By Ellouise Bailey.
