When I told a good friend that I went to see Barry Kosky’s ‘The Lost Echo’, all in one eight hour sitting, he gave me a kind of incredulous look, and then said, ‘you’re joking…eight hours of Kosky…how did you get through it?’

‘Actually, it wasn’t that hard at all. The time went really quickly. There was just so much happening on stage, it was full on, with over forty actors involved, the wonderful, large Sydney theatre stage area fully utilised…and wizard Kosky at the front, pounding on the keys…and some really great music’.

‘Was it typical Kosky subject matter? “Yes, the usual heavy stuff. Together with Sydney Theatre Company Associate Director Tom Wright they dramatized some stories from Roman poet Ovid’s s ‘Metamorphoses’. Stories such as the story of Phaeton about a boy whose search for his father leads him to incineration, and Mestra about a girl whose father eats himself to death’.

‘How would you describe the night? ‘It was a very primal experience …it was like a walk through your darkest nightmares and sexual fantasies’.

‘Kosky loves to shock and offend. I guess he lived up to his reputation? ‘Absolutely…lots of blood and gore…human waste …male and female nudity…women with straps on…men with dildos…got the picture?’

‘What were the highlights?’ The music…Kosky himself has said that the music was the lost echo. He weaved music into the play from Cole Porter to Monteverdi to Schubert…it was wonderful…There was an electricity about the show… 38 actors on stage who each gave their heart and soul …including the actors from the Sydney Theatre Company’s Actors company, Paul Capsis and second year NIDA students who were fantastic…the dance sequences were tremendous’.

‘Did you ever feel like walking out?’ Yes, the show was divided into four acts. The third Act was called ‘The Song of Bacchus’. It was just so dark and oppressive, I felt like shooting myself!’.

‘Did you ever get lost? Not know what was going on? ‘Absolutely…most of the time I was just hanging in there…just feeling it experientially…please don’t ask me to explain the stories!’.

‘Would you recommend it to people? “Hey, obviously not to my 80 year old Aunty! She’d have to be one hip lady. Ok..seriously…it wasn’t my cup of tea but I got plenty of stuff out of it. Yes I would recommend it…it challenges audiences…there’s a lot of bland theatre….and whatever else you might say about Kosky, his theatre is never, ever bland. Go see it for yourself and you decide!’.