WILD BORE playing as part of The Sydney Festival at Carriageworks has some very clever design and tech.

Beginning with 3 superbly sewn pants.  My favourite was the plaid, checked ones.  Were those straight lines in the black fabric green?  It certainly looked like that.   Anyway.  All three pair were sewn so that the artists had ease of use and yet the audience was able to get the full picture, especially for the opening ‘Full Moon Rising’ sequence.  The trousers were cut to enable moon rising without impeding the full-dress requirement for later in the show.  I was eyeing off the very nice leather jacket as well.

The Costume Designer, Danielle Brustman’s work is also to be admired in the conceptual brilliance of the orange and green faux Shakespearian costume.  Obviously easy to get into and out of, especially since underdressing was almost impossible, it really set the tone for class and gravitas that was required.  In every scene except the climax of the piece, there was such glorious costumeric detail evident even to the naked eye.  Even sitting up the back, I was really struck by the shine of the sleeve buttons on the anchovy frock coat.  Not to mention the beauty of an loose bow tie in pink to enhance stylistic choices in the costume’s function and use.

And while considering colours, I really enjoyed the lighting choices of designer Richard Vabre.  The high UV purple from centre stage right, when it caught the hair of the Auslan Interpreter, was lovely in its simplicity, belying the complexities of the rest of the rig.  A mention, too, of the skilled interpreter who did such a great job making sure her hands were always in the soft open white spot chosen for her downstage right. Vabre’s design did rely significantly, in places, on the cast’s ability to put objects, such as a ladder or a mic stand in the correct place.  No intelligents or follows used for this in the plot.

There was a terrific use of white light though. The throw forwards of the well barn doored centre wash lantern was perfect.  This backlight had an uplifting effect when paired with the upstage throw of the sweet peach gel in two of the downstage fixtures.  Starkly used, the white for the ‘to be Yorick or not be Yorick’ … wonderful.  And then there were lovely pinks and greens chosen from the LED palette.  And a wealth of restraint for the orange, blue, green, pink upstage chase near the finale.

As with the aforementioned opening sequence, the music was superbly chosen.  ‘Face down ass up! That’s the way we like to fuck!’ (2Live Crew) was used to considerable effect.  Contrast this with a bumflute orchestral version of ‘My Heart Will Go On’ and a well sourced bush ambient bit and you have audio aforethought.

I must say a special note of appreciation to the audio operator who did a sterling job of those split second cues and of having the levels just right for the whole show.  Rather than ear splitting, it was toe tapping on the head banging.  Not easy!  And some of those cues, just glorious to listen to … or to miss if that was the intention.

Raya Slavin’s use of hair mount lavs gave the artist a fighting chance of being heard, bum head or no.   Notwithstanding the variety, the audio design took the onlookers’ preferences into account.  As did the choreography, especially of the eating scene, which was very finely tuned to the audience’s taste.

Brustman was also responsible for the set design and boy did it work well.  The surprise elements under the second tier of the second act certainly set the tone for the antics which were to take place there.   That high table was created with craftsmanship … just high enough to accommodate the tallest of the performers without being too cavernous. Plus, that clever blend of design and tech to make the green curtain more green and then allow colour fatigue to set in, such that the artists were foregrounded.

And of course it had an artful downstage slope which kept all the props in view, even to the front rows, without the rounder, more volatile properties being inclined towards escape.  Props too … marvelous … such a strong addition to the show.  I have never seen a better pork tartare!

So many elements of production and design coming together for WILD BORE.

What have I forgotten? Oh yes … there were 3 performers (Zoë Coombs Marr, Ursula Martinez and Adrienne Truscott ) and a very welcome special guest to discuss past and present reviews of their performance efforts.

What else?

Perhaps to mention that this review may be of literature-urgical design to the end of not ending up in the show and therefore I’ll end with encouraging you to see the show, partly to be entertained but mostly so that you will understand this review.  Or will you???