The play begins with Mayu Iwasaki using shadow puppets to tell a story. Dylan Sheridan’s layered sound design and Greta Jean’s delicate puppet creations lull us into a hypnotic dreamscape, making the opening moments feel otherworldly. But that tranquillity is soon shattered when two volunteers from a Disaster Response Coordination Team (CRDT) burst into the theatre announcing that a flood has hit the city, and we - the audience - are now evacuees.
As the show shifts gears, plunging us into this emergency, the performers display an intense range of emotion through their movement and presence. Rino Daidoji is outstanding as the no-nonsense, pragmatic leader of the DRCT, while Iwasaki, despite the growing commotion, retains her calm gracefulness and clear-headedness. Marcus McKenzie is the DRCT apprentice and he offers delightful physical comedy to the role as he finds himself struggling between fulfilling his DRCT duties and helping Iwasaki finish her tale.
Dan Giovannoni's script masterfully blends fantasy with reality, applying the tension of disaster storytelling to delve into themes of loss, resilience, and the fragile balance of nature. His ability to intertwine parallel narratives on stage is flawless, as is his skill in creating a deeply emotional but never overwhelming experience for children and adults.
Co-directors Kouhei Narumi and Sam Routledge have brought this vision to life with exceptional clarity. Their direction ensures that Goldfish's changing tones are seamless, keeping the audience engaged in the magic of the fable while witnessing the harshness of the crisis. Richard Vabre’s lighting similarly deserves high praise. Subtle when needed and utterly powerful at other times (and you'll know when that is), his work adds vital depth to an already mesmerising show.
A defining feature of Goldfish is its unconventional approach to its set. Rather than having a travelling set, a new one is built for each season constructed by locally sourced disaster recovery materials. In Melbourne, for instance, the evacuation centre is filled with boxes of Who Gives A Crap toilet paper and Weet-Bix, providing a more local-level and personable scenario.
Goldfish doesn’t just impress, it lingers, drawing us into its world and leaving us thinking about the real-life echoes of the story long after it ends. Beyond that, it also asks us to consider how we will carry its message back into our own world and what steps we can take to make a difference.
SHOW DETAILS
Venue: Arts House, North Melbourne Town Hall, 521 Queensberry St, North Melbourne
Season: until 2 March | Sat 7:30pm, Sun 5pm
Duration: 60 minutes
Tickets: $40 Full | $25 Conc
Bookings: Arts House
Image credit: Gregory Lorenzutti
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