It is the height of a World War and the Cote family are all too aware of the looming threat of bombings and death. On this particular evening however, it is revelations and betrayals that risk derailing the lives of these eight people. Presented as part of Midsumma Festival, TBC Theatre's immersive production Rust, lets the audience choose their own adventure by following the characters whose story they find interesting and discover which of them will live through the night.
The most difficult aspect of immersive theatre, where you are free to wander around the venue and pursue whichever character you wish, is ensuring that whatever path the audience takes, they can still put the pieces together by the end. With Rust, creator and writer, Vaughn Rae, and co-writer Sophie Joske have carefully constructed a recognisable narrative that we can comfortably follow but with plenty of mystery and suspense that builds towards a satisfying conclusion.
TBC Theatre has been quietly working away on its most ambitious project yet with its upcoming immersive theatrical experience, Rust. Performed as part of the Midsumma Festival, the part period drama / part romance takes place during the height of a war where over the course of a night, secrets, spies, love affairs and betrayals are revealed. But what the audience uncover will depend on whose story they choose to follow.
There are three main stories told in Rust, each with its own intrigue and suspense, but while Vaughn Rae has written them as individual stories, there is much that ties them together. "The show is about three different relationships that reach breaking point over an evening," he tells me. "A pair of young women contemplate their future in a hostile world,
two former soldiers on opposite sides of war battle with their growing attraction and a marriage crumbles under the weight of
betrayal and secrecy, and gradually these lives crash into one another."
Performed inside the historic Gate Lodge at Melbourne Cemetery, TBC Theatre's production of Mr Naismith's Secret is an intriguing and entertaining piece of immersive theatre. Having gathered at Edward Naismith's residence to celebrate his engagement to Jane Adair, it soon becomes apparent that not everyone wishes the couple a happy future with a number of guests and staff within the house having their own schemes and plots to attend to.
We enter the house interacting with the characters, but we are soon ghost-like creatures that are left to wander the rooms and observe interactions and eavesdrop on private conversations. Secret letters are read out and locked rooms are explored in our ignored presence but there are also times when characters stare directly at you as they deliver their lines or perform in a scene. It is somewhat unnerving but works extremely well in heightening the tension of the narrative.
The tale of two lovers in a tumultuous relationship has been told time and time again that it can be difficult to tell a story like that that will draw your audience in and leave them wanting more. It can also be daunting to do well when using Sam Shepard's well-known play, Fool For Love. However, in Red Theatricals' production of Fool For Love, they manage to do all that and a whole lot more.
Presented by Q44 Theatre Company, it's an exhilarating ride watching this dark tale unfold and this is mostly to do with the performances of its two leads, Mark Davis and Rebecca Fortuna, who are quite frankly, phenomenal. They have truly captured their characters and the chemistry is electric in their scenes together.
